TULUM IS UTTERLY TERRIBLE. Hell is a town called Tulum. Watched over by Mayan ruins and buttressed by the ocean, this is a place of pothole-filled streets, overpriced taxis, terrible traffic jams, and out-of-touch yuppies, celebrities, influencers, wannabe gurus, COVID deniers, and well-to-do folks looking to “find themselves” in overpriced retreats, hotels, and bars. It is a town where one can overhear tech deals, talk of the “the China flu,” Instagram algorithms, and an upcoming drum circle within the span of a few minutes. I came here with  very  low expectations. I’d heard the stories from my friends, seen all those “influencers” on Instagram gushing profusely, read the articles, and spoke with other travelers. Tulum was an influencers paradise, which likely meant it wasn’t mine. But I wanted to see what all the hype was  really  about. Maybe it wouldn’t be  so  bad. Maybe I was just being a stubborn old goat. Nope. Tulum was even worse than...