The road to Sin City

Not many people would board a plane with the intention of heading straight back on the road, but that's exactly what I did.

Travel in and of itself is a wonderful experience, but riding in a confined space with someone for an undetermined amount of time is a rite of passage.

For me, the road trip was not only a vehicle to transport me toward the location of an unknown adventure, but a chance to talk to my best friend without the obligation of our titles to lead our conversations. In our day-to-day lives, she was mother to a beautiful 3-year-old and wife to an airman, while I performed as an editor of two newspapers and server at a New England dining institution. In her mom-mobile, however, we were just two friends en route to a week away from the responsibilities of those day-t0-day lives.

Here, we could discuss all the things we never had time to or finish the trains of thought that were constantly interrupted. We talked about our gripes. Funny memes we saw on the internet. The statuses of one of our friends that shares way too much.

We fell asleep with our faces pressed up against the window and drooled without the fear of judgment - well, there would be photographic proof, but no judgment. The food we want to eat. All of the drinks we plan to have. The crappy drivers in front of us.

We engaged in a round of Chinese Fire Drill. Posted a selfie on social media during stops at notable locations...only to be corrected by younger online friends that a group selfie is actually called an "usie". Searched Urban Dictionary to confirm said definition and felt old as shit. Reminisced about times when we weren't old as shit. Dined on a well-rounded meal of gummy octopuses, salt and vinegar deliciousness, and pickle-flavored sunflower seeds. After OD'ing on a delirium of sweet and sour-y goodness, we made a pit stop for the 800 millionth time to sightsee, yet another, gas station bathroom.

In the course of six hours, we had solved all the problems revolving around our individual worlds. As we pulled into the city that never sleeps, the bright lights of rhythmically reflected across my cheeks and I imagined all the escapades that we were about to encounter...