Souvenirs Fall 2022

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear reader, Even as the world begins to regain a sense of normalcy, the travel industry continues to impact travelers’ experiences. From delayed and canceled flights to mountains of lost bags, travel isn’t always as easy as it once was. But problems while in transit have always been a part of the travel experience and contribute to the stories that will inevitably be told about the trip in the future. Besides, not every good trip needs to be to a different state or a different country—it’s possible to find beautiful scenery and amazing experiences in your own backyard. In this issue, we reflect on what we’ve learned when trips haven’t always gone according to plan, places we’ve visited that aren’t far from our hometowns, hidden gems we’ve found off the better-trodden tourist paths, and how the decisions before and after our travels change our perspective on life and our own capabilities.

I hope this issue inspires you not just to take that trip you’ve always been dreaming about, but to redefine your definition of a ‘trip’ itself. Don’t be afraid to explore places nearby. Natural beauty can be found outside of national parks, and places of historic significance don’t need to be in a major city.

In a time of missed connections and lost baggage, sometimes it pays to stay closer to home. Who knows—you might begin to see the area where you live in a brand new light. But if a travel mishap does befall you, don’t panic: you’re not alone, and there are steps you can take to find your missing belongings. Embrace everything, both good and bad, as part of traveling, and know that you’ll be changed by it even if you’re not expecting it. Whether traveling for a week, a month, studying abroad for a semester, or taking a gap year, traveling will require you to make decisions quickly. This can help build confidence— once you’ve navigated a foreign country, a lot of other things start to seem possible. Besides allowing us to see other places and meet other people, traveling forces us to evaluate who we are. Maybe that’s why I—and so many others, including our contributors—love it so much. Expanding your horizons, by definition, expands your perception of the possible.

I hope you’re able to take that vacation you’ve always wanted to and see that place you’ve always dreamt of. But I hope you explore the area around you as well—too often it’s easy to get caught up in the faraway,

while overlooking everything there is to do closer to home. Something doesn’t have to be in a guidebook to make it worth visiting, as our articles show. Whether you’re looking for travel tips or destination ideas, for stories of travel gone wrong or personal narratives about how our travels changed us, there’s something for everyone in this issue of Souvenirs.

Happy travels!

Sophia Halverson Souvenirs Editor in Chief

CONTRIBUTORS FALL 2022

Editor in Chief

Sophia Halverson

Art Director

Katerina Štuopis

Editors

Dani Csaszar

Lucy Macek

Contributing Writers and Photographers

Dani Csaszar

Shue Gottschalk

Angelina Huang

Heewone Lim

Ann Lundstrom

Lucy Macek

Aliese Mueller

Emily Nordhaus

Katerina Štuopis

Cover Photo

Lofoten Islands

Angelina Huang

WUD Publications

Committee Director

Shashwot Tripathy

WUD Publications Committee Advisor

Robin Schmoldt

Crystal Mill, Colorado

Photo by Angelina Huang

4 Contents

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6 14 18 22 30 34 The Smokies: Finding Peace in the commotion From the Pyrenees to the End of the World smiling back Taking advantage of Traveling solo Lessons from lost luggage A Trip Around Norway The Sights of Switzerland Souvenirs Travel playlist Local Color in the Driftless Area Things to Do in and around portland

Glacier National Park

Photo By Katerina Stuopis

Things To Do In and Around Portland

By Lucy Macek

This past May, I ventured to Portland, Oregon. I was only there for a week, but I packed in a load of adventures! I explored the Pacific Northwest from oceans, to gardens in all their beautiful greenery. If you’d like to know what’s worth visiting in and around Portland, then keep reading!

Gardens

International Rose Test Garden

This garden is open to the public and is just a short walk from downtown Portland, located in Washington Park. Unfortunately, when I visited in May, the roses were not in bloom. But it was still an amazing sight to witness: there were hundreds of different varieties among the thousands of roses in the garden. This garden is meant to serve as a site to test new varieties of roses, hence the name. The roses begin blooming in late May and continue until early September, so plan your visit at a better time than me!

Japanese Garden

This was by far my favorite garden to visit, located right next to Washington Park. It was so serene and peaceful. There are free tours (I went on one) which give you loads of information about the history of the garden and the different kinds of gardens you can explore. For example, one garden had no plants at all, simply pebbles and three larger rocks which vaguely resemble tigers. There’s also an amazing little teahouse with the most high quality teas in the city. I got matcha and it was so strong and good! There is also a look out from the garden displaying magnificent views of downtown and Mount Hood.

Chinese Garden

Located in downtown Portland, this garden has more of a city feel to it than the Japanese Garden, which is located in the forest. Even so, it is a beautiful place to visit and gives a sense of peace while in the city. This garden also has a teahouse. I got loose-leaf jasmine green tea, which had a lovely floral flavor. The nice part of their teahouse is that they give you unlimited refills of hot water!

Day Trips

Silver Falls State Park

This park is only about an hour away from downtown Portland and has the most magnificent waterfalls! The falls are huge and cascade down cliffs lined with bright green moss into a river below. The falls roar as you walk beneath them, filling your ears with their musical sound. I hiked the Trail of Ten Falls, which takes you around each of the waterfalls, and even behind some of them! You get a really up close and personal look at them, and will probably get a little wet, so dress accordingly! This hike is about seven miles and is considered moderate in difficulty.

Columbia River Gorge/Multnomah Falls

Columbia River Gorge is about a half hour drive from downtown Portland! It boasts views of the river canyon, and as you drive up towards Multnomah Falls you twist and turn along the cliffs. Multnomah Falls is huge, even bigger than the ones at Silver Falls State Park, and has a beautiful cascading effect. I hiked all the way to the top of the waterfall, which truthfully was a little tough as it’s all uphill! But the hike is worth it because you get to peer down at the falls and watch as they cascade!

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area

I didn’t originally plan to go here, but it was on the way to Thor’s Well and I just happened upon it. It sounded cool, but I was not prepared for just how incredible it actually was! Although it’s over a two and a half hour drive from Portland, the views of the Pacific coast are gorgeous and so scenic. Yaquina is located on a rocky beach, but what makes this beach special are the tide pools! I’ve never seen such huge sea stars, anemones, and sea urchins! And when I looked over at some larger rocks out in the ocean, there were probably around 30 sea lions scattered about. If you’re looking for wildlife, Yaquina is the place to go!

Thor's Well

Located another 40 minutes away from Yaquina, Thor’s well is an amazing site to visit. It is basically a giant hole in a rock right on the edge of the ocean. The ocean water shoots up through it and creates an eruption! It’s honestly really cool to witness, but don’t get too close—otherwise you might be swallowed by the sea.

Downtown/Other

Saturday Market and the Farmer’s Market at PSU

The Saturday Market comprises an area of tents where local artists sell their fantastic art! From ghoulish figurines to sterling silver heart rings, there’s something for everyone. Located at a walkable distance from this art collective is the Farmers Market. Although I love the Madison Farmers Market, this one was just so Portland. I got freshly picked strawberries (the woman selling them made sure to tell me they were organic), freshly brewed kombucha, and a cinnamon roll!

