The Weblog of Daniel Tashian

Off to Guatemala tomorrow A.M. The living room is a confusing mess of backpacks, thermal underwear, travel books from the library and other things which, under normal circumstances, could belong there, but now take on the appearance of unwanted banditos. This is by far the most exotic place I have ever travelled, and if not for Leslie, I doubt I would ever go there. I worked myself into a good pre-trip lather of paranoia reading about recent carjackings and violent crimes against “gringos”, but it’s too late to back down now. There are some wonderful Mayan ruins, and we may take Leslie’s friend Phil’s nature tour (4 days, 3 nights; caves, mountains, ruins….)or we may just find a chill place to locate ourselves, and relax. “Why couldn’t we have just gone to Florida?” I asked, but Leslie reassured me- “There’s just as much carjacking in Florida.” I guess the world is full of carjackers if you look at it that way. I’m reminded of the scene in Flirting with Disaster when Ben Stiller has a run in with possible carjackers! I think Leslie is totally out of her mind, but here we go!

I skipped the pre-trip haircut and shave in order to look more destitute, so the banditos will not think i’m a wealthy American with hundreds of dollars. If i should not return alive, Jason Lehning has promised to hold a benefit memorial concert at 12th and Porter, to defray the cost of transporting our charred, blackended corpses back to Nashville. Watch this space for details.