I grew up in an era of thinking of travel as escape. The idea that you could conceivably have a new life, go somewhere, fall in love, have little children under the palm trees.

Loneliness in travel directs you and tells you about yourself. You don't become lonely unless you're alone.

Luxury is the enemy of observation, a costly indulgence that induces such a good feeling that you notice nothing. Luxury spoils and infantilizes you and prevents you from knowing the world.

In countries where all the crooked politicians wear pin-striped suits, the best people are bare-assed.

I know there are writers who feel unhappy with domesticity and who even manufacture domestic turmoil in order to have something to write about. With me, though, the happier I feel, the better I write.

travel [is] flight and pursuit in equal parts.

A gun show is about like-minded people who feel as if everything has been taken away from them - jobs, money, pride.