Why I Travel

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Every travel writer asks himself, “Why do I travel?” I first asked myself this question while on the road from Mexico to Guatemala.

I had been pondering the question while riding in a collectivo, which is essentially a mini-bus crammed so full of Mexican’s carrying children and chickens that it seems ready to burst.  It had been a long time since my last trip, and I’d only been on the road for a few days, so I was still getting back into the swing of traveling.  We were driving from the Mexican city of Tapachula to the Guatemalan border.

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Advice that I Gave a Graphic Designer that Worked for My Indie Magazine in Taiwan

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Note: This is just a little humor piece that I wrote for submission to McSweeneys.net, but was not picked up.  Please note that it is not true.  All of the graphic designers at Xpat were of the highest moral standing.  Ok, well, maybe not that high.  But they were certainly above feeding ladyboys roofies (as far as I know).

Move up the title.  Increase the saturation of the photograph of the monkey feeding the pig. Justify the type.

Try the goat noodles at the place on the corner by the park. They’re fantabulous.

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Up the Nose Without a Guide

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Originally published in XelaWho March, 2009
up_the_nose

The Mayan Nose, a peak that resembles the profile of a person reclining, looms over Lake Atitlan.  When you’re in San Pedro the Nose is a more attractive peak than the volcano because, whereas the volcano always lurks behind you, this nasal peak stares you in the face, challenging you to go up the Nose.

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