textfiles/magazines/CRASH/crash1.txt

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CRASH        Your guide to travel thru the underground        Dec 1991


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GREETINGS
from the Crash Crew

Welcome to The Crash Update, a bimonthly zine exploring alternative 
travel and events related to The Crash Network and of interest to its 
members. The Crash Network is a database of people who like to visit 
people and have visitors in return. The purposes of the network are to 
make travel cheaper, more frequent, fun and even educational. With the 
help of this network, seeing other parts of the world, befriending 
others in different countries, and experiencing multiple cultures 
should become second-nature, like eating when you're hungry. We 
realize travel is an important part of life, and a much neglected one. 
In addition to helping you find free places to sleep (or "crash"), the 
network will highlight the fun parts of cities to visit, cheap places 
to eat, drink and shop, alternative communities, natural sights to 
see, techniques for flying cheaper, eco-tours, and whatever else we 
can cram in our pages to expand your ideas of travel.

We'd love to hear about your travels in far-off places and the people 
you meet there. Or write about where you live -- perhaps you'll 
convince people to visit! Or just write about traveling itself -- why 
you do it, where you like to go, how you like to get there. 
Suggestions for topics of future research by the Crash Crew will also 
be appreciated. Your participation is what will make this network a 
success.


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LETTERS * LETTRES * TE GA MI * POSTE * CARTA

Fellow Travelers...

My name is Antje. I am a student at the Heidelberg University, 
Germany, and I just love to travel. I like to go to foreign countries, 
get to know different cultures and meet new people.

When I was still in school, I spent 1 year in Florida, as an exchange 
student. I was a senior in high school and stayed with a typical 
American family. The parents both working full time and the 3 kids 
always watching or fighting with each other about what program to 
watch. After having graduated from school in Germany, I went to Rome, 
Italy for 1 year. I worked as an au-pair for a Roman family in the 
afternoons and evenings I watched 2 bambini and in the mornings I took 
an Italian class.

Rome is my favorite city! It's so fascinating! Rome is so 
cosmopolitan, yet so full of ancient history. Imagine yourself trying 
to cross Piazza Venezia, the biggest square in downtown Rome: hundreds 
of little Fiats have come to a stand still. There are so many drivers 
honking that nobody knows who's honking at whom. Two start an argument 
and immediately there is a big crowd of people gathering around them. 
If you are sick of all the traffic, noise, and the dirty air, you just 
have to walk 5 minutes to the Forum Romanum, a remainder from ancient 
Rome. You will find yourself in a garden with broken down monuments 
and sights. Suddenly it's all peace and quiet, and you will feel 2000 
years back in time.

This summer my friend Mahsa invited me to come to visit. She lives in 
Berkeley, CA. Since I am not the typical tourist type -- touring 
thoughout town, I decided to get myself a job. This way I not only met 
people who live and work in the Bay Area, but experienced it myself. 
Riding the BART train to downtown San Francisco, along with the other 
commuters -- this "being a part of it" is what rounds off my vacation.
I was volunteering at Earth Island Institute, a non-profit 
environmental organization, where I worked as the receptionist, did 
some database entry on the computer, and translations, and many other 
things. I really enjoyed working there, especially because of the 
casual atmosphere and the very nice people I worked with. I had a 
great time and I hope to see everybody again sometime, maybe in 
Heidelberg because I not only like to travel, but also like to have 
people come to visit me in Germany.

    -- Antje Immken


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DEBRIS
Networking and information

* INTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY PROJECT needs your help. Please send us any 
photos of holiday events in your country. It could be parades, family 
gatherings, decorated trees, buildings, outdoor festivals or anything 
we could use for our calendar. Also write down the date your country's 
holidays will happen in 1993. All contributors will receive a free 
calendar and acknowledgment. Please send stuff as soon as possible. We 
want everyday to be a holiday so there's always an excuse to travel. 
Scribbe Unlimited Productions, P.O. Box 415, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA.

* YOUNG PEOPLE 10-20 who feel concerned about the environment needed 
to share ideas with young East Europeans. Send name, address, ideas, 
languages you know and include international reply coupon to pay for 
return postage. Green Hope, Chemin de Clodolio, 06780 Aspremont, 
France.

* HOME EXCHANGE. Year-round domestic and international travel. Join 
The Invented City! 41 Sutter St., Suite 1090E, San Francisco, CA 
94104, USA; (800) 788-CITY, (415) 673-0347 (CA).

