Stowaway Part 1 by Eve Hart

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Photo Credit: See style guide to review credit wording before writing this.

SPRING 2014

On the cover: Mountain-biking expeditions take travelers to greater heights.

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Editor’s Note: Finding Home Away From Home Happenings: Birds of a Feather Escapades: Royal America Staff Essay: Heritage Hunting in the Highlands Parting Shot

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Getaways

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Chile Powder: Skiing in Portillo Coastal Creatures: Marine Wildlife on the Oregon Coast Rock On: Canyoneering in Oman At Cliff’s Edge: Adventures in Uganda’s Sipi Falls

Features

Photo by Warren Goldswain

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Exercise Expeditions: Your Excuse to Travel Buen Camino: A Pilgrimage All in One Rhythm: 2014 FIFA World Cup Home Sweet Sicily: Becoming Ragusani

One of the many paths of the Camino de Santiago winds through the verdant Urkiola mountain range in Basque Country, Spain.

Culture

Photo by Mariusz Kluzniak

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Sounds of Austria

Songkran: More Than Just a Water Fight Hanami: Celebrating Transient Beauty Dharamsala: Tibetan Spirit Reborn Bite of Philly Savor the Flavor of the Crescent City Basil: Four Corners of the Kitchen

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Biking Bavaria: Travel the Romantic Road Geocaching: A Modern-Day Treasure Hunt

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Legal Nomad: An Interview with Jodi Ettenberg Starfish Foster Home: Making a Difference One Child at a Time Tales from the Trip Photo Contest Winners

Insider

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Legacies of Navajo Weaving

Field Notes

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Ready to Run Homebodied by Fear: Five Tips for Dealing with Travel Anxieties The Take Home Mastering the Metro On Pointe: Discover Ballet Competitions GasBuddy: Find Cheap Gas

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Eve Hart Smith

Lexi Devenport

Alison Moore

Kelsey Kacher

Katie Laulusa

Managing Editor

Assistant Managing Editor

Copyeditor

Natalie Taylor

Dallin Law

Mary-Celeste Lewis

Jessica Reschke

Lauren Bryce

Senior Editor

Associate Editor

Art Director

Assistant Art Director

Bekah Claussen

Sara Grasley

Kylee Buchanan

Shayla Johnson

Sara Phelps

Assistant Art Director

Senior Designer

Marvin K. Gardner

Julie Ogborn

Amy Carlin

Eugene Tapahe

Editor in Chief

Editorial Advisor

Advertising Advisor

Web Advisor

Social Media Team: Kylee Buchanan, Shayla Johnson, Kelsey Kacher, Alison Moore, *Natalie Taylor, Sara Grasley Advertising Team: *Lauren Bryce, Katie Laulusa, Mary-Celeste Lewis Web Team: Bekah Claussen, Lexi Devenport, *Dallin Law, Sara Phelps

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Stowaway is produced as a project for English Language 430R, Editing for Publication, the capstone class of the editing minor at Brigham Young University. All staff members contributed to planning, writing, editing, designing, and advertising. The views expressed in this publication are solely the views of the authors and do not represent the views or opinions of BYU. Stowaway takes inspiration from the words of Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Photos by Devin Anderton

*Team Leader

editor’s note

Finding

Home

Photo by Ben Matthews

Away from Home I’m going to let you in on a little secret: traveling wasn’t always my thing. The times I have enjoyed traveling most are always associated with home in some way: playing red rover under the tall palm trees in my great-grandma’s front yard in California; taking a road trip to Salt Lake City to visit my aunts and uncles; and doggy-paddling in the pool at my family’s favorite spot in St. George, Utah. But when I was a kid, my family rarely traveled beyond the West Coast and almost never took airplanes. Then things changed. Greatgrandma Woodbury passed on, and we lost our strongest family link in the Western United States. Grandma and Grandpa Woodbury moved to Maine, and other aunts and uncles relocated to the East Coast. My siblings also started moving away from home for college. Then my dad began traveling to the East Coast for work. In these strange years of transition, my family left our car behind and started taking airplanes. One year, my sister and I got the crazy idea to visit her friend, Sarah, in England

