AlexNG

April 27, 2012 Apache Junction, Arizona, United States When I returned to the fiery desert of Arizona it was as it always had been but I saw it for the first time as the wildness it is: the sun setting murderous fire to the mountain every evening, the mad richochet of bullets in the desert and encroaching into the city, the relentless heat threatening to steal your very life away, the people who think that because they live in the west they can live like cowboys - shoot first, ask questions later. And more than ever before it felt like home, this comforting, fucked-up place. As I ly in this Panamanian hammock, staring at the desert stars on a motionless night, images from traveling take ... read more

Feb 14, 2012 Iquique, Chile 19S 379792, 7763395 I can hardly believe we've finally made it to Chile. Iquique is a great little city, except for the fact that it is about as expensive as the states, a huge blow after being in Peru. It is always sunny and warm with a breeze coming in from the ocean. It is in the middle of a desert, surrounded on three sides by sand dunes and the fourth side by huge waves. Apparently, every four years the fourth biggest waves in the world come here. Jared's dad's friend, Guillermo, and his family have been extremely helpful and welcoming, inviting us to their apartment overlooking the beach for almuerzos and piscocolas. His son Sebastian took us for our first Chilean ice cream experience. It is the creamiest, most wonderful ... read more

January 7, 2012 Manta, Ecuador Last night I met Marge, who I think might be the most fascinating woman I´ve ever met. ¨One world, one life.¨she says. ¨So why not explore it?¨Marge is in her 50s and has divorced her husband and only speaks to her children every few months. She believes that everyone has a personal right and wrong, and for her, if she is hurting someone it is wrong, and if she is not, it is not. Her children urge her to settle down and find a husband, but she prefers traveling. She says she never again wants to love a man; sex is good enough for her. Despite not wanting her own children, which she refers to as ´squares,´she has helped raise 32 ´sons.´ One such son, who she met while traveling, had ... read more

December 12, 2011 Panama City, Panama 16N 623230, 1244328 Note:the big scheme of things ‘ why the earth doesn´t matter in comparison to the universe, and humans especially don´t matter. And I matter even less! It´s a natural progression - extinction of species and planets but others will go on! The most accurate way I can think to describe Panama City is to compare it to a person with an extreme case of bi-polar disorder who refuses to take his medicine. La Avenida Central is a brick road adorned with delapidated buildings that no doubt were once beautiful. Ornate architectural styles are used on these multi-storied buildings, but most of the windows and doors, and sometimes the roofs, are missing. The paint ranges in color from pink to green to white to no longer existant. ... read more

November 11, 2011 Playa Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica Our first stop was Manuel Antonio. As far as the national park and beaches, I am convinced they are among the most beautiful places in the world. Walking through the park, we encountered beautiful butterflies, huge iguanas, dozens of monkeys, coatis, and a baby sloth that fell off a tree and was very curious, crawling right up to us to say hello. The people there were another story. The town seemed to be basically run by a group of men in their 20´s. Waiters and surf instructors by day, they were drug dealers and thieves by night. We did surf here one morning (though we declined instruction from a drug dealer). Although extremely tiring, once you stand up on a wave, there is no better feeling. We took ... read more