The Grand Canyon was kind of a bust. We ended up going to the wrong end, where an Indian Reservation was charging a large amount of money to get anywhere near the giant hole in the ground.
While I have to say that I was a little disappointed, we did have a good time getting there. The desert was pretty barren, and we found out pretty quickly that we would have to entertain ourselves.
This whole trip has been good practice for our patience. Whether it’s with other drivers or with each other, we have had to check our tempers along the way. I think that’s a pretty natural reaction to being in close quarters for days at a time.
Thankfully, we are generally easy-going people. Jessica, Nick, and I all sing along, loudly and beautifully, to whatever songs we play on our iPods while Rachel listens intently. We dance in the car. We pass each other drinks and food. And Jessica always remembers to check my wallet for my credit card, because she knows I’ll just ask her to do it in a few minutes anyway. We’re like a well-oiled machine; but that doesn’t mean we haven’t learned about each other along the way.
Nick’s fear of sasquatch and el chupacabra and my general need to control every situation were already proven facts before we embarked on this journey. I knew Rachel was proud of her heritage and that Jessica would tell it to me straight. However, until you’ve spent this much time with your friends, all you see is what’s colored in the lines-- unlike my dinosaur coloring book (which I sadly left at home). Nick and Rachel and Jessica, and even myself, aren’t perfect little pictures. We’re annoying, cranky, and hilarious people who all like macaroni and cheese.
Kraft is the glue that holds friendships together, and I’m grateful for it.
I’ve heard that road trips can destroy relationships, but I don’t think that will happen to us. We’ve gotten too much information to blackmail each other with now, anyway.
