Thursday, July 7, 2011

Arkansas or Bust


I spent so much time getting ready to go on our trip, but Sunday I went to Church and rested. I've had lots of thoughts about packing. Steve and I aren't used to leaving and both of us are not aware of what we'll need and how much to take on a trip. I forget we've not going a safari to Africa and there's not a Walmart. Wait, I'll bet there ARE Walmarts in Africa.

Steve and I  aren't world travelers in any sense of the word. Not even U.S. travelers. I was behind, and Steve was mostly packed by Saturday night because he had to work July 4th and 5th and we planned to leave Tuesday morning. I was ready and I had to keep telling myself, "There are stores all the way."  "Don't  worry even about prescriptions." I can't help it I was genetically created to worry.


Steve's check list: Traveling hat, check! vacation shirt, check! swollen-eye from a bee-sting from the firetruck on eye-lid, check! This journey back east is beginning to be a wagon-train pioneer story. Well, it is a bit like that, only faster with just as many bugs and we are catching them. We are encountering a lot of friendly Indians, but lots of crazy wagon drivers and way too many "hold-ups." Steve's eye becoming more swollen and if I have to drive I will join the ranks of "crazy wagon-drivers."

We're at a gas-station, filling-up on supplies and feeding the horsepower and I know the only reason
I'm note taking because both of us want to remember our trip. This whole trip will be fast and we might get all the states mixed-up. Will we remember that we saw fill in the blank on the way out or on the way back? I have to take notes. This causes some problems with me getting carsick from looking down to write. Two problems, I'm missing a pictures that Steve wants me to snap or I'm missing the odd looking cactus on the side of the road. "LOOK!" "You missed it..."


Here I am booming to Arkansas but parked, waiting, and journaling. Uht-oh! I opened the trunk, turned on the wind-shield wipers, restarted the book/CD (where were we?) All I know, the book we're listening to, is super exciting and scary. The place is lost. Wow! it's hot here! I've started the heater to the highest it will blast. Please, cold?! Oh, I think I'm beginning to understand heat and humidity of the Mid-West and we're still in California. My glasses fogged-up and I can't see. I can't see with-out them. Why is gas so cheap out in the middle of nowhere? The trucks have to transport all the gasoline here--they are pumping oil out of our hills and refining it in our town and county and gas HERE is a dollar cheaper?

I need to explain this erratic behavior. This is a borrowed car that I've never driven and the exception was in Utah and Keily was navigating her own car. It's a very long story about a short drive. The car is a Toyota Camry and very different knobs and gadgets from our FJ Cruiser, borrowed from my daughter to save on gas. I can't turn the heat off! Oh Kiely, where is your car manual?

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