Powell’s Books

Probably one of the most iconic Portland sites is Powell’s Books. Even if you don’t read, you have to check it out! It’s the largest independent bookstore in the world, and takes up an entire block of the street. The books there are both new and used (and there’s a rare book collection too!). In total there are around one million books in the store!

Hoyt Arboretum

This arboretum, also called a living museum, is just two miles from downtown Portland and is located in Washington Park. There are twelve hiking trails in total and varying kinds of forests. My favorite was the redwood forest since I’d never seen redwoods before!

Pittock Mansion

This house museum is just a short hike away from Hoyt Arboretum. There are self guided tours through the house, with loads of information about its history. Outside the house is a gorgeous yard that overlooks Mount Hood and downtown Portland. If you walk from downtown to Pittock as I did, give yourself a pat on the back! It’s completely uphill and looks very far away from where you came from.

Overall, Portland is a city filled with so much to do in the city and surrounding area. From gardens to parks to markets, there’s something for everyone!

Multonomah Falls

Photos by Lucy Macek

Local Color in the Driftless Area

By Shue Gottshalk

I spent my childhood in southwest Wisconsin, swimming in the Wisconsin River, hiking at Governor Dodge State Park, picking strawberries in Baraboo and sweet corn in Arena. Travel always tantalized me, but I daydreamed about exploring places and meeting people beyond my childhood borders. After many road-trips across North America and a few trips abroad, I returned to Wisconsin just as COVID-19 was emerging. Public gatherings were being canceled, and stores, museums, bars, theaters, stadiums, and campuses began to close, one after the other. Travel in the traditional sense became nearly impossible, but the back roads and outdoor spaces of southwest Wisconsin were open 24/7, and I began to rediscover its impressive variety of trails, woods, rivers, and history. I could bike, hike, camp, swim, birdwatch, photograph, and explore local color while still maintaining 6 feet of social-distancing. That’s when I learned that my favorite corner of Wisconsin has a name, and that Driftless Wisconsin is part of a larger peninsula of land in America’s upper Midwest: the Driftless Area.

With a combined area the size of Switzerland or Lake Michigan, the Driftless Area touches 57 counties in tiny corners of 4 states: northwest Illinois, northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest Wisconsin. It’s called ‘driftless’ because during the Pleistocene Ice Age, this area was impervious to glaciers. Massive ice sheets covered immense swathes of Wisconsin and North America and flattened surrounding landscapes, but the glaciers stopped short of the Driftless Area. Consequently, this area retained its hilly contours and remained free of glacial “drift”—sand, rock, silt, and other organic sediment left by melting glaciers.

The Driftless Area has a unique topography of limestone bedrock, rolling hills, caves, abundant fresh water, and dramatic bluffs that overlook deep river valleys. The wide Mississippi River forms the western boundary of Driftless Wisconsin, while the Wisconsin River is an east/west tributary. Understandably, water culture is big here and attracts wildlife, nature lovers, kayakers, anglers, birders, and road-trippers from regional cities in search of a chance to connect with nature alike.

Beyond the breathtaking topography, I began to see the Driftless Area as a fascinating patchwork quilt of microcultures. From afar, the United States can appear to be a monolithic culture of football, cars, fast food, Hollywood, Apple, and Google. It’s easy to overlook subtle cultural impressions left by enclaves of people who occupied this land

centuries ago, but I began to see the history of many groups of people imprinted on this land: effigy mound-builders, Ho Chunk native Americans, Norwegian farmers, Cornish miners, Amish homesteaders, cheese-makers from Switzerland, French fur-traders and explorers, architects, artists and early tycoons that emerged with railroad and steamboat commerce.

The Driftless Area is not known for metropolitan hubs - its ‘big’ cities are LaCrosse, WI, Rochester, MN, and Dubuque, IA. With a population density of just 39 people per square mile, the Driftless Area is better known for its agriculture, friendly local hospitality, cows, and cheese. Driving west towards the Mississippi River on country roads that wind through the Driftless Area, the landscape is dominated by green pastures, yellow fields, brown rocky bluffs, and red barns that occasionally sport a colorful painted “barn quilt.”

To explore the Driftless Area by car or motorcycle, a great weekend hub is Prairie du Chien, WI, a historic city built at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. From Prairie du Chien, head south to Dubuque (60 miles) or north to La Crosse (60 miles) using the Great River Road, a scenic byway that follows the Mississippi River, or head northwest to Rochester (115 miles). All 3 urban areas have colorful street art, or you can check out prehistoric rock art pictographs in caves and rock shelves in the Driftless Area. Alternatively, explore charming riverside towns like Spring Green, Boscobel, Muscoda and Wauzeka using scenic roads WIS 133 and WIS 23. At the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, stop to admire the views and photograph the beautiful fall colors that paint the hillsides. Explore farm communities in Iowa and Grant counties using Highway 18 E past Fennimore, Amish homesteads and greenhouses, Montfort, and Dodgeville, or travel along WI Hwy 69 to explore the award-winning cheese-producing hotspots of New Glarus, Shullsburg and Monroe.

If walking and mass transportation are preferred, ride the Jefferson Lines bus route from the UW- Madison campus to the UW-LaCrosse campus (3.5 hours). La Crosse has a compact and walkable city center and plenty of ways to explore nearby points of interest via bike, hiking trails, tramways, segway, and riverboats.

Spend an afternoon or a weekend exploring color and culture in a historic and beautiful Driftless destination.

6 Driftless Destinations (with driving times from UW-Madison)

Prairie du Chien, WI (1.5 hours): Wisconsin’s 2nd oldest city (pop. 5,600) is the county seat of Crawford County. Explore Villa Louis, the St. Feriole Island estate of prominent fur-trader and lumber baron H. Louis Dousman, and the grand Dousman House Hotel, built steps away from the historic track of the Milwaukee-Prairie du Chien railroad line. Get a birds-eye view of the Mississippi River and its many islands from Wyalusing State Park, where you can hike down a rustic staircase to Treasure Cave. A short drive across the Mississippi River in Iowa is Effigy Mounds National Monument, which has preserved 200 earthen mounds in the shape of bears, eagles, snakes and other animals that were constructed by prehistoric semi-nomadic Woodland tribes.

Spring Green, WI (1 hour):

The community built in the sandy valley of the Wisconsin River (pop. 2,500) where architect Frank Lloyd Wright was inspired to build his home and studio, Taliesen, a UNESCO World Heritage site open seasonally for historical tours and great views. Spring Green has given new life to old buildings by converting them into delicious restaurants, like the White Schoolhouse (now Homecoming) and the State Bank of Spring Green (now Last Leaf Public House). Driving along Hwy 14 towards Arena, pick up seasonal produce and gifts at Peck’s Farm Market and sample award-winning cheese curds at Arena Cheese (look for the huge mouse statue). From June-November, catch a play in the gorgeous outdoor amphitheater, American Players Theater, and for a fantastic overlook of the river valley, climb to the top of the old shot tower at Tower Hill State Park at sunset.