to celebrate our graduations. It was the first time I had crossed an ocean for a vacation. After almost 14 hours of air travel, we landed in a strange but beautiful country where greens were even greener than in my Pacific Northwest home. Everything here—the architecture, the history, the mindset of the people—seemed old, so much older than anything in the United States. The homes were smaller and the food was unfamiliar. Instead of touring with a group, we drove from Manchester to London and back in Sarah’s little car. I felt the same sense of wonder that I had had while road tripping through California and Utah with my family as a kid: choosing to stop because the view looked nice or taking a different direction when the highway split. For the most part, we stayed in friends’ houses rather than in hotels—joking, laughing, and eating together. We talked about their lives rather than about England. Somehow this helped me feel more comfortable asking a beefeater for a picture together, admiring Queen Elizabeth

II’s lavish dresses, and walking the shores of Lake Windermere. As familiar mixed with unfam iliar, I was impressed with a new thought: home can be in more than one place. This new place was beginning to feel like home to me. It made me want to stay, even though I was usually done with vacation after just one week. This issue of Stowaway is all about finding your favorite homes locally and far abroad. Come find the people of Spain welcoming you into their homes along the Camino de Santiago (page 32). Or visit the accogliente people of Ragusa to enjoy the slower pace of southern Italy (page 44). Or discover your inner Philadelphian by learning how to take on a cheesesteak just the way the city’s natives would (page 64). Whichever experience you decide to enjoy first, each article has been handcrafted by one of our Stowaway family members just for you. We hope that we will inspire you to find many new homes away from home—both here in the pages of Stowaway and in the places you visit in the future.

Eve Hart Smith Managing Editor www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 7

Birds of a Feather “I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.” —Henry David Thoreau Although having a bird casually flop onto your shoulder might not seem like a very common scenario, an experience like Thoreau’s may not be too far from the norm at one of the many bird festivals happening across the United States this spring. Every year, thousands of bird watchers—veterans and rookies alike—gather at various sites to watch as hundreds of bird species migrate and settle for the spring. Some events offer workshops on the basics of bird-watching, like what tools to bring and how to avoid scaring birds away. Others offer bird-watching field trips geared toward areas of interest such as scientific research, photography, artwork, and travel. Whether you’re interested in wildlife preservation or in having a live subject for your artwork, there’s a bird festival just right for you.

—Katie Laulusa

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: Kenai Birding Festival

Leavenworth, Washington: Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest

Cortez, Colorado: Ute Mountain/ Mesa Verde Birding Festival

May 15–18, 2014

May 8–12, 2014

With famous birds like the albatross, horned puffin, and black-capped chickadee, Kenai Peninsula provides an awe-inspiring experience for bird enthusiasts at all levels of experience. All of the birding field trips are within a short distance of each other, so visitors can see a large variety of habitats and species in a single day.

The Leavenworth festival is the perfect destination for young families and bird-watching novices. It kicks off with a musical concert and picnic that create a family-friendly atmosphere. Children can discover the wonder of birding through the festival’s Bird Discovery Science Center. Meanwhile, adults can enjoy field trips to find and observe well-known and obscure species alike, such as nutcrackers, ravens, grosbeaks, and buntings.

This festival, perfect for both the adventurer and the artist, offers overnight bus trips to destinations such as Pagosa Springs, Dolores River Canyon; La Plata River, Ute Mountain Park; Bluff, Utah; and Condors, Arizona. Among the birds often sighted are the roadrunner, spotted towhee, black phoebe, and wild turkey. The festival also hosts a bird-themed art show.

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kenaibirdfest.com

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leavenworthspringbirdfest.com

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mesaverdecountry.com/tourism/ festivals/birding/birdfest.html

happenings

Galveston, Texas: Galveston Birding & Nature Photo Festival

Oregon, Ohio: Biggest Week in American Birding

Down East, Maine: The Down East Spring Birding Festival

April 10–13, 2014

May 6–15, 2014

May 23–26, 2014

The Galveston FeatherFest focuses many of its events on photography. Located on a portion of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, the festival encompasses habitats such as woods, beaches, and prairies. Common sightings include herons, falcons, owls, nighthawks, and woodpeckers. Among the lecturers and guides are renowned naturalists with knowledge on species characteristics, bird habitats, and conservation efforts. ▶▶