* MONTHLY TRIPS TO STUDY CUBAN CULTURE AND ECONOMY. Contact Global 
Exchange for information: 2141 Mission St. #202, San Francisco, CA 
94110, USA. (415) 255-7295. Building people-to-people ties.

* LIKE TO TRAVEL? Support your spiritual and professional goals -- 
work for yourself full-time anywhere. $100/day and up. Environmentally 
compatible. Some lifting, local travel necessary, some statewide. 
(800) 443-5523.

* ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITIES across North America welcome 
visitors/potential members. Live in the country with others who value 
equality, ecology, and nonviolence. For our booklet, write: Federation 
of Egalitarian Communities -- East Wind, URI, Tecumseh, MO 65760, USA. 
Free ($2 appreciated).

* SPANISH IN QUETZALTENANGO, GUATEMALA: Individualized instruction, 
family living. Daily social, cultural, political activities. CASA, Box 
40148, Albuquerque, NM 87196, USA; (505) 242-3194.

* DIRECTORY OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES. Descriptions of 375 North 
American communities. 55 international; 250 alternative resources. 
Maps, reference charts, index. 40 feature articles. $18.00 ppd. 
Directory, Box U, Deadwood, OR 97430, USA.

* PLANNING TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND? The nation's Green Party members are 
offering home-stays to Greens from other countries at reasonable rates 
-- NZ$20 (US$11.49) for bed and breakfast, NZ$30 (US$17.24) for 
dinner, bed and breakfast. This is not only eco-touring at its best, 
it also helps raise funds for local Greens. For a booklet describing 
hosts and their homes, send US$10 to Greenstay, Rex Verity, The 
Settlement, Waimate, South Canterbury, New Zealand.

* TEACH ENGLISH IN USSR. 1-12 month program. Individual 
USSR/Czechoslovakia homestay travel program too. 721 Montecillo Rd., 
San Rafael, CA 94903, USA. (415) 491-1532.

* WORLD-WIDE NETWORKER CONGRESS 1992. If you are a mail-artist and 
would like to set up meetings with other mail-artists, contact one of 
these people for more information: Ruggero Maggi, C.so Sempione 67, 
Milano 20I49, Italy / Netlink Dallas: John Held, Jr., 7919 Goforth, 
Dallas, TX 75238, USA.

* OBSCURE PUBLICATIONS AND VIDEO. Reviews underground videos, zines. 
Classifieds of videos for sale/trade. Jim Romeneske, Editor, POB 1334, 
Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA.

* NO NATION BULLETIN. Small magazine of international friendship & 
peace. PPFA c/o S. Groth, Industrig. 9:1, 15300, Jarna, Sweden.


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MILES TO GO
A Traveling 20-Something
by Miles Poindexter

About 3 months ago I met an old friend whom I hardly recognized. He 
seemed changed in spirit, more sure of himself, more energetic and, 
this may seem a strange word but, lighter. As we sat in a coffee shop 
he answered my query as to what had caused the change.

"I quit my job because I found out I was only allowed one week paid 
vacation. Then I realized how crazy it was to work 5 out of seven days 
a week for 8 hrs. per day. I realized not only my boss but many of my 
'friends' took me for granted. It was such a shock to them that I 
didn't have a job anymore. So I decided to really shock them, and move 
to the coast of another ocean. I moved to a new city where no one 
pretended that they knew everything about me. And now I realize that 
together with shocking my friends, I shocked myself. I jolted my soul 
out from the depths of boredom into which it had descended. I was 
filled with a spiritual adrenalin as I met new people. Unable to even 
consider getting another full-time job I set a budget to last me a few 
months and set my mind to finding a way to help other people shed any 
belief or fear that held them back from doing what I had done.

"Maybe the thrill of travel has hit me harder than other people 
because I've never been attached to anything before. I've never 
embraced a religion, a nationality, gender role, family ties, 
political party, social class, cult, drinking club, gang, etc. This 
always made me feel indecisive, empty, lonely, stubborn and other 
negative feelings. But when I was on my own, seeing a much bigger 
spectrum of possibilities, I realized my lack of attachment left my 
mind clear and open to new experiences. For once I felt good about 
myself. Maybe I didn't join the religion of my parents because it 
wasn't the right one for me, not because I was 'just trying to rebel 
against the system.' Maybe no religion will be right for me. Maybe I 
just don't give a shit about religion at all.