Mineral Point, WI (1 hour): This picturesque landmark town (pop.2,600) came to prominence as a mining boom-town when Wisconsin was still part of the Michigan Territory. It has a colorful frontier history with an impressive artist colony. Tour some of Mineral Point’s 500 structures that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, like Shake Rag Alley and Pendarvis, a collection of stone cottages built by miners from Cornwall England. Miners were sometimes referred to as badgers, and you can still see “badger holes” in the surrounding hillside. From Pendarvis, take a fantastic 1.5 mile walking tour through the early history of this tiny but significant hill town. Explore the first brewery in Wisconsin, the Brewery Pottery Studio, which now houses a pottery studio and sells gifts by local artisans. In autumn months, Mineral Point hosts Cornish Fest and the Fall Art Tour. The vaudeville-era Mineral Point Opera House has live music and theatrical events throughout the year, and in early November it hosts the Driftless Film Festival.

LaCrosse, WI (2.5 hours):

The crown jewel of the Driftless region, the natural beauty and copious recreational opportunities of LaCrosse (pop. 53,000) lures an active outdoorsy crowd. The city has a compact center, cheap parking, numerous local breweries and vineyards, and a vibrant student vibe from the nearby college. Grandad Bluff is a phenomenal viewpoint overlooking the city, the Mississippi River, and 2 states. From May-October, local vendors sell seasonal produce, cheese, bread, and gifts at the downtown Cameron Park Farmers Market. In September, La Crosse celebrates one of the largest Oktoberfest gatherings in the US, and you can explore the city’s waterfront at Riverside Park in any season—from outdoor concerts in the summer to Christmas lights in December. Take a walking tour through the CassKing Historic District, or a Segway tour across the iconic big blue Mississippi River Bridge that connects Wisconsin with Minnesota.

Baraboo, WI (1 hour):

The lovely and quirky town of Baraboo (pop. 12,000) was built between the Baraboo and Wisconsin Rivers, and is ringed by the Baraboo Bluffs and abundant wooded terrain. The town was once the winter home of the traveling Ringling Brothers Circus, and although the big top tents are gone, the Circus World Museum recounts Baraboo’s colorful history. Hike or snowshoe the only segment of Wisconsin’s 1200 mile Ice Age Trail that meanders into the Driftless Area. Explore the hiking, boating, rock-climbing and stunning vistas offered at Wisconsin’s largest state park, Devil’s Lake State Park, and its ancient pink Quartzite bluffs. In November, watch thousands of Sandhill Cranes gather at the Wisconsin River before beginning their winter migration.

New Glarus, WI (35 minutes):

Also called America’s Little Switzerland, the village of New Glarus (pop. 2,300) was established in the fertile basin of the Little Sugar River by a colony of 108 Swiss immigrants, who brought with them a robust tradition of cheesemaking. Once sporting 22 creameries, this village was the birthplace of stinky but delicious limburger cheese. New Glarus is packed with history and visitors can explore Swiss culture and pioneer life at the seasonal museums (open May-October), Chalet of the Golden Fleece and the Swiss Historical Village. Take a walking tour of the town to spot the many colorful cow statues painted by local artists. Sample a Spotted Cow beer (sold only in Wisconsin) at the New Glarus Brewery, and do not leave before sampling the cheese, chocolate and ice cream at quaint downtown shops. Explore the 40-mile Badger State Trail that stops in New Glarus before heading further south to the Wisconsin/Illinois state line. Explore the Sugar River StateTrail, a 24-mile portion of an abandoned railroad track that is now designated as a recreational trail for foot, bicycle and equestrian traffic.

Photos by Shue Gottschalk

Souvenirs Travel Playlist - Ann Lundstrom

Everyone Changes - Kodaline

Sugar in a Bowl - Of Monsters and Men

Lost in My Mind - The Head and the Heart

Ends of the Earth - Lord Huron

Somewhere Only We Know - Keane

Photo By Katerina Stuopis

Photo By Angelina Huang

The Sights of Switzerland

By Aliese Mueller

From massive waterfalls to vibrant mountain flowers, Switzerland is one of the most scenic and diverse places in the world. Its elegance should be experienced at least once in everyone’s lifetime, especially all mountain lovers.

Tucked away in a remote location about an hour from the country’s capital, the Lauterbrunnen Valley has so much to offer. The town itself is composed of a grocery store, a few restaurants, and gift shops for the many tourists that come through Lauterbrunnen. It’s common knowledge that Switzerland is an expensive country, but travel here doesn’t need to be expensive thanks to frugal decisions. To cut down on the cost, I personally did not experience the tastes of Switzerland apart from the local grocery store. However, I was able to taste the divine variety of fruits and snacks that were offered there. Even their colorful flavors are nothing compared to the vibrancy of the landscape.

The village of Lauterbrunnen is surrounded by the Alps with the Staubbach Falls flowing off the side of the Bernese Highlands. Every type of traveler is able to stroll along the curved streets and admire the views with amazement and wonder. The beauty of Lauterbrunnen is an unmatched wonder of the world. For travelers up for the challenge, the valley offers cable cars to the top of the mountains. From there, a variety of hikes of differing skill levels are available to explore.

While Switzerland is filled with hiking trails, my personal favorite was the Mountain View Trail. I visited the country in mid-June and the weather was absolutely perfect, especially for this trail. The hike was easy with stunning views the entire length of the trail. The path started in a thickly wooded area near the train station.

The flora that lined the trail was in full bloom and decorated the path in different colors. The path wound through the forest until it ascended up into a cattle pasture. The cattle pasture, clear of trees, offered extraordinary views of the mountains and valleys. For the next several miles, the path continued to steadily ascend and descend the beautiful terrain. It wove in and out of the cattle pastures that occupied the Swiss mountainside. The cattle and the sound of their bells only enhanced the experience of the hike.

The trail overlooked several isolated villages until it eventually descended into the village of Mürren. It was a quaint town very similar to Lauterbrunnen. The village greatly catered to tourists: it had several restaurants and hostels to accommodate the many travelers that visited. Unlike Lauterbrunnen, however, Mürren had a higher view of the mountainous scenery due to the elevation. From there, the train went to the Lauterbrunnen cable car service, which brought me back down to the valley where my hostel was located. It was there that I was able to mingle with the other people who were experiencing Switzerland’s beauty. Surprisingly, many of the tourists were from Canada and America. The night was filled with card playing and laughter before sleeping under the clear sky.

Out of all of my travels, my adventures in Switzerland are my favorites. From the vast beauty of the mountain ranges to the vibrant colors and the incredible people, Lauterbrunnen provided a magical experience here on Earth. If one is lucky, they will have the opportunity to be lost in the beauty of Switzerland many times in their lifetime. If not, the luxury of visiting once is enough.

