I just realized how I never wrote about that road trip in the southwest. Although the landscape was really incredible, I was too consumed by his negative energy to appreciate. I thought, should I just leave him behind? I wonder how he'll do without speaking a word of English, without gps, without data and without money or a functioning credit card. It's nothing illegal if I do this, right? After all, I rented the car and he is the one depending me. Too bad I'm not mean enough to actually do it.
I was looking at the pictures yesterday and saw this photo and thought I'd write about this episode, and maybe others later if I feel inspired enough to do so. Maybe I will laugh about this when I'm old. The night before taking this photo was rainy and windy, we were driving north on the coast of California. I thought of my mom who told me stories of people falling off cliffs with their cars in California which made me a bit scared. I was trying to be in a good mood, and definitely did not want to argue. I don't trust his driving skills nor do I trust the hybrid car. We have had some minor car accidents while having arguments, nothing serious luckily. One time in Death Valley, he was so mad that he drove over a concrete parking bumper at night and part of the floor pan came off.
He always says that I decide everything, so I asked him to decide what he wanted to do. He said he doesn't know...why would you complain if you don't even know what you want to do. Then he says it's not about him deciding, he wants to decide together...In my head, if you decide together, someone still has to make suggestions first which he never does. I was really patient and even gave him options...just like I would to a kid, he just had to pick. That's what he thinks "deciding together" is anyways. He picked San Francisco. I have already been but fine, let's not debate.
There were landslides and such in some parts of the road, but everything went well and we were determined to make it to San Francisco before the end of the trip...until we drove over a big rock and got a flat in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere while going uphill, without reception, without light, without service, without spare. We were able to stop the car right at the road bend, and there was a tiny space between the hill and the road, but it was still dangerous as cars coming up could probably not see us.
I had an offline map on my phone and could see there was a hotel/gas station 1 minute of driving away...which we have not seen any in a while. How lucky but unlucky at the same time. It could've been a lot worst. One minute of driving is still a long time if you walk at night on a twisty road with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other, without really being able to see neither because it was so dark. There was not much walking space, so we had to walk on the same road as the cars and as soon as we saw lights from either side, we had to move to the other lane. One of the cars stopped us and offered us a ride thankfully.
We borrowed a phone at the hotel and the nearest towing company was 3 hours away...ugh can you believe? and it's not 24H, so we ended up staying at that hotel right by the coast at Ragged Point.
We never made it to San Francisco as the tow truck came to get us the next day and drove us back down to the nearest town south. It was a really nice day, very sunny and warm. We got to see sea lions on the shore which I never noticed before. As they say, the destination doesn't matter...and the journey was definitely something to remember. The funny thing, it's the most unlucky day of our trip, but I think it was probably my happiest day too, especially when I was in the tow truck with that beat up car behind. I can't even explain. I'm almost feeling like...God is with you, you don't want to go to San Francisco? You ain't going.
We were lent a 4x4 too...just when we need it least.