galvestonfeatherfest.com

Known as the warbler capital of the world, northwest Ohio is the springtime home to a myriad of songbirds. Located in Oregon, Ohio, this 10-day festival offers half-day trips to six distinct birding sites. There will also be keynote addresses, workshops, and discussions on such topics as environmental preservation and its importance to bird-watching. ▶▶

biggestweekinamericanbirding.com

The Down East Spring Birding Festival showcases birds from several distinct habitats, such as bogs, forests, and both freshwater and saltwater shores. On average, attendees report more than 200 sightings during the three-day festival. Many aesthetically alluring birds, such as the short-billed dowitcher, the black-eyed woodpecker, and the cedar waxwing, make appearances during this festival, creating a great opportunity for artists and photographers. ▶▶

cclc.me/birdfest

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Getaways A curious monkey munches a mango in Sipi, Uganda.

Chile Powder: Skiing in Portillo

Coastal Creatures: Marine Wildlife on the Oregon Coast

Find out how to lengthen your ski season and broaden your cultural horizons in Portillo, Chile.

From beautiful oceanside views to majestic sea creatures, Oregon has a lot to offer you this spring.

Rock On: Canyoneering in Oman

At Cliff’s Edge: Adventures in Uganda’s Sipi Falls

Once you see how Oman’s cliffs, climbs, and waterholes compare to those of the southwestern United States, you may know where your next adventure destination lies.

Photo by Scott Richards

Thrills await you near the stunning waterfalls of this hidden corner of Uganda.

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Need a fresh idea for weekend activities during your Chilean study abroad? Bored on your business venture? Wishing for one more week of good skiing? Portillo’s got you covered. The ski season of 2005 was coming to a close. Although Larry Kacher was usually disappointed to see Utah’s great powder melt away, that year he wasn’t bothered in the least. In fact, he was looking forward to doing some of his most exciting skiing during the summer. That’s because he and his snowboarding son had decided to extend their winter sports season into the summertime by skiing in the Andes mountain range of Chile. “The thought of skiing and snowboarding in July sounded like way too much fun to pass up,” admits Kacher. In business for more than 60 years, the Portillo resort in the Chilean

Andes is the oldest ski area in South America. This resort includes 14 lifts and is really “the fulfillment of a dream,” according to owner Henry Purcell. Originally a railway built by English engineers on skis, this charming railway-turned-resort has been kept free of commercial expansion and distractions: no town, no shopping centers, no restaurant chains. Today, only one big yellow hotel, one beautiful ski mountain, up to 450 guests, and 450 energetic employees occupy the community. Other than that, Portillo is snow and slopes as far as the eye can see. And the slopes are pretty enticing—after all, how many people can

say they’ve been skiing in the Andes? This mountain range lies deep in the southern hemisphere, roughly in line with Cape Town, South Africa, and Sydney, Australia. Winter runs from June to September here, meaning that when things start melting in the northern hemisphere, the snow is just getting good in Portillo. Portillo is a popular destination for skiers and snowboarders because it not only allows for winter sports during the summer, but it also includes some amazing cultural experiences and delicious food. In August, Portillo dedicates an entire week to showing off an array of South American cuisine in nightly

Top: Portillo’s excellent snow quality is often likened to that of the Rocky Mountains. Above: The resort has a pool, hot tub, fitness center, spa, game room, and many restaurants. Opposite page: The Andes is the longest continental mountain range in the world.

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Chile

getaways

Powder

Photography courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Skiing in Portillo three-course meals, a tradition called “Flavors of the Pacific.” The resort even has an annual torchlight parade, providing guests with the opportunity to ski while carrying a torch. The glowing line of light down the mountain creates a lasting memory. Because the resort is nestled right above Chile’s capital, Santiago, locals and travelers residing in the area can easily take inexpensive weekend trips to enjoy an entirely different side of South America. For the resort guest, taking the adventure hike from the resort to Santiago also makes for an exciting trip—if you’re brave enough! Even without all the cultural opportunities, most skiers and snowboarders would beg for this experience simply to extend their seasons. Kacher agrees that it’s worth it, saying with a shrug, “There’s something refreshing about carving up fresh powder while friends back home sweat through another hot afternoon.” So instead of dreaming about the next winter season, make it happen this summer. Pack your warm winter clothes into your suitcase, not your closet. Then get a reservation at Portillo resort for the coolest experience you’ll find in South America. ▶▶

skiportillo.com

—Kelsey Kacher

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Coastal Creatures Marine Wildlife on the Oregon Coast