Photos by Aliese Mueller

A Trip Around Norway A Trip Around Norway

With Angelina Huang

In the summer of 2022, I took my #1 bucket list trip: A road trip around Norway. Follow me around the beautiful Scandinavian landscapes!

the most beautifully dramatic background.

Lofoten Islands are an iconic destination in Norway, and the red rorbuer in Reine are a must visit!

The Sharp Peaks of Tungeneset in Senja made

Trollstigen "Troll's ladder" is a scenic serpentine mountain pass with eleven hairpin turns. It makes for a very fun drive!

The Coastal Atlantic Ocean Road, a road uniting islands in an archipelago, offers some of the most scenic views in Norway.

Trolltunga:the forefront of Norway's landscapes. A challenging 12-mile hike is rewarded with sweeping views of the surrounding fjords.

Suspended 3,228 ft (984 m) above a deep abyss is Kjeragbolten, a boulder that was wedged between two mountain faces by glaciers.

Faroe Islands

Photos by Angelina Huang

Lessons From Lost Luggage Lessons From Lost Luggage

By Emily Nordhaus

Since the travel industry opened up again after the pandemic, the news has been filled with stories about airlines struggling with short-staffing and technical issues. With all of the chaos surrounding flights, the amount of delayed luggage is at an all-time high.

According to Veronika Bondarenko, airlines in the United States lost, damaged, or destroyed over 220,000 checked bags this past April. With these numbers skyrocketing, many people find themselves without their luggage on vacation or arriving home without their new souvenirs. I was in the latter position last April when I was flying home from a visit to my sister in Spain.

After two weeks heaped with paella, bone-chilling swims in the Mediterranean Sea, and incredible views from the top of the Setas de Sevilla, my mom, dad, and I were ready to return to our home in Madison, Wisconsin. We flew home with TAP Air Portugal, which I recommend avoiding at all costs. The first red flag was the bus ride to the middle of the runway, where we had to stand with the wind whipping through our hair

until we were allowed to board. The second red flag presented itself when we were informed of an air show that would delay our takeoff by an hour. My family is still dubious as to whether there even was an air show at all.

We landed in Portugal with minutes to catch our next flight, which resulted in a very Home Alone-like scene as we ran down the airport hallways to our gate. We knew it was improbable that our luggage made it to the plane in time, but that didn’t stop us from hoping. Our fears were confirmed when our baggage wasn’t with the other bags to be rechecked. We admitted defeat and caught our flight returning to the Dane County Airport. Obviously, our luggage was nowhere to be found at baggage claim, and since it was 11 P.M, no one was working at the airport to help us. We made a mistake that should be avoided: going to bed before filing a missing baggage claim. This was detrimental because when we woke up in the morning, 24 hours had already passed since our flight ended with TAP Air Portugal, and we had missed their window of

being able to file one.

I spent the next few days in a constant state of worry about whether I would get my things back. I had packed most of my favorite clothes, and all of the souvenirs I had been so excited about were suddenly missing. My dad spent long hours on the phone attempting to connect with someone who knew where our bags were, but no one seemed to know their whereabouts. We were urged to file a lost baggage claim with the price of everything inside, and after we thought about everything in my bag, we came to the price point of $2,300. Mere days later, a silver minivan pulled up to my house, and delivered my suitcase. It was two days before my birthday, so I considered it my birthday gift from the universe. The state of my bag was a sight to behold: the wheel was busted off, a long crack ran down the length of the hardshell, and a shoe was sticking out of the top. At this point, I was so elated to have my items back that I didn’t care about the broken suitcase. Reunited with all of my things, I was finally able to breathe.

Photos by Emily Nordhaus

What can you do when that fateful day rolls around and your beloved luggage does not return home with you? First things first, take a deep breath. Keep in mind that according to a stat by Hugo Martín, 97% of mishandled bags are returned to their owners. Based on this statistic, it is highly unlikely that your belongings are gone for good. If your luggage doesn’t arrive at your destination, there is a higher probability that it is simply delayed, rather than “lost.”

Before you freak out (like I did), there are many steps you can take before you declare your bags gone for good.

The moment you land in the airport without your luggage, it is absolutely essential that you visit the baggage claim office. Many airlines have policies for reporting missing luggage in a certain timeframe, so it is critical to make a claim immediately. If your situation is similar to mine, where the office is closed, call the airline to make a report so you don’t miss the window. By making a report, you are not only notifying the airline of a missing bag, but you are also creating a case that will help you receive monetary compensation for your items if they are really gone for good. Make sure to write down the names and phone numbers of the employees that help you, and keep your baggage claim and boarding tickets on hand because they will ask you for that information in the future.

After making the claim, remember to be patient. Your luggage may be returned to you the next day, or it could take longer. Often, luggage lost or delayed outside of the United States will take longer to be returned to you compared to domestic travel. At the same time, it is also important to be proactive. In my mom’s words, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Don’t wait for the airline to return your call, as they rarely do (even when they say they will). Ask for updates and remind them of your case. If you allow the airline to forget about your case, they will. Additionally, go out and buy the necessary items that are missing in your bag. These include toiletries, underwear, clothes, etc. Airlines are often liable to compensate you for

these expenses.

Usually, the waiting window is about five days. After this point, it is vital to submit a lost baggage claim. This is different from the initial claim made immediately after landing, as it sets procedures for monetary compensation into action. This form will ask for a detailed description of every item inside of your bag, with a price for each individual item. I would recommend slightly inflating the price of the items in your bag. Although airlines won’t outright say this, filling out a compensation claim will greatly motivate them to find and return your things to you. It isn’t your fault that the airline lost your baggage, but there are precautions you can take to avoid future mishaps:

1. Be strategic when picking your flights. Choose reliable airlines and try to have as few connecting flights as possible. By limiting these transitions, there will be fewer opportunities for your luggage to be mishandled, and if it does occur, you will have a better idea of where your luggage is located.

2. Purchase a piece of unique luggage. Patterned or brightly colored luggage will be more easily identifiable for airline personnel when they are looking through the piles of orphaned bags. Alternatively, put a brightly colored bow or ribbon on the handle of your luggage. Be sure to have your name and contact information somewhere on the outside of your baggage as well.

3. Remove any old trip stickers from the outside of your bag in order to prevent it from being shipped elsewhere.

4. Invest in an Apple AirTag or Tile to keep a virtual eye on the whereabouts of your bags. They are less expensive than you would think (roughly $30),

and are definitely worth it. I know I will never travel without one in the future.

5. Pack irreplaceable, expensive, or necessary items in your carry-on. I now pack with the belief that I may not have my luggage immediately, and keep any medications or jewelry in my carry-on. Many people swear by keeping a change of clothes in your carry-on in case of delayed luggage once you arrive at your destination.

6. Don’t check a bag! This is easier said than done, but if possible, keep your bags with you. Many airlines allow a personal item and carry-on, so you may want to consider packing lightly rather than risking checking a bag.

Almost losing my luggage has changed the way that I travel forever. So many people have gone through a similar experience to mine, and although it is unlikely to happen again, I always like to be prepared. With these tricks, the disorganization of current flights will not be able to stop you from getting your luggage back safely.