"I'm 26, and now I'm seeing literature grouping people like me into 
the '20-something generation.' And sure, I fit into many of the 
'negative' attributes described in these studies: 'Can't hold down a 
job' (maybe because most of them suck?). 'Finds it difficult to join 
in positive social movements because of what happened to "The 
Sixties"' (most of them just took a lot of drugs, let's face it). But 
I remember two positive attributes that I can also relate to: 'Cares 
deeply about the natural environment' (it's in BAD shape), and 'Likes 
to travel.' I know now that I like to travel, more than I can humanly 
describe. I'd like to live in a different city every 3 years, and 
travel. And why not? Lack of roots is looked upon as a bad thing by 
many people. But what would happen if modern nomadness became popular? 
We would lose our territorial instincts that are put into our heads by 
governments. If just half the world population suddenly woke up and 
decided to move to another country, then national borders and the 
prejudices that accompanies them would disappear. If 50,000 Americans 
flew to Iraq in the months leading up to the recent USA/Iraq war, 
instead of absorbing the fascist hype of the media, then the US 
government wouldn't have mercilessly bombed Iraq like it did. Love of 
travel and the refusal to identify with any territory smaller than the 
earth and any group smaller than all earth's life (plant or animal) is 
not an immature 'rebellion against the status quo,' it's a reality 
worth working for. And this knowledge is responsible for my positive 
change."

I considered the words of my old friend and I realized that I was 
talking to myself.


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"The cult of sovereignty has become mankind's major religion. Its god
 demands human sacrifice."
    -- Arnold J. Toynbee


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INTO THE DISTANCE
Remarks on the theme "Why Travel?"
by Jon Seidenfeld

Have you ever wanted to break out of your current situation? Have you 
ever acted on those flashes of personal anarchy that tell you to move, 
to get in motion, to burn the bridges that tie you to your post and 
just cruise? Just what is this wanderlust, this spark of energy that 
commands a body to get up and take off to points unknown?

For some of us travel is more than just visiting a destination and 
buying postcards. For some of us travel itself is its own goal. It is 
the disorientation that comes with freedom and the self awareness that 
results from meeting new people. Travel pushes the body to its limit 
of endurance and the mind to its blissful outer edge, where awareness 
becomes mechanical and conscious thought is replaced by primitive 
instinct. Plans and itineraries become meaningless in the whirlpool 
face of surging chaotic emotion. Travel destinations are but mere 
checkpoints along the convoluted road to our ultimate destiny.

We live on the edge, walking a tightrope surrounded by dreams on one 
side, history on the other, and always the abyss staring up, waiting 
for the one misstep that will force harmony. The ultimate M&A if you 
will. Life and living become meaningless without the ever present 
awareness of our certain annihilation, out mortality. This is the 
true, and perhaps only, common thread that unites all humanity. 
Desires, emotions, and our occasional feelings of sharp exhilaration 
are overt manifestations of the struggle against an eventual fate that 
will somehow overtake us all. Intensity of experience, whether in the 
form of a beautiful sunset or the love of another person, is one of 
the joys of life derived from an unfettered and open mind; and the 
development of an open mind is the strongest impetus to travel.
So heed the call of your impulse, and go for it!


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SPACE BETWEEN ROADS
by John Labovitz 

    I travel when I'm happy
    I travel when I'm sad
    Ain't got nothin' better
    To satisfy my head

I remember the Pacific Ocean, breaking its boundaries on the huge 
rocks off the Santa Cruz coast. I remember the early morning sun 
slowly coating the rock formations bright orange in Bryce Canyon. I 
remember two ancient men in blue overalls fixing my wrecked jeep in a 
small, mosquito-infested town named Bluff, as the sheriff told me 
tales of the Anasazi indians and their mysterious disappearance. I 
remember foggy, flat, green plains of Quebec, with French-language 
signs at the gas station.

I've traveled since I was very young. My family and I would go on long 
journeys, through Nova Scotia, across the Northeastern United States, 
climbing the Rocky Mountains, perusing the forsaken desert floor of 
Nevada, going from grain elevator to grain elevator on the gridded 
farm roads of Nebraska.