The warm beaches of California may seem inviting to those looking to get away from school for a while. But the Oregon coast offers much more to experience in sea life and scenery. In Lincoln City, just two hours from Portland, you’ll find beautiful rocky shores, bright sunny skies, tree-filled sea cliffs—and entire worlds hidden within its waters.

Between the months of March and June, as many as 18,000 gray whales swim past the Oregon coast. They calve during the wintertime in the warm waters of Mexico, and then in the spring they travel to Alaska, where their feeding grounds are located. Since Lincoln City is right on the coast, it is the perfect place to see the whales pass by as they travel north. Anna Redd, a native of Oregon who has been whale watching several times, describes it as “a completely amazing experience. Everybody should go at least once in their life to

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see these enormous whales coming up out of the water and slamming their flippers down,” Redd says. “It’s unforgettable.” If you try whale watching from the shore, use a pair of binoculars and have an optimistic heart. But the best way to see these 40–52-foot-long creatures up close is to go out in a boat. “I’ve had times where the whales would approach the boat and even swim right under it,” says Redd. “Then they are only an arm’s length away.” To get to good whale-watching territory, the boat will need to go out at least five miles (and usually much farther) into open water. This

means you will be out for an hour or two in strong, cold winds. Be sure to bring a wind-resistant coat and wear many layers so you can enjoy this amazing experience. A boat ride like this typically costs $18–30 for an adult, but as Redd says, it is “something you have to do if you’re in Oregon in the spring.”

Tide Pools While whale watching might be the main objective of your visit, you can have a hands-on experience with the sea life when you go to the beach. All along the shore are huge collections of tide pools, where you can catch

Photo by Tony Mendez

Whale Watching

getaways spots for finding seals because they like to rest on the rocks in the sun. If you tread carefully, you can get close enough to almost touch the seals before they slowly plop away.

Lincoln City

tiny sculpin fish and crabs, touch the sticky multicolored anemones, and discover orange and purple starfish. The water of the tide pools warms up in the sun, so even if the ocean is frigid, you can wade right into these large warm pools near the shore.

Devil’s Punch Bowl If you want to see some larger sea life, you can head over to nearby Devil’s Punch Bowl. This was once a sea cave, but the roof collapsed and the cave became a bowl-shaped enclosure filled with huge rocks. The Punch Bowl and its surrounding area are hot

After a long day on the water, head into the center of Lincoln City, with its long winding streets filled with small specialty shops where you can buy glass trinkets, saltwater taffy, and shells and souvenirs. You can also go to the city’s most popular restaurant, Mo’s, which is famous for its delicious clam chowder and cheesy bread. While it might be too cold to go swimming in the ocean this far north, the Oregon coast offers beautiful scenery and sea life that you just can’t find farther south. So when you’re planning a weekend trip to the West Coast, consider a road trip to somewhere a bit colder with adventures beyond California. ▶▶

tradewindscharters.com

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lcchamber.com

—Sara Grasley

Seattle’s Puget Sound If you can’t get enough marine adventure in the Pacific Northwest, consider a side trip to Seattle to take in the beautiful Puget Sound. Less than five hours by car from Lincoln City, Seattle offers many boating opportunities for both seasoned seafarers and land-lovers.

Seafarers

The Center for Wooden Boats. At any of the center’s three locations around the city, you’ll find information on Seattle’s marine culture and history as well as inexpensive canoe, kayak, and rowboat rentals. Prices start at just a $5 suggested donation to the center. ▶▶

cwb.org

The Electric Boat Company. If you’d like to try your hand at crabbing or if you want to hop around the San Juan Islands at your own pace, you can rent a motorboat from the Electric Boat Company starting at $89 per hour with a two-hour minimum rental. Remember to pick up a license if you decide to try crabbing. ▶▶

theelectricboatco.com

Land-Lovers

The Ducks of Seattle. These recycled World War II amphibious landing crafts are on a mission—to help you have a good time! Prepare yourself for a fun, wacky tour of Seattle both on land and in the water. Adult tickets start at $28.

