Bonus Year
Ben Trevayne had been plodding along, planning what he would do with his senior year of college: what he was going to do afterwards, how he would occupy his vacations and so on. Suddenly his entire life was turned on its head with the offer of a scholarship in Cambridge, England.
In the course of this coming year, however, he will be doing a great deal more than studying at Cambridge. Before school starts he's embarking on the longest vacation of his life. Beginning in the Ukraine and wandering west through an eclectic mix of European countries, Ben will be joined by his close friends Paul and Lada.
During the school year, Ben's anticipating regular European travel on the weekends and a winter trip to Peru and Brazil.
Follow his travels via the links below or to find out more about Ben's plan, read his story here.
Latest Articles
The Inca Trail, Peru
Machu Picchu is the culmination of the challenging Inca Trail. Ben shares his fondest (and worst) memories of the hike.
Catch Up On The Journey
Cuzco, Peru
Ben gets his wallet lifted during a soccer celebration, but figures it was worth it for the experience.
Andagua, Peru
Ben and his girlfriend spend a few days in the tiny Peruvian village of Andagua where they witness, without doubt, the most memorable church service of their lives.
Lima, Peru
Ben takes some time out from his European trip to spend some time in Peru with his girlfriend. He also travelled on to Arequipa which, when compared to Lima, is a veritable paradise.
Amsterdam, Holland
Amsterdam seems to be full of foreigners who came for a little while and couldn't bring themselves to leave. There's a bloody good reason for that.
Munich, Germany
All Ben did in Germany was sit in a tent, drink beer, and feel wonderfully disposed to his fellow man. Ahhh, Oktoberfest.
Orebic, Croatia
Croatia continues to amaze Ben and spending a few days in this beach town is a perfect way to relax before heading to Split.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ben can't say enough about this Croatian city on the Adriatic coast. Even some rain could not dampen his enthusiasm and he encourages you to drop everything and take someone you love to this place.
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest will never be Budapest for Ben. It will always be the place where he heard about the terrorist attack upon the Pentagon and World Trade Towers.
Two Reasons I Know I am in Budapest
Ben was wandering around the Hungarian capital vaguely disappointed - until two moments convinced him he was actually in Budapest.
Carpathia, Ukraine
Ben and Paul annex Ukraine after reaching the highest point in the Carpathian mountains. The next challenge is finding nightlife in Ivano-Frankivsk.
Lviv, Ukraine
Tiring of battling the babushkas at Lavra, Ben and his friends take the night train to Lviv, learning that "recorking" the vodka bottle is something of a dishonor.
Kyiv, Ukraine
After deciphering the Cyrillic alphabet and communicating via sign language, Ben can concentrate on enjoying the Ukrainian independence day celebrations.
Cambridge, England
After waiting for his luggage to catch up with him, Ben spent a few days in Cambridge which will be his home for the next academic year.