Photos by Lucy Macek

Redwood National Park

Photo byKaterina Stuopis

Taking Advantage of Traveling Solo

I didn’t set out expecting to spend two weeks traveling around Europe by myself. I’d certainly gotten used to traveling over the last year, because I had spent the year studying abroad at Trinity College Dublin and had visited pretty much everywhere in Ireland I could reach without having to rent a car. Being under 21, I was too young at the time and had no interest in driving on the wrong side of the road. I had finally figured out how to use the Irish public transportation system, crisscrossing the country and even going to Northern Ireland for a day, but there were fewer and fewer items on my to to-do list and then, suddenly, there were none at all and I still had two weeks before I flew back to the United States.

I stayed in Dublin after the semester ended to complete a two-week internship as part of one of my classes. Because I wasn’t told until the day the internship started exactly when it would finish, I’d arranged to fly back to the United States in a month to be safe. When I realized I had a couple of weeks left over, I decided to travel within Europe and visit some countries I’d always wanted to visit. Since none of my friends could afford to take two weeks out of their busy lives to visit seven different countries, I found myself traveling alone for the first time. I wasn’t alone the entire time—I stayed with relatives in Switzerland and spent a lot of my time in Munich with a German friend—but the trip taught me a lot about travel and made me more confident in my own abilities to both plan a trip and

execute it well.

I started with a 6 AM flight out of Dublin Airport to Brussels, where I had a day to spend in the city, followed by a couple of day trips within Belgium. I was able to sample amazing Belgian waffles, dripping with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and strawberries as I sat in the Grand Place, the city’s main square surrounded by old guild halls. In the picturesque city of Bruges, I discovered a Michelangelo in one of the city’s many churches, where a marble statue of Mary held a squirming toddler Jesus. In Ghent, I spent nearly twenty minutes sitting in front of the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a gigantic altarpiece dating from the 1430s. Luxembourg was less impressive, although the weather probably had a lot to do with it. Rain was sheeting down and had gotten my phone wet, leading me to waste time at a conveniently placed Apple store for extra phone chargers. The picturesque city of Dinant, which I visited after the rain had stopped, more than made up for it.

Because of the accelerated nature of my trip, I only had a day to spend in Amsterdam. I took a very early train out of Brussels and was in Amsterdam by 8:45 A.M. I had already planned most of the day in advance, having already bought timed tickets: I would visit the Van Gogh Museum at 11, the Rijksmuseum at 1, and the Anne Frank House at either 7:30 or 8:15 (I’d accidentally bought two tickets because I hadn’t received a confirmation email the first time and I wanted to make sure I actually had a

Glacier National Park

Photo By Katerina Stuopis

By Sophia Halverson

ticket). I wandered the streets of Amsterdam for a couple of hours, watching the sunlight reflect off the canals and the houseboats moored on either side. It was a beautiful day in June, not too hot, and the city wasn’t yet crowded with tourists. Some of the big canal houses had their year of construction written on their sides: some of them dated back to the 1600s, with large balconies looking out over the water.

The Van Gogh Museum took less time to visit than I thought, as its collection is scattered among other museums around the world. The Rijksmuseum is the Netherlands’ national museum, housed in a building that looks like a cross between a castle and a French town hall. It has a vast and varied collection—while I had come to view their collection of northern Renaissance art, I spent hours looking at their collections of eighteenth-century portraiture, medieval church art, and nineteenth-century Dutch landscape art. I decided spontaneously to take a canal tour afterward, as if I hadn’t already packed enough into my day. But the most meaningful place I visited was also my last stop—the Anne Frank House, along the banks of yet another canal. I’d recently reread Anne Frank’s diary in preparation and it resonated with me much more than it had when I originally read it when I was nine years old. It was difficult to see the Secret Annex as a place where eight people had hidden for years, as the living quarters were stripped of their furnishings when the family was discovered. Anne’s father Otto Frank,

the only Annex resident to survive the war, wanted to preserve the space as the Nazis had left it. It was still meaningful, especially seeing the postcards and pictures from magazine articles that Anne had stuck on the walls—so many of her interests lined up with my own, even though we were countries and lifetimes apart.

After an incredibly stressful train ride from Amsterdam to Switzerland I spent an incredible three days traveling in cable cars up to the tops of mountains to picturesque skiing villages crowded with summer tourists. On my first morning there we could see the Matterhorn mountain so clearly it looked like the front of a postcard. The city of Lucerne was possibly the most beautiful place I’d ever been to, with its small medieval city center and the (replica of a) medieval wooden bridge stretching over the lake, although the sun was scorching out on the water. After all of that natural beauty, the country’s largest city of Zurich was almost a letdown, even though it also had a beautiful lake. It’s well worth a visit, but it was very different from the country’s large open spaces.

In Germany I finally saw the third of King Ludwig II’s palaces, a wish fulfilled five years later. Ludwig II was a king of Bavaria (now a part of modern-day Germany, the area including and surrounding Munich) known for his palaces. While Linderhof is also French inspired, although built on a much smaller scale than Herrenchiemsee, Neuschwanstein is inspired by German medieval tradi-

tions and folktales and is one of the most visited sites in Germany, even inspiring Walt Disney. I had visited Neuschwanstein and Linderhof with my family on a previous trip to Germany. We hadn’t had time to get to Herrenchiemsee, his replica of Versailles on an island in the middle of a lake, so as soon as I found a tour company that organized a trip there I bought tickets.

It was another beautiful but hot day, so it was a relief to step inside the palace’s air-conditioned interior. Ludwig II idolized the absolutism of the French king Louis XIV, so most of Herrenchiemsee was not completed, as it went extensively over budget during the King’s lifetime. This makes the palace extremely similar to, if not identical in some places, to the French palace of Versailles. Herrenchiemsee even has its own Hall of Mirrors that is slightly larger than Versailles’s. Some of the paintings in Herrenchiemsee are also inspired by those in Versailles. Munich’s Residen, the royal family’s historic city residence right in the city center, is also worth a visit. Schloss Nymphenburg is on the outskirts of the city and houses the Gallery of Beauties, a series of female portraits assembled by King Ludwig I. For art lovers, Munich also has the Alte Pinakothek, which boasts an impressive collection of art from the eighteenth century and before, including an early Da Vinci and Francois Boucher’s famous portrait of Madame de Pompadour, mistress to French king Louis XV.

On another day in Germany I took a day trip to Salzburg, Austria, as pictured in the Sound of Music. The focal point of interest in the city is Fort Hohensalzburg fortress, situated above the city, although I didn’t get

there. I visited the house where Mozart was born, which is now a museum, the city cathedral and the Mirabell palace, whose gardens were used in the Sound of Music film. Other locations in Salzburg were also used for filming, and I left wanting to visit the city again just to go on a dedicated tour of the film sites as not all of them are well-marked.

I flew directly from Munich to London, where I visited a few places I hadn’t had time to see the last time I was in the United Kingdom (perhaps you’re beginning to see a theme there).

