My Road Trip to Arizona (And What 2500 Miles Showed Me Along the Way)

  

It was a cold, rainy January afternoon and my 27th birthday was just approximately a week away. I recently quit my previous job and was in the awkward space of landing interviews but still being unemployed (So not wise. Never do what I did.). I was laying in bed, pondering over my life and reflecting on the things that I've accomplished or didn't accomplish. Soon, a depressing thought came over me. What have a done with my passport? I've applied for it and gotten it in the mail over 2 years ago. However, I had yet to take that cruise. Yet, to go on that trip to Europe. Yet to even venture outside of my travel comfort zones. And I was quickly approaching 30. True, these weren't the most appropriate thoughts to be having when one is unemployed and worried about her career outlook. Yet, I was always worrying about my career outlook. Always worrying about my bank account. Always worrying about how my life was going to look 5 years down the road. Worry, worry, worry, worry! And then a light switch went off in my head. I have FREE time.

True, I haven't landed a job yet. But what better way for me to utilize the amount of free time I had than to do something ridiculous, crazy, insane, un-heard of, coo-coo for cocoa puffs (as my mom likes to say), and totally AWESOME than to take a cross country road trip. This was something that I've always had the itch to do. I would always think about it and talk about it, but could never muster up enough money, time, or courage to actually do it. My original destination was going to be some city in Southern California, but because it was January, the weather forecast there wasn't looking any better than the weather forecast here in Philly. So finally, I opted for warm and pleasant Phoenix, Arizona (I was going to go to the Grand Canyon, but again, the forecast predicted icky weather there too).

I packed my bags that night and loaded my car. I also checked my oil, tires, and engine. Immediately afterwards, I was on my way towards Phoenix. A  million thoughts were racing through my head that night: I MUST be crazy! This is so stupid! What am I doing!? Am I crazy? This is insane. I can't be really doing this. What if something goes wrong? This is scary! I can't believe I'm doing this! I should turn back! The bad news is, I didn't turn back because there were a couple of unfortunate events that happened to me that could've been prevented if I had done a better job planning my venture (more on this shortly). The good news is, I didn't turn back. Because though this was an "on the whim" road trip, it was still an experience and a GREAT adventure.

I've driven through a total of 8 states (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico) which tested my mental stamina and driving ability to no end. I stopped and slept at the cheapest, yet safe, motels that I was closest to. And I survived off of fast food and Slim Jims. Not the most fun or healthiest way to survive a 3.5 day road trip to Phoenix, Arizona but hey, I made it!

Me + cactus plant (the photo bomber).

Though it doesn't look like it, I'm on top of a hill.

Yes it's true. I was excited to finally see a cactus plant in person. I was pressed.

Just as happy/and hot as I can be!

I found this interesting cave to take a selfie in.

Wanting to see the natural beauty of Arizona is what brought me here in the first place. Don't let the stereotypical idea of a desert fool you into thinking that Arizona is just all clay rocks and dirt!

I wouldn't swim in this, but it's serene to look at it.

Camel Back Mountain and other mountains in the background.

Another species of cacti. But this kinda looks like a bacteria colony. Or maybe yeast cells...

This should be a weapon.

A beautiful family of cacti.

Prickly Pear Cacti...if I'm not mistaken.

Golden Barrel Cacti. A near extinct species.

More cactus plants...(can you tell that I was obsessed yet?)

Looking over the vast land. So beautiful. 

I was climbing up a mountain. It was pretty steep, but fortunately, I didn't fall.

Another close view of me going up the steep mountain.

Simple, yet inspiring.

The Palo Verde. Arizona's official state tree. 

Just one side of Camel Back Mountain.

So, what have I learned during my trip? Here are at least 10 things that I've reflected on during my 3 day journey back home to Philly. 5 good things/5 bad things about going on a cross country trip:

5 Good Things I've Learned

1. If you love adventure and an occasional travel spontaneity, a road trip is a perfect fix for that!
2. You get to meet interesting new people and places. I'm convinced that every state ought to be its own country. There are different foods, different overall culture, different attitudes, and different personalities. Going on a road trip and experiencing these things will definitely not keep you bored.

3. You can pack and travel light if you want to in order to save energy and money. You don't have to sleep at the most expensive hotel or carry 10 luggage bags of stuff. In a way, you can live the hippie life and still enjoy the trip.

4. Live entertainment, dining out, and experiencing the big cities are fun. However, nature is FREE! Taking pictures of natural wonders reminds you that other life forms and mother nature are more majestic and beautiful than they're acknowledged to be.

5. You DO NOT have to travel with another person. Though most people might prefer that for safety and companionship reasons, that is perfectly fine, understandable, and ok. However, there's no shame in traveling alone, just as long as you're safe. It's fun and reflective. It's a self journey and an adventure. You get to feed, shelter, and drive around one person...and that person is YOU! I thoroughly enjoyed traveling alone.

5 Bad Things I've Learned

1. Never assume that your car will be just fine during 2500 miles going and 2500 miles back. Anything can happen. Your engine may blow. You may run out of gas before reaching the next station. Your tire can blow (which was what happened to me). I learned the hard way that bringing a spare tire and a back-up plan is always beneficial. It's common sense, but I surprise myself everyday on how I don't utilize it sometimes.

2. Always bring a sufficient amount of cash (preferably on your debit card). Again, this required planning, which I didn't do. When I ran out of cash, I had to fuel up my car and motel stays with credit cards. At the end, I wounded up with an ugly credit card balance which I'm still working on paying down to $0. Never do that, if you can help it. Lesson learned.

3. Tell somebody that you're going away, so that way in case something does happen to you (God forbid), that person will know to get you help. I didn't tell my boyfriend until I was already in my car driving towards Phoenix. I'll admit that taking a long road trip was a radical idea, and I was scared of other people's reaction. But again, planning eliminates most of this fear. Of course, he was super pissed at me for telling him at the last minute. Rightfully so.

4. Pack healthy snacks. Because fast food, Slim Jims, and chips ain't going to cut it all the time.

5. Allow yourself enough time to enjoy your dream destination when going on a road trip. After 3 days of driving, I only got to spend 1 day in Phoenix, then I had to head back the very next day. This was due to me having a limited amount of funds. Though I enjoyed my day, I would've loved to spend at least one or two more days exploring a near by attraction or city. Bottom line, PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!!!

It is officially safe to say that I can scratch off "Cross Country Road Trip" from my bucket list. I didn't completely drive all the way to the edge of California; closest to the Pacific Ocean but that's ok. Road trips like the one I've been on are fun, but exhausting. I completely have no further desire to repeat it again. But at least I can say that I've done it and I'm proud of that fact. Next time, I'm heading to either the Grand Canyon or Venice Beach. No matter my choice, I WILL be buying a plane ticket.