We never went to a place; we were always passing through. A day here, 
a day there, then on to the next place. We rarely visited the 
congested cities, preferring the desert and its glorious subtlety.

We chose back roads, through mountains, forests, deserts, plains -- 
roads that were out of the way, roads that didn't go straight through. 
Freeways were avoided, with their grim and set drivers, trying to get 
to There. Because being There means we're halfway done, means we'll be 
leaving soon to come back from where we started.

When I drove alone from San Francisco to Washington, DC, the summer 
after I graduated from high school, the travel agency gave me maps 
that showed me the exact route to take, all the way across the 
country. The maps showed the great I-40 interstate, and the roads and 
towns precisely ten miles to each side of the interstate. I survived 
the tunnel of these skinny, distorted maps for a day, then saw a sign 
to Old Route 66, and left the freeway forever.


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UNLEARNING
by Miles Poindexter

Visiting people in other cultures helps one to "unlearn." One does not 
learn a new culture in the brief amount of time usually allowed to 
visit other places. But hopefully one can unlearn a few prejudices one 
may have picked up from one's parents. One can unlearn a custom from 
one's own culture which may seem especially silly after seeing another 
culture's alternative to it. Hopefully one can unlearn historical 
teachings that were presented from one point of view when faced with 
another view. It's not that one should totally give up one's culture 
when visiting another, but rather one could get rid of a few harmful 
aspects of it.


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THE JEWEL OF RUSSIA
by Gary A. Cook, Program Director, Baikal Watch

   [Ecotours and other kinds of visits to the Soviet Union and Eastern
    European countries are very popular now. It is invigorating to
    meet people that have taken their future into their own hands and
    are starting whole countries anew. There will be much information
    to exchange on both sides. Many people in countries formerly ruled
    by dictatorship need help with their environmental problems. And
    many of us in "democratic" countries need a refresher course in
    how to deal with corrupt government.

    A good destination for an ecological vacation is Lake Baikal. 
    Here's a report from Baikal Watch, a non-profit group associated
    with Earth Island Institute, that is trying to help Russians
    protect this natural area.
        -- Miles Poindexter]

Siberia's Lake Baikal is breathtakingly beautiful. Containing one-
fifth of the world's fresh water, it is the largest freshwater lake in 
the world, and the world's deepest lake.

Perhaps most important, with more than 20 million years of unbroken 
evolutionary history, it is one of the biologically richest lakes on 
Earth. Within its watershed there are more than 1,200 endemic species 
of plants and animals, including the world's only freshwater seals. 
The mysteries held by this unique spot have led scientists from all 
over the world to seek an understanding of the life of this unique 
lake.

As remote as Siberia seems, Lake Baikal is far from being free of 
pollution. A pulp mill pours into the lake at its southern shore, and 
industrial and agricultural discharges from the Selenga River 
contribute additional wastes. Coal-fired plants upwind from Baikal 
spew pollution into the air and have already caused widespread 
degradation to the lake's environment. But the real threat to Baikal 
comes from the myriad types of development that Siberia now faces.

The transition to a market economy poses enormous questions about the 
development of the area's natural resources, which include great 
forest as well as copper, lead and other deposits of useful minerals 
and metals. Industrial projects are now being sponsored by multi-
national corporations. Large-scale tourist developments are being 
promoted by some in the region. Baikal's extensive watershed 
encompasses two different political jurisdictions within the Russian 
Republic, plus a large area in Mongolia. Currently there are only the 
rudimentary beginnings for region-wide collaboration to protect 
Baikal.

Despite these threats, there are compelling reasons for optimism about 
Lake Baikal's fate and our ability to make a difference in it. The 
lake has been a symbol of the Soviet Union's environmental movement 
since before the espousal of environmental protection was safe for 
Soviets. Many years ago, Siberian citizens demonstrated in the streets 
to close down the pulp plant and to stop industrial expansion. Now, in 
the post-Soviet, more democratic society, unprecedented opportunities 
have opened for empowering those who have taken to heart the 
environmental interests of the lake and of Siberia as a whole.

Baikal's importance transcends the lake itself, because of the 
symbolic value attached to Baikal as a jewel in the Russian natural 
heritage. The closest analogy might be the US relationship to national 
parks such as Yosemite, and the role that struggles to save such areas 
of natural beauty have played in United States environmental history. 
In this respect, the demonstration that a large area can be preserved 
through regional cooperation will have a positive effect throughout 
Russia and the other republics.