England has plenty of royal residences and this time I went to three lesser-known ones. First was Kensington Palace, which stopped being used as a residence for kings in the 1700s but is still home to many members of the royal family, including Princess Margaret, Princess Diana, and more recently Prince William and Kate Middleton. Queen Victoria also grew up in Kensington Palace before becoming Queen of England at just eighteen years old and there is an exhibit about her childhood on permanent display. Although there are some impressive state rooms, including a beautiful painted staircase, the castle is not as impressive as some others that I visited.

The following day I visited Hampton Court Palace, only a short train ride from London. Although the palace’s most famous resident was King Henry VIII (of the six wives), later kings and queens used the palace as a residence but I was only able to visit the Tudor rooms. Although the medieval rooms are not as intricately decorated, the staterooms were still impressive and draped in heavy tapestries. The Tower of London was also historically a royal residence (albeit not

Hvíthamar, Funningur, Faroe Islands

Photo by Angelina Huang

for centuries; it is better known for its days as a prison during and after the Tudor era). The graffiti of some prisoners have been preserved on the walls and visitors are allowed to walk around the uneven ramparts. Visitors to the Tower can also view the crown jewels and the Church of St Peter ad Vincula, the final resting place of its most famous royal prisoners including the erstwhile queens Anne Boleyn and Jane Grey. Finally, I was able to tour the Churchill War Rooms, where the English government had its underground offices during the Blitz. The aforementioned Churchill has a bedroom in this warren of underground rooms, along with a disguised room where he could secretly contact the American president at any time. Churchill wasn’t the only one to inhabit this bunker though—many lower-level members of staff practically lived down there during the war, and their voices and stories can be found throughout the exhibition. Traveling on my own helped me gain a new appreciation for trip planning. When I travel with my family, my dad typically tends to plan our itinerary and I’ve always been content to let him take care of everything. But as my interest in European history deepened, so has my desire to curate my own trip, making sure I can see everything I wanted to see. When I went to Paris with a couple of friends over spring break last March, I planned our entire trip—making sure we got to Versailles, the Catacombs, and the Louvre. Alone on this trip, I was able to tailor my itinerary to reflect my interests and to do things I might not have been able to do as easily with other people (for example I would have had to convince them to visit three museums in one day). Navigating airports

and train stations by myself was more stressful than normal, but I gained a new appreciation of my own ability to stay cool under pressure and find alternative plans when something went wrong. For example, when there was a transit strike in London on my last day, I was able to get tickets for a bus to the Harry Potter studios so I wouldn’t have a wasted day. It really built my confidence: now I feel that I can do pretty much anything, after successfully completing that trip.

Less than forty-eight hours after I arrived back in Dublin, long enough to clean out my student dorm room and attend a performance of Riverdance, I was at Dublin Airport again, preparing to fly back to the United States. I was happy to go; I love Europe and couldn’t wait to come back, but I hadn’t seen my family in months and I felt like I’d gotten everything out of my trip that I possibly could. Part of that involved putting everything I’d learned over the last year to the test by planning my own trip, and I felt I had passed with flying colors. At first, I was hesitant about traveling alone but now I’m so glad I did, because I had an experience that I never would have had otherwise.

No one should be afraid to travel alone, especially if it otherwise means not traveling at all. There’s a tendency to pity people who travel alone, but I found it freeing to be able to plan my own itinerary. Visiting the places that mattered to me was more important than not seeing them, even if that meant I went on my own. Traveling solo also gave me a different perspective on the world and taught me to see things differently than I’d been accustomed to. It was a wonderful opportunity and I’m so glad I was able to take advantage of it.

Photos by Katerina Stuopis and Family

Growing up I remember Saturdays spent sitting on the couch flipping through Papa’s photo books after Lithuanian School. He had seen so much of the world and he had given me the opportunity to see so much more of it than others my age. Flipping through those pages I would see pictures of beautiful nature, cities, and of course my močiūtė smiling.

Papa and Močiūtė shared so many things with me in life: their culture, their travels, their love. These things have stuck with me. I would grin with excitement when we looked at the volume featuring our trip to Lithuania. My tiny six year old self would smile at me with the silliest grin in the world. Or maybe I would be frowning because my brother was annoying me. Or maybe I would be hiding from the camera, too shy. Whatever the expression, you could tell that little me was falling in love with travel.

Back then it was so simple to travel. Papa would plan a family trip, my parents and my aunt and uncle would find a week or two that worked for everyone, and he would just figure it all out. I’m sure it was much more complicated than that, but I was young so I didn’t exactly pay much attention to those details.

Now Papa is gone, and Močiūtė never planned those sorts of trips. Part of growing up is that people’s lives get busy and it becomes harder to coordinate a trip with so many people. So we stopped traveling so much. Sure,

Smiling Back

By Katerina Štuopis

my direct family unit took a few trips here and there, but after my siblings graduated college, travel was pretty much nonexistent, and the pandemic was the last nail in the coffin.

Fast forward a year and half, and I finally traveled again. I went on a road trip to see the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, which was amazing and fun. I got to connect with nature, but I missed experiencing cultures outside my own.

Frankly, I had zero intentions of traveling anywhere outside the United States going into my freshman year of college. The pandemic was still raging, and I thought it would be impossible. Then during the second semester, I learned that the United Kingdom had lifted all of their COVID restrictions. I knew it was ridiculous, but I couldn’t get the idea of traveling there out of my head. After all, what would I even do for a week at home in March?

Note that I started planning this trip in February and I took it in March. Maybe not the best timeline for planning a week-long trip out of the country… However, somehow I managed to iron out the details for my best friend and I to take a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland for our spring break.

The trip wasn’t the coolest, or most fun I have been on, but it did remind me that this thing I love, traveling, isn’t out of my reach. For the first time in a long time, I got to experience the culture and history of another place.

So I’ll give you a some unsolicited advice:

Don’t wait for the “right” time. The right time doesn’t exist. There will always be a reason to not travel, so sometimes you move past these things. I kept waiting for my family to go on a trip, but it wasn’t happening. I finally made the decision to travel with someone less experienced than me. Maybe my next trip will be solo. In my life, I only foresee travel partners becoming more scarce. Of course if the opportunity arises, I’d love to share my travel experiences with my friends and family, but if I want to come close to visiting all the places in the world I want to see, I can’t always wait for my schedule to line up with others’.

Go on trips when the opportunity arises. Frequently I regret not taking the opportunity to travel, but rarely do I regret going somewhere new. Sometimes things stand between you and travel, but now if that barrier is small enough I just try to overcome it. Life is too short and too unpredictable to not be at least a little spontaneous. Finally, I don’t want to wait until I’m retired to travel the world. I want to travel my whole life. Meet new people, experience different cultures, have stories to tell people. I don’t want to look back on my life and only see routine. I want to look back on volumes of my travels, where I find my past self smiling back at me, falling in love with travel over and over again.

