Winter 2012

Stowaway was featured in Y News, a publication printed by University Communications weekly at BYU for the campus community.

Photographer Eva Koleva Timothy describes her style as positive, optimistic, and full of light. You would never guess that she was raised behind the Iron Curtain under communist rule.

It was late, and my friend and I had driven almost 2,000 miles when we pulled off Exit 57 along I-95 in northern Massachusetts. We knew the coast must be near because we were greeted by an all-encompassing blanket of fog. Determining our whereabouts and the direction we were heading was difficult, but the glow of porch and traffic lights seemed to guide us to our destination.

While many people in Guatemala live in one-room, cement-block houses or wooden shacks with corrugated tin roofs, they spare no expense when it comes to their clothes. Ask a Guatemalan woman to open her closet, and she may take out a number of trajes tÍpicos—traditional outfits valued at hundreds of dollars.

A hot air balloon glides quietly over the Serengeti, providing a rare view of the wildlife below. Photo by WajahatmrThe word safari probably makes you think of people wearing khaki, bumping along in a jeep, and peering through tall savannah grass at a majestic lion. But did you know that there are other exciting ways to enjoy an African safari? Here are four ways to get a different view of Africa’s wild landscape. Balloon Safaris It’s 6 am. Dawn is just beginning to break over the Serengeti, changing the dark shapes below into trees. The only sounds that break the silence are birdcalls and the occasional ssshhh of the hot air balloon’s whisper burner. As the balloon approaches a river, the water stirs, disturbed by what look like large moving rocks. “Hippos,” the guide says quietly, lowering the balloon a bit for a better look. Balloon safaris take place at dawn, when animals are most active, and they offer a unique, panoramic perspective of the African terrain. Rides last about an hour, and they are offered year-round.

“Run, eat, maybe sleep, repeat.” That’s how Marti Bowles describes a Ragnar Relay. Bowles’s adventure began when she became a last-minute fill-in on a professor’s team just a week before her first relay. This spur-of-the-moment experience sparked an addiction to the finish-line adrenaline that accompanies two days of running, sleep deprivation, and team bonding of which she now just can’t get enough.

An octopus that predicts the future. Grass-scented toilet paper. When you attend the UEFA European Football Championship, you’re always surprised at the interesting behavior of soccer fans from around the world.

With 12 other college students from the United States and Canada, I took a leap of faith. We each signed our names on a contract committing us to a trip across the globe to Thailand. We each spent six months preparing to travel overseas and raising the money to fund the trip. And we each stepped onto the same plane to start an experience we would never forget.

1st Place To Endure

Anyone who disagrees with the saying “bigger is always better” has never been to Russia’s State Hermitage Museum. The largest museum in the world, the Hermitage boasts roughly three million pieces of art and has nearly as many visitors annually. Founded by Catherine the Great in 1764, the Hermitage has the largest collection of paintings anywhere in the world and consists of six main buildings situated along the Neva River.

Canyoneering is a hybrid sport that demands versatility and may include hiking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, rappelling, and swimming through spectacular, rugged canyons. Before you leave, do some homework to find out the features of your route so you can prepare with the right skill set and gear. Although every canyoneering trip offers a different set of adventures, here are some of the essentials you’ll need for any basic excursion.