Photography by Andrew Grasley

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ridetheducksofseattle.com

Seattle Tours. Seattle Tours offers elegant and informative tours to suit the needs of nearly any visitor. Tours cost anywhere from $30 for a short tour of the nearby lakes to $166 for a five-course dinner and a perfect view of the city. ▶▶

Opposite: A whale emerges from the ocean’s surface. Top: While many starfish are orange like this one, they can range in color from magenta to deep purple. Above: Harbor seals are protected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act, but it is still possible to get close to some of the calmer seals.

seattletours.us

—Mary-Celeste Lewis

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Rock On

Canyoneering in Oman If you like canyoneering in the southwestern United States, it might be time to take it to the next level—the Middle East.

Moving to the United Arab Emirates with five children may sound overwhelming, but for the Hyde family it was the perfect adventure. The Hydes had enjoyed the scenic national parks and canyons of the American Southwest for years—they loved climbing, hiking, and swimming. But they were itching for their next adventure. They found it near their new home when they discovered the neighboring country of Oman. “I might prefer the views of Zion National Park over the views in Oman,” Marc Hyde admits, “but Oman has such a raw, rugged feel to it that one can’t help but be impressed.” In Oman, “there is no canyon rescue, the trails aren’t maintained, marking is marginal; you are really on your own,” Hyde explains. Fortunately, because the Middle East is a common site for study abroad and business programs, spending a week in Oman while you are in a neighboring country is usually as easy as a quick drive to the border and a flash of your passport. Here are a few of the best spots that await you in Oman—along with a glance at how they compare with their geographical counterparts found in the southwestern United States.

Photo Credit: See style guide to review credit wording before writing this.

Jebel Shams

For the Grand Canyon lover, Jebel Shams offers the highest point in Oman as well as the deepest canyon. It has even been nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Oman. A small cleft near the top of the canyon wall is your trail for a breathtaking hike. This hike leads you to the abandoned village of Sap Bani Khamis, an Omani settlement literally built into the wall of the cliff. Oman’s “well-worn trails are usually that way because they are still in use by locals as a means of travel from one village to the next,” remarks Hyde. This same raw quality is what makes Jebel Shams so unique. If you spend a long day there exploring the

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getaways

limestone cavern in the middle of the desert. The locals say that a piece of the moon fell from the sky and made the hole. They call this gigantic sinkhole Bait al Afreet, or “House of the Demon.” Bimmah is perfect for the thrill-seeking cliff jumper. But if you like to keep your feet on the ground, take the stairs down to the clear blue waters to go for a swim.

—Kelsey Kacher

Time to Unwind Your body can handle only so

Above: Bimmah Sinkhole contains tiny fish known to nibble harmlessly on visitors’ toes. Opposite: Wadi Shab is hemmed in vertiginous sandstone walls, with a verdant ribbon of date plantations and banana palms threading the base of the cliffs.

village, no worries. Just go to the nearby tent community where you can rent a room—or Arabian tent— for the night.

Photography courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Wadi Shab

For cave swimmers of New Mexico’s Blue Hole, Wadi Shab is a must-see destination in the middle of Oman’s dry, rocky desert. This canyon starts out barren, but it leads you to a cave through thick tropical foliage, boulders, waterfalls, and aquamarine water. Brave adventurers can swim under the rocks and come up in a glittering cave with a huge waterfall to jump from. For the thrill seekers in your group, there is also an underwater tunnel to explore. The tall cliffs and rocks are also perfect for cliff diving—in fact, Wadi Shab was the final stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2012. But these canyons aren’t mere tourist spots. Hyde remembers feeling amazed when he saw somebody doing laundry in a river, as well as a shepherd boy caring for a herd of goats in a canyon. “They weren’t up the Wadi for adventure,” Hyde points out. “That was their home.”