Mykines , FaroeIslands

Photo by Angelina Huang

Grand Tetons Arches

Photo by Dani Csaszar

Photo by Dani Csaszar

Photo by Katerina Stuopis

Photo by Katerina Stuopis

From the Pyrenees to the End of the WOrld: Chronicles of a Gap YEar

By Heewone Lim

“I’ll fly in on the tenth, spend my birthday in Paris then take the train down to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port.”

My plane tickets, purchased five minutes prior, illuminated my phone screen while I attempted to assuage my parents’ fears about their youngest child traveling alone for the first time.

Eight months into my gap year, a friend decided to walk the French Way of the Camino de Santiago. My mom had made the journey five years ago and ever since I had aspired to do the same. While my friend and I originally promised to walk it together, ultimately it was decided that going separately would be the best option. Sick of being stuck in Wisconsin and filled with the desire to do something insane to mark the beginning of my last year as a teenager, I decided that it was now or never and took the plunge. I would spend five days in Paris doing all of the stereotypical tourist activities and then pack the es-

sentials into a backpack to walk 800 km (500 mi) across France and Spain for a month.

After a farewell coffee with my Paris hostel bunkmate, one missed train in Bayonne, and an intervention from two very kind bus drivers, my backpack and I arrived in St-Jean-Piedde-Port. The eccentric owner of the albergue (hostel in Spanish) where I would be staying first greeted all of us bright-eyed and bushy-tailed newly minted pilgrims by letting us in on a secret: he was delusionally happy after walking the Camino and we, too, would come to understand why in a month's time. After this semi-ominous anecdote he directed us to the pilgrim’s office across town, where we could fulfill essential errands like purchasing a pilgrim’s passport—an accordion folded card for gathering stamps from albergues and restaurants which would serve as proof that we walked the Camino and aid in receiving the Compostela, a certificate

which attests to the fact that you have finished a pilgrimage. At the office, rows of creamy white scallop shells were displayed proudly, ready to adorn our bags and label us as newly christened pilgrims. A sweet-natured volunteer explained that the shell was a metaphor for the Camino itself, the lines which represent the numerous different Camino routes eventually coalesce into a single point which illustrates the final destination of Santiago de Compostela and the Cathedral that Saint James—one of the twelve apostles of Jesus—remains supposedly call home. After a few hours of running around the town scrambling to prepare for the next day, I finally had all of my ducks in a row and decided it was time for dinner.

A quaint little shop just around the corner from the pilgrim’s office advertised traditional Basque country food. As I perused the menu stand outside, an older gentleman briefly glanced at the stand before going inside. Exhausted from the day’s events, I trusted his judgment and followed suit. The hostess inside sat me with the man I had seen earlier, and by a stroke of fate, he was from Milwaukee. We talked about growing up in the Midwest, love and marriage, and careers in media throughout the course of dinner. I decided to take this chance meeting as a sign of reassurance from the universe.

At around 06:00 the next day, everyone in the hostel collectively woke up and prepared for day one of the

The people I had met, the experience I had gained, the conversations I had were exclusive to the Camino.

Navarra

Camino. Sleepy and suddenly feeling shy, I quietly ate my morning toast and coffee while the other pilgrims started leaving in small groups. After enough caffeine, I filled my water bottle, shouldered my bag, and attempted to channel my inner Napoleon and Charlemagne to climb the Pyrenees. Even in mid-May, the afternoon Spanish heat was intense so most aimed to leave early and arrive at the next stage around 13:00-15:00. Luckily, at a stop about a quarter of the way through, there was a little cafe and a place to refill water. While standing in line, a voice suddenly broke me out of my thoughts.

“Do you like lizards?” Confused and unsure if I was hallucinating from a lack of water, I searched for the source of the voice. “I said, do you like lizards?”A man was filling his orange water bottle, gesturing to a tiny lizard perched on top of the fountain. Taken slightly aback, I voiced my neutrality towards lizards and we parted ways. Luckily for me (or maybe not so luckily), this was only my first encounter with an eccentric man of the

Santiago

day. About halfway through the hike, I came to a fork in the road and found no sign of the yellow arrows which were supposed to guide us so I did what any other person would have done and turned around to ask someone. As fate would have it, I found an older man walking towards me and asked him which way to go. He kindly pointed me in the right direction and asked me in Spanish if I would be his companion for the day. In the spirit of the Camino and making new friends, I agreed. Unfortunately for both of us, my new friend only spoke Spanish and I knew a handful of basic phrases and random words. Even worse, he was a deceptively fast walker and I was unable to communicate that his pace was too fast for me. While I don’t consider myself ageist, I had assumed that this pilgrim with snow-colored hair and beard would be a slower walker. I was so very, very, wrong. We arrived at the next stage, Roncesvalles, at around 13:30 whereas some pilgrims who were ahead of me, such as Lizard Man, arrived at around 16:30. Later that day, I would

find out that I had climbed the equivalent of 248 floors; for comparison, the tallest building in the world—the Burj Khalifa—only has 160 stories. Lying in my albergue bed that night, I looked up the prices of train tickets to Germany and contemplated quitting. Fortunately, the next day revived my motivation to finish the pilgrimage. While getting ready to start walking for the day, I ran into Lizard Man and we walked the entire stage together. His name was Raj and he was on his fifth Camino. We blasted Bollywood music and ate pizza by a river before arriving at our accommodation for the night. Raj became one of my closest friends on the Camino; one of my favorite memories with Raj is sitting by a pool, grazing on miscellaneous snacks and discussing partnerships and futures with people in our lives.

On day five I arrived in Estrella. Here I met Siba, a Dutch girl who was also on a gap year. She would later say she thought I was dead when we first met due to my bizzare habit of sleeping with the covers pulled up over my head. Neither of us knew it then, but

we would end up making and sharing some of the best memories together. A few of my favorites are ziplining down a playground and making cursed microwave mussel pasta. During our time together, I made a core memory: I went out drinking for the first time with Siba and a few of her Camino friends in Leon. As an American with zero drinking experience, going out and partying with a 20-year-old Dutch girl was something I was not at all prepared for. One of the coolest people I met was a Korean artist named SoYoung. She specializes in ceramic art but I always found her perched outside in the shade sketching and painting elaborate watercolor paintings of pilgrims. SoYoung was a seasoned Camino veteran, walking her seventh pilgrimage. Thanks to her, I met the creator of the Camino Ninja app—*the* essential pilgrimage combination navigation and albergue booking app—and experienced a ton of cool places, like an amazing art albergue where we could paint with acrylics, and a Gaudi house in Astorga.

In Palas de Rei, just a few days before we reached the end of the Camino, I met an Irish 13-year-old named Tadhg who was traveling with his dad and granddad. The first words Tadhg ever uttered to me were, “So are red Solo cups a real thing in America or are they just in movies?” Luckily, the conversation that ensued was much more substantial and we discussed the prevalence of Christian religion in Western culture, the similarities between Korean and Irish history, and Irish and American stereotypes. Just before we turned in for the night, Tadhg approached me and asked for a selfie to commemorate our first meeting.

