Surprising Travel Companions

 

Los Angeles, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Las Vegas, Yosemites, San Francisco…

Apart from the fantastic plan of a road trip through some national parks, the first and last mentioned urban destinations make almost anyone dream. At least a lot of those living on the “old continent” as you would say in French (“vieux continent” aka Europe). We are  fictionally living in the US as, let’s face it, the entire movie and sitcom world surrounding us (even if one is trying not to be swallowed by it) has been taken over by the American movie industry and conditioned us.
So when we get a chance to see it all from close…I have an immediate “touristic over excitement fit” when I hear the names mentioned above. The spots I want to visit and things I wish to do keep running through my travel addicted brain like a movie trailer: Venice Beach, Sunset Boulevard, Mann’s Chinese Theatre, Universal Studio, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf…

I am planning the trip for  weeks already and I have regularly talked about my ideas with my travel companions to make sure they like my ideas too. Obviously I insist that they take part in the planning, but all I have heard  from both so far was: Don’t worry, I trust you…

Real trust or just lazy men’s attitude? I close my eyes to reality and like to think that the fact of me being a thoroughly trust worthy person is the reason for their relaxed reactions. But despite being a bit naive on purpose, I am not completely unconscious either and I am aware of the dangers of that much confidence put into my organizational skills. If I keep on planning happily without involving my co-adventurers, the risk exists that they will tell me in the middle of nowhere after miles of driving: Oh by the way, that is really not what I want, you could have asked us before.

I finally had some success. My latest consulting attempt triggered the following inputs:

1. Manga and Japan fan travel companion: I seriously trust you but the only thing I seriously want to visit is Little Tokyo and Japantown!
2. Musician travel companion: Sure you will do great with the planning, but could you please include in the trip a visit to the Fender Visitor Center?

SERIOUSLY??? One I can tell you for sure: Thanks to these two road buddies, I won’t be bored, not before and not during the trip!!!