Snake Canyon

For hikers of the slot canyons of the Subway in Zion National Park, Oman’s Snake Canyon provides a hiker’s heaven for advanced adventures. With huge boulders to climb on, high cliffs to jump from, cool cave pools to swim in, smooth rocks to slide down, and sheer rock walls to gape at, Snake Canyon is completely unforgettable. Be sure to check the season’s water levels before you go—and bring some rope and a friend to be safe. Though the drive to find this canyon is long, the road winds through incredible sights and past tiny, seemingly forgotten villages that will take your breath away.

Bimmah Sinkhole

For fans of Gypsum Sinkhole in Capitol Reef National Park, Bimmah sinkhole is an intriguing destination in Oman. Bimmah is easy to miss in the middle of the rocky desert near Wadi Shab, but it’s worth discovering. According to geologists, this 65-foot deep, bedrock-edged chasm was created ages ago from the collapse of a

much hiking, so when the sun goes down, the party turns up! There are great possibilities for spending your free time in the evenings. You can’t claim to be a shop-

ping pro until you’ve haggled at

an Omani s’ouq, or market. Here

shops are filled with gorgeous housewares, rare spices, and

beautiful clothing that will have your friends begging for souve-

nirs. Grab traditional Omani hats

for your guy friends and candora housedresses for your girlfriends

and you’ll be voted best shopper of the year.

And don’t forget about

food! There are shwarma restaurants all over, so be sure to get the spiced meat, cucumbers, tomatoes, fries, and sauce all

wrapped up for a delicious—and inexpensive—meal.

But don’t leave the restaurant

without getting the amazing

Omani “juice.” To make these

incredible dessert smoothies,

locals simply blend up fresh mangos, avocados, strawberries, or

any other tropical fruit and layer these fruit flavors in a tall glass,

leaving all their different colors

visible. Then, of course, they top it off with a creamy Omani version of vanilla ice cream. How do you say bon appétit in Arabic?

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At Cliff’s Edge Adventures in Uganda’s Sipi Falls

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getaways

“I’d read in our guidebooks that Sipi Falls was beautiful, but nothing could have prepared me for the heart-stopping moment when I woke up after our late-night arrival to find that I’d been sleeping on a cliff, only a few hundred yards from the most expansive and beautiful green valley I’d ever seen.”

Photography by Scott Richards

Nicole Marquez—along with eight of her friends, seven complete strangers, and a few stray chickens—boarded an eastbound taxi van in the pouring jungle rain. After a 50-hour workweek in Mukono, Uganda, where Marquez and her group had been living for two months, they were off for a few days of relaxation and adventure. “Winding up the steep roads of the mountain to Sipi in the middle of the night, trying to communicate with a driver who didn’t speak English, I just had to trust we’d make it,” laughs Marquez. “But I’d do it again. No wild ride could stop me from visiting Sipi.” From the savannahs of the northern villages to the raging rapids of the Nile River near its source at Lake Victoria, Uganda is a colorful, adrenaline-filled journey. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in this dazzlingly green and endlessly surprising

East African country, you’ll discover adventure at every turn. While relatively small in size, Uganda offers more than just safaris; some of the most stunning waterfalls in Africa are nestled within the emerald jungle forests of Mount Elgon National Park and Sipi Falls on the eastern border of Uganda. At 14,000 feet, Mount Elgon has a cooler climate than the rest of tropical, equatorial Uganda. For travelers looking for hiking, rappelling, and beautiful scenery, Sipi Falls might be the best adventure Uganda has to offer.

Getting to Sipi

About four hours from the bustling capital city of Kampala and only three hours from Jinja, the majestic falls at Sipi make the perfect destination for a weeklong getaway that is equal parts rejuvenating and thrilling. The

Opposite: The largest of the three waterfalls flows over basalt cliffs. Above: Sipi offers a variety of accommodations, but many visitors choose to camp near the edge of the valley.