Something that really surprised me was that I gained a reputation as “The Korean-American nineteen-year-old”. Everyone I met called me brave for doing it alone, but I think I’m just a more socially acceptable brand of crazy. About halfway to the end, I decided that I would walk the Camino again after graduating from college but start in Le Puy instead of St Jean. The wisdom of the St Jean albergue

owner and the reasons behind Camino veterans’ multiple pilgrimages sank in. A cool shower and chocolate croissant after 8 hours of hiking in the Spanish sun; failing miserably at handstands in the front lawn of a bar with Siba; navigating endless crimson poppy fields and rows of golden wheat; watching the summer solstice sun set over a glass of cheap wine in Fisterra with my friends—these are just a few images that recall true happiness and peace for me. Once I reached the 100 km marker just after Sarria, tears spontaneously started running down my face. The people I had met, the experiences I had gained, the conversations I had were exclusive to the Camino. Nothing else in the world could have offered me these memories.

I started and finished the Camino alone. SoYoung and a few other friends were leaving the day after my group was projected to arrive so naturally I opted to walk a 40 km (24.8 mi) day to wish her and the rest of my friends a proper farewell. As the voices of Sierra Boggess and Lea Salonga carried me through eucalyptus-shaded paths, it dawned on me just how much I had learned about myself in the short span of thirty one days. I’d complicated my own happiness and well-being throughout the first eight months of my gap year, placing my self-worth on the convoluted college admissions process. Waking up in one town and going to bed in another, transported solely by my own two feet proved that I was mentally and physically stronger than I ever believed myself to be. Arriving in a completely foreign country, handling bureaucratic processes, and making friends with total strangers (sometimes over twice my age) demonstrated my adaptability. So if you love sun, good food, breathtaking landscapes, discovering new aspects about yourself, and interesting people then you should become a pilgrim like me.

Photos By Heewone Lim

Glacier National Park

Photo by Katerina Stuopis

The Smokies: Finding Peace in the Commotion

By Dani Csaszar

The Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee are serene and fog-dense mountains on the outskirts of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, tourist towns full of bustling family activity. The town of Wears Valley lies on the outside of these crowded areas and provided as my temporary home while I stayed in Tennessee. Behind the little cottage my mother and I shared for the week was a cow ranch where they freely roamed throughout the day, feeding off the grass and laying in the sunlight while the mountains loomed behind them. The valley opens itself up to spectacular mountain views, easy gateways into the park, and privacy that ensures you've found a hidden treasure amidst all the chaos. Wears Valley is truly the most central location of all the surrounding communities, parks, and attractions.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, although one of the more touristy and family-oriented National Parks, still has the innate ability to connect visitors easily with nature and adventure. The geography of the Smokies lies in the Appalachian mountains. This mountain range reaches several states, and one can access the Appalachian trail here at the Tennessee/ North Carolina state line in the middle of the park. The Smoky Mountains remain some of the oldest mountains on earth. You can find gravestones scattered sporadically throughout the park, so old that they have been beaten down by time and their inscriptions are illegible. It's very interesting to notice the repetition of names of old familial lines that made up the historic communities within the mountain range.

You can catch most roads into the park on the south side, hugging rivers for miles and giving you endless opportunities to pull off the side and take a dip wherever you like. The rushing flow of crystal clear water is clean and welcoming to tube, explore or merely ground yourself in. There is a famous spot in the park called The Sinks— a perfect place to cliff jump into deep waters. It’s a must-do experience, depending on whether you arrive at the perfect time to grab a parking spot.

Roaring Fork Motor Road is a 6-mile one-way scenic loop for motor vehicles to find hikes and gaze at the water rushing off the mountainsides. Although filled with popular hikes, the end of the road near the town of Gatlinburg provides a view of mountain streams and historical buildings. One of these old mills holds a shop for glass blowing, where you can shop for beautiful pieces while watching the works being made right in front of you.

You could spend all day basking in the rivers, or overturning rocks to find one of the 30 species of salamander found in the park! Known as the salamander capital of the world, visitors can find several varieties such as the spotted salamander or the red-cheeked salamander. Guests should respect all animals, including these amphibians, considering some of the species are entirely native to the area. From the 2-inch pygmy to the 3-foot Hellbender, these critters can be found under logs and stones in wet areas all around the park.

Must-do things in the Great Smoky Mountains:

Cades Cove Bicycle Loop

Spend three hours of your day on an 11-mile self-guided bike ride through Cades Cove, an isolated open area on the western side of the park formerly populated by settlers. The views of the towering mountains that surround you are breathtaking. You feel immersed in the scenery as you bike through the open plains. Make sure to go Wednesday mornings, because they do not allow cars on Wednesdays and you can have the entire road.

Foothills Parkway

Some of the best scenery in the entire park is located along this highway. This parkway takes you to high altitudes in the northern foothills with amazing overlooks of the park and panoramic views of eastern Tennessee.

Halk Skylift

This chairlift in Wears Valley takes you to incredible bird-eye views of the park's southern side. At the top of this skylift is what they call the “Hawks Nest”, where you can take in the views and relax in their rocking chairs. Afterward, go next door to Elvira's Cafe for some of the best breakfast food in the Valley; I personally loved the chicken and waffles!

Explore the rest of the park!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known for its mist-covered mountains and beautiful, lush trails with all-encompassing waterfalls. There is so much to do in this park that you could spend your entire vacation exploring it. Some popular spots to hike in the park include:

• Grotto Falls- an ideal spot for summer hikers and anyone interested in finding salamanders. You can walk under the waterfall itself and, if feeling bold enough, hikers can catch llamas on their way up the mountain to Mount Leconte every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning!

• Abrams Falls- Moderate in difficulty, this hike leads to a waterfall that is known for its intensity rather than its height. The falls and creek beyond are serene and hold the highest water volume in the park.

• Clingmans Dome- Climbing this spiral-shaped observation tower gives visitors the most impressive views in the entire park. Since this structure is the highest point in Tennessee, you can observe as far as the eye can see, over the highest mountains.

Warning: bears are a common sight in the Smokies! Respecting the animals is a top priority at all National Parks, and you should never approach them. If you spot baby bears, it is common knowledge that Momma bear is never far behind. If you are lucky enough to come across them, remain far away, have your bear spray, and never turn your back. Black bears have poor eyesight and are usually unbothered by tourists, but you must remember that this is their home, and park rules forbid you from disturbing them.

You want a vacation to remember. Many towns around National Parks are tourist traps and don’t give you the full, off-the-beaten-path experience you deserve. Wears Valley is the essential area to stay in during your discovery of the Smoky Mountains. The serene mountain tops will look down on you majestically as you soak up the ambiance of rural peace. Here, less is more.

Photos by Dani Csaszar

Souvenirs is a collection of travel and multicultural experiences from students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Souvenirs’ mission is to provide a platform for students to share lessons they learned while traveling and to provide readers with quality information while inspiring wanderlust.

Sydney, Australia

Photo by Katerina Stuopis