2018 Road Trip Memories in the American West

2018 was a time filled with sunshine and the taste of freedom in my memories. My childhood friend and I embarked on another journey together, starting from Los Angeles, driving north to San Francisco, and then crossing the Nevada desert to Las Vegas and Arizona's Antelope Canyon. This trip was our attempt to hit the road again after many years, and in a way, it was also a silent farewell. By then, we had both been working in society for some time. He had also married my second sister, transitioning from a childhood friend to a brother-in-law, but our bond and understanding remained unchanged despite the shift in roles. The trip began with a special offer he received from a casino: free airfare and hotel accommodations. With such an opportunity at hand, we decided to embark on a men’s road trip across the American West. We started in Los Angeles, visiting iconic spots like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Chinese Theatre, and the Dolby Theatre. We also spent a day at Universal Studios, experiencing an impressive disaster simulation show. In the evening, we strolled along Santa Monica Beach, standing by the Route 66 endpoint sign, feeling as if we had reached a certain milestone in life. Leaving Los Angeles, we took the Pacific Coast Highway (California Route 1). This classic coastal route, starting from Malibu, winds along cliffs and waves heading north. Every small town along the way was worth stopping for a cup of coffee or a photo: Santa Barbara, Carmel, Big Sur. We weren’t in a rush, just letting the sea breeze guide us forward while listening to old rock music. When we arrived in San Francisco, the weather had noticeably cooled. That morning, we walked from Fisherman’s Wharf to Lombard Street and then crossed the fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge. At noon, we met my cousin Hong in Chinatown. She had recently moved to the Bay Area and came with her boyfriend, John. John, a Korean-American, was gentle, humorous, and very polite. We had a delightful meal together. They chose a seafood Cantonese restaurant and ordered some authentic home-style dishes, including a delicious curry crab. Hong looked genuinely happy. After the meal, we took a group photo at the entrance of Chinatown. Everyone was smiling naturally, with sunlight filtering through the lanterns onto their shoulders, as if everything was just beginning. The journey continued. We headed to Yosemite, where we saw forests of gold and red intertwined in the autumn valley and spent a long time quietly admiring the view from Tunnel View. From there, we moved on to Las Vegas, staying in a suite provided by the casino. We watched Cirque du Soleil’s "O" show and wandered along the Strip, taking photos like two old boys dragging their shadows behind them. Finally, we visited Antelope Canyon. It was the most serene place of the entire trip. Sunlight streamed through the red rock crevices, and the air was so still you could almost hear the sound of sand falling. The guide softly mentioned that this was sacred ground, and we naturally fell silent, simply observing and walking. After this trip, we returned to our respective lives, and these memories quietly remained in my phone’s photo album. Occasionally, I’d open it and still feel the light. Years later, in 2024, I learned from family that John had passed away due to severe respiratory complications following a COVID-19 infection. He was hospitalized for only a few days before leaving us. The news came quietly and suddenly. He was in his prime, originally planning to travel and marry Hong, but his life forever paused in the summer of 2024. I didn’t reach out to Hong or disturb her silence. I just occasionally thought of that dinner in Chinatown and that photo where everyone was genuinely smiling. At that moment, none of us knew it would be the last time we’d meet. Life is often like this. Some people and some moments, which you think you’ll see again, unexpectedly become irreplaceable instances when you’re least prepared. I won’t romanticize this trip as some grand event of life significance. It was merely a road we traveled, conversations we had, and a brief reunion. Yet, it’s precisely these simple elements that make it so vividly memorable years later. In that year, we stretched time, paused life, walked a shared path, and left behind some unspoken memories. And that was enough.