best way to get there is to hop into a taxi in Kampala or Jinja. Fourteenseat taxi vans (which frequently carry more than 20 people and their animals) are a rite of passage for travelers in Uganda—and they are the best and most affordable way to travel from city to city. If you leave during daylight and choose a driver who speaks a little English, you should have no problem traversing the country and making friends during the bumpy ride. Try to get a window seat so you can take in as much of the tropical scenery as you can. Once you arrive, you can enjoy the full Sipi experience on any budget. Pitch a tent or stay in a simple thatched banda (hut) for less than $10 a night, or go all out with an all-inclusive stay in a comfortable cottage, starting at $200 per night. Keep in mind that running water is a luxury at most locations, and you’ll probably find hot water only at the high-end lodges. Since they didn’t want to spend very much money on food and lodging, Marquez and her friends chose to stay at the inexpensive but beautiful Crow’s Nest campsite, which has good reviews. “Our only splurge was to make dinner reservations one night at the Sipi River Lodge,” she explains. “We ate a three-course meal that made us feel right at home.” Most campsites have inexpensive meal options, but you can also ask around for the best chapati (flatbread) and beans—a typical Ugandan dish that can be purchased for less than a dollar from street vendors.

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Visitors can rappel down the largest fall, the tallest waterfall in Uganda, landing gently on the jungle floor amidst rainbow sprays of water.

Exploring the Falls

To get a feel for the natural beauty that the Mount Elgon area has to offer, hire a local to lead you on a guided hike for as little as $2 per person. “Our guide, Juma, quickly became our new best friend,” recalls Marquez. Juma grew up in Sipi, and his family runs the Crow’s Nest campsite. He and other Sipi locals know every path of this untamed mountain paradise, and they will gladly tell you all you need to know. The trek is not overly difficult; it can be done in one day or split between two. And it includes visits to the three main waterfalls, which range from 225 to 330 feet tall. Wear a swimsuit and comfortable waterproof sandals so you can explore behind the falls, wade across rivers, and stroll through tiny streams. At the end of your trek, you will descend into a valley through an overgrown, mosscovered path, until you reach a break in the greenery that reveals an ethereal view of the main waterfall from below. No matter where you stand, you won’t be able to escape the misty rainbow spray of the crashing falls. As you hike through secluded mountain farmlands and across wellused wooden footbridges, look for

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the colorful birds and curious monkeys that inhabit the area. The trails are well maintained but also largely unaffected by tourism or technology. You may run into a couple groups of travelers, but most of the time it will just be you, your guide, and the lush, dewy jungle.

Finding Adventure

For fearless thrill-seekers, perhaps the most breathtaking experience at Sipi Falls is rappelling (the locals call it abseiling) down the face of the largest waterfall. For about $50, you can strap on a harness and step backward off a cliff into the rainbow mists of the 330-foot waterfall, landing in an otherworldly moss-covered grotto. A Ugandan company trained by professional climbers will help you get geared up and ready to rappel the falls. For avid hikers, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (ugandawildlife.org) offers three- to five-day mountaineering treks up Africa’s eighth highest mountain, Mount Elgon. The hike to Wagagai Peak, which emerges from Mount Elgon at 14,177 feet, is no small endeavor—but you will find mud caves, hot springs, and waterfalls to relax in along the way.

For travelers less fond of heights, the mountain-biking trails in the Mount Elgon area are unparalleled. Most serious mountain bikers bring their own bikes in order to enjoy the trails, but there are also places to rent equipment. In December, when the rainy season has subsided, the Sipi River Lodge holds a 12-mile bike race that traverses the winding trails of Mount Elgon. Other activities in the area include bird-watching, tours of the coffee fields, fly-fishing, and archery—but no one would blame you if you spent an entire day in a hammock overlooking the resplendent rushing waters of the falls. No matter what you do during your stay at Sipi Falls, you will fall in love with a corner of the world that is both stunning and stimulating. As Marquez puts it, “You’ll never see the world the same way after you get down and dirty in the great outdoors of Uganda.” ▶▶

ucota.or.ug/ mount-elgon-national-park

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Exercise Expeditions: Your Excuse to Travel

Buen Camino: A Pilgrimage

All in One Rhythm: 2014 FIFA World Cup

Home Sweet Sicily: Becoming Ragusani

Athletic excursions are a great way to check items off your fitness and travel bucket lists—all in one trip.

Join a legacy of pilgrims who have walked the path from France to Spain on the Camino de Santiago.

Attend the FIFA 2014 World Cup while participating in Brazil’s exciting and colorful culture.

Photo by Pascal Gertschen

You’ll find that the friendly, laid-back Italy romanticized in movies is still alive and well in Ragusa, Sicily.