Citizens from the United States and other countries have much to give 
in helping the Soviets protect Baikal. Earth Island has now 
participated in three expeditions to the lake. Dozens of groups of US 
citizens and researchers have visited the lake and in turn have hosted 
Soviet visitors from the region. Despite the differences in our 
systems, the North American experience in protecting unique ecosystems 
provides valuable case studies for our Soviet counterparts. Even more, 
the experience in environmental advocacy that has been developed in 
this country can be enormously useful as citizens of all nations shape 
their democracies.


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CRASHING IN TOKYO
by Severin Head

As the world's most expensive city, Tokyo can be a very difficult 
place to find reasonably priced accomodations and food. Until The 
Crash Network is up and operating to it's full potential, here are 
some suggestions about how to overcome those difficulties.

First of all, you absolutely must not arrive in Tokyo completely 
broke. Just to get to the city from the airport, which is 40 miles 
away, costs $20. Also, the immigration authorities at the airport 
require that you have $500 on you before they let you enter the 
country. In actual fact however, they only ask to see your money about 
a quarter of the time. Upon arrival at Narita you will probably get a 
standard "temporary visitor" stamp in your passport which is good for 
90 days. The real trick is finding out how to make your limited funds 
last the entire 3 months.

The cheapest and most horrible place to stay in Tokyo is Okubo House, 
located in an alley by the Yamanote line train tracks one stop North 
of Shinjuku. A typical room is shared by 8 people on 4 bunkbeds. The 
guests are roughly half foreign travelers and half Japanese day 
laborers, who I refer to as towelheads because of the ubiquitous 
towels they wear that never seem to unravel. Maybe they're just stuck 
or somehow surgically implanted. These people are very friendly, love 
drinking (a trait shared by most Japanese males), and generally don't 
speak any English. If you hang out with them in the evenings when 
they're watching baseball on TV and drinking sake or beer you'll have 
the chance to pick up your first Japanese words and phrases, although 
I wouldn't advise using them on members of other social strata you 
meet. But then again as a foreigner you aren't expected to understand 
the complexities of Japanese language or etiquette, and can pretty 
much get away with murder.

Since this is the cheapest place in town the other foreigners you meet 
will be a pretty mixed lot. No matter what your brand of personal 
deviance, the staff has seen it a hundred times before and will 
generally leave you alone so long as you don't do anything illegal. 
The price is $10 per night with discounts given if you pay in advance 
by the week or by the month.

The other option for cheap accomodation is living in a so-called 
"gaijin house." These places are usually old run down Japanese houses 
owned by a (frequently absentee) Japanese landlord with a foreigner 
running the day-to-day operations. Monthly rates for a small room 
shared by one or two others range from $300 to $500 with slightly 
higher rates for private rooms. Most houses have a shared kitchen, 
bath, and living room. You are responsible for your own food, but not 
the utility bills. Sometimes these houses offer a weekly rate. 
Sometimes there is a security deposit. The foreigners is these houses 
generally work as English teachers or bar hostesses. Many also study 
some aspect of Japanese culture such such as martial arts, Buddhism, 
or language. Gaijin houses are located all over Tokyo. New ones are 
constantly opening and old fold so the best way to find one is to 
check the classified ads in the Monday edition of the English language 
*Japan Times,* as well as the *Tokyo Journal* magazine, and the other 
English dailies. I've heard of cases of people crashing for the night 
on couches in the living room of a house at no charge but this is only 
recommended as a desperation tactic since, after all, no one really 
likes living with a stranger camped out in the living room, and taking 
advantage of other people's generosity creates bad karma that will 
come back to haunt you in the future.

Cheap food options in Tokyo include sushi, which comes around to your 
seat at the bar on a conveyor belt. You simply take the plate you want 
off the belt, sprinkle on some soy sauce and pickled ginger, and 
enjoy. A plate in one of these style restaurants usually contains 2 
pieces and costs $1. 4 or 5 plates will fill you up. The green tea is 
complimentary.

If you don't like sushi or get tired of it you can choose from any of 
the thousands of cheap Chinese restaurants that dot the city. You can 
get filled up for $5-10. In the same price range are all the American 
fast food outlets.

