2018 Road Trip Memories in the American West

2018 was a year 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, heading north to San Francisco, 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 it also felt like a silent farewell. By then, we had both settled down with families. He had married my second sister, transforming from a childhood friend into my brother-in-law, but our bond and understanding remained unchanged. The journey 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 man’s road trip across the American West. Starting in Los Angeles, we visited iconic spots like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Chinese Theatre, and the Dolby Theatre. We also spent a day at Universal Studios, experiencing the thrilling disaster simulation show. In the evening, we strolled along Santa Monica Beach, standing by the Route 66 endpoint sign, feeling as though we had reached a milestone in life. Leaving Los Angeles, we took the Pacific Coast Highway, California’s iconic Route 1. Starting from Malibu, the road 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 ocean breeze guide us forward, accompanied by 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, 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, a Korean-American with a gentle personality, a witty sense of humor, and impeccable manners. We had a delightful meal together. They chose a seafood Cantonese restaurant and ordered several authentic dishes, including a delicious curry crab stir-fry. Hong looked genuinely happy. After lunch, we took a group photo at the entrance of Chinatown. Everyone smiled naturally, with sunlight filtering through the lanterns onto their shoulders, as if everything was just beginning. The journey continued. We headed to Yosemite, witnessing the autumn valley’s golden and red intertwined forests, 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. Finally, we visited Antelope Canyon. It was the most tranquil 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 a sacred place, 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 revisited, still glowing. Years later, in 2024, I learned from family that John had passed away due to severe respiratory complications following a late-stage COVID 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, but I occasionally thought of that dinner in Chinatown and the photo we took. In that moment, everyone smiled sincerely, unaware it would be the last time we’d meet. Life often unfolds this way. Some people and moments, which you assume you’ll encounter again, become irreplaceable fragments when you least expect it. I don’t idealize this trip as some profound life event. It was simply a journey we took, 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 unspoken memories. And that was enough.