The very cheapest way to eat in Tokyo if you are desperate is free 
from the department stores. Most Japanese department stores sell 
groceries and food in their basements. They usually offer free samples 
to entice customers. For you it can be a giant smorgasbord. Although 
this might be frowned upon by the Japanese, who would never do it 
themselves, foreigners are not expected to even understand, much less 
live by the same rules.

Most foreigners living in Tokyo for a year or less teach English. 
Salaries are high, starting at $20 per hour, and going on up to the 
astronomical range. It is beyond the scope of this article to explain 
the ins and outs of teaching in Japan. Suffice it to say that whoever 
you are, whatever your educational background or English ability is, 
you are well qualified to teach. A working visa requires a lot of red 
tape and takes a long time to process so unless you plan to live in 
Japan for a year or more it probably isn't worth your while to get 
one. Find out from the other foreigners you meet how to get private 
students. Three or four students a week will generate enough income to 
pay for your living expenses.

Tokyo is a very expensive city in which to live but if you are careful 
with your money, avoid going over budget, and supplement your funds by 
teaching a few hours a week it's possible to live there in reasonable 
comfort for several months at a time. Good luck and happy traveling.


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SEA TURTLES IN MEXICO
by Frank Galea, Sea Turtle Restoration Project

The complaint I've most often heard from travelers returning from 
South of the border is that the "real" Mexico is becoming increasingly 
hard to find. One really needs to make an effort to escape the beaten 
track of tourist hotels and other overpriced rip-offs. Mexico's recent 
moves towards opening itself up to foreign capital are a bad omen for 
any hope of cultural identity in the future: it'll just wind-up 
another international-capital-dominated-hospitality-industry-mega-
resort for lawyers in love. This may be a bummer for travelers trying 
to broaden their horizons but for the Mexican people it's tantamount 
to alienation and cultural extinction. So, you want to go to Mexico, 
the "real" Mexico, and you're also mindful enough to want to protect 
its cultural and natural heritage rather than help turn it into a 
cheap replica of what you're trying to get away from...so, what do you 
do? Well the following blurb hopes to provide the "thinking traveler" 
some information on places to stay and things to do in the coastal 
areas of the Oaxaca province of Southern Mexico.

The Oaxaca region remains fairly undeveloped and therefore, relative 
to other parts of Mexico, has avoided most of the ravages of the 
tourist industry or any industry for that matter. I recently had the 
opportunity to travel to the region working with an environmental 
project to protect endangered sea turtles. Our "base of operations" 
was La Posada Canon Devata in Puerto Angel, about thirty-five miles 
West of Huatulco (airport). It is a series of cabins spread throughout 
a canyon rising around a small central hotel-like structure. Posada is 
run by Mateo and Susannah Lopez (both of whom speak English and are 
very hospitable and helpful). What they have attempted to do at Posada 
is preserve the forest of the canyon in as close to its original state 
as possible: the bungalows are surrounded by jungle where during the 
day you can check out some of the native birds and lizards. The entire 
complex is designed to have little negative impact on the local 
ecology: all the waste water is recycled for irrigation and guests are 
instructed to be frugal with their use of water and energy. The food, 
served in a roofed outdoor dining area (beware of the parrots -- they 
bite), is semi-vegetarian and tends to be organically grown. 
Occasionally Mateo will catch tuna and barbecue it for dinner -- all 
of the meals are delicious! Almost every room at Posada has a painting 
or other piece of art, most of which are the work of Mateo. I would 
also suggest checking out the tienda that has some of his paintings 
and the handiworks of other local artisans displayed for sale. The 
attention to detail and unusual aesthetic sense make Posada a great 
place to escape to. A typical room for two, including dinner is very 
reasonably priced and those with a flair for a bargain can inquire 
about sleeping in the hammock area. Oh, one last thing, if Mateo and 
Susannah offer to take you out on their boat either sightseeing or 
snorkeling make sure you don't miss out.

For current rates and reservations write to: La Posada Canon Devata, 
Apartado Postal #74, Pochutla, Oaxaca 70900 Mexico.

About two kilometers to the West is Zipolite -- a breathtaking beach 
(literally, if you don't watch out for the undertow when swimming). 
Lined with open bungalows, bars, hammock areas and various other low 
cost local enterprises taking advantage of the view, Zipolite is where 
the counter-culture comes to play. Zipolite is home to many funky 
folks. Scoring drugs shouldn't be difficult if that's your scene. Very 
cheap lodgings available: as low as $2 a night to pitch a hammock. Be 
cautious with your stuff though.

Way at the end of the beach is Shambhala, a groovy place to stay or 
drop by for a meal or a soda (no alcohol or drugs, PLEASE!). Shambhala 
has an impressive view of the beach from atop the cliffs. It is run by 
Gloria, an American expatriate who has built the place up from nothing 
over the past twenty years. She was among the first people to set up 
shop in Zipolite and has been a community organizer and local 
firebrand (she's had her share of run-ins with the powers that be and 
is now more low-key about her activism). You can stay at Shambhala for 
very cheap if you exercise the hammock option. Food is inexpensive as 
well, and the guests are from all over the planet -- good place to 
make overseas connections.

I should take this opportunity to plug the sea turtle issue as well. 
The beaches of the region are among some of the last nesting sites for 
endangered sea turtles. Every year the turtles come ashore to lay 
their eggs, sometimes thousands of turtles arrive simultaneously in 
what is called an "arribada." It is a natural marvel to observe. Even 
the sight of a single turtle nesting or the hatchlings' frenzied run 
for the sea is fascinating. I would encourage anyone traveling to the 
Oaxacan coast to go see the turtles. We are currently discussing plans 
with the village of Mazunte, where our project shut down a turtle 
slaughterhouse, to help the local community use the turtles as an 
eco-tourism resource. We will be planning excursions to Mexico and 
other nesting beaches in Nicaragua and Costa Rica to see the next 
arribada. Feel free to contact us for further information or if you're 
interested in joining the project.

SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT, Earth Island Institute, 300 Broadway 
St., Suite 28, San Francisco, CA 94133 USA


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JOIN THE CRASH NETWORK!

Crasher: person who is traveling, guest.
Crashee: person who is allowing Crasher to sleep at residence, 
         host/hostess.

Joining is free!  Send email to johnl@netcom.com for a questionnaire 
(or send us an SASE to our mailing address, listed at the end of this 
file). Filling it out and returning it gets you listed in our Crash 
Directory, which is available only to members. Anytime you're planning 
to travel, send $5 for an up-to-the-minute directory and follow the 
guidelines below.

*************
HOW TO USE IT

You can use the Crash Directory to contact other members that you would 
like to meet. Or if you have a destination or journey in mind, you can 
use the directory to find potential crash sites along your planned route 
(flexibility helps). Before your departure, contact your potential 
crashee by mail, phone, or email and inquire about a visit. When all 
your crashes are confirmed, you're ready to hit the proverbial road.

**************
THE CRASH CODE

1.  Any Crashee can turn away a Crasher if they do not agree to the 
    Crash by prior consent.
2.  No charge for stay unless agreed upon by both parties beforehand.
3.  Toilet and shower facilities should be made available to Crasher 
    if possible.
4.  Don't eat Crashee's food unless offered.
5.  Don't use the Crashee's phone, stereo, TV or any other property 
    without their consent.
6.  No stealing.
7.  Don't bring friends over without the prior consent of the Crashee.
8.  Treat each other with respect.
9.  Help each other in every way possible during Crashes.
10. Crasher must obey rules of Crash Pad unless they contradict 
    above rules.


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CRASH INFORMATION

Editors: Miles Poindexter, John Labovitz.

Crash is published in January, March, May, July, September, and 
November of each year. 

Subscriptions are $5 for six issues. A sample issue is $1 or three 
US 29c stamps.  Back issues (text only) are available via anonymous FTP
at netcom.com in directory /pub/johnl/zines/crash.  The printed issues 
also contain illustrations and advertising; for the full Crash experience, 
send for a printed sample.

Crash is happy to hear from you. Send artwork, articles, and aardvarks 
to us at:

    Crash
    519 Castro Street #7
    San Francisco, CA 94114 USA
    email: johnl@netcom.com

If you are interested in advertising in the print or electronic 
version of Crash, please contact us for rates and sizes.

Copyright (C) 1991 Crash. We encourage other zine editors to reprint 
or excerpt parts of any articles written by us (Miles Poindexter or 
John Labovitz). All we ask is that information about this magazine and 
the network be included with it. If you wish to reprint something by 
an outside contributor, please contact them beforehand (either by 
their contact information listed after the article, or c/o Crash).


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END OF CRASH DEC91