My Redeemer Lives: Water and M&Ms

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Water and M&Ms

Ileana, Gisela and Nicole at the magnificent Horseshoe Bend, AZ

How does one survive a 2000-mile-long bus tour of the American West?

Well…

Getting back on the bus that day, after visiting Antelope Canyon, Arizona, we were drenched in mud and rain. We looked at each other and laughed at what we had just gone through, not even being able to express it in words. That’s when we first realized we were completely ill-prepared for the trip, emotionally as well as materially. First, it was COLD!!! Even the Arizona desert was experiencing some kind of weather anomaly with the rain and hail and lower-than-normal temps. We even encounter patches of snow and snow-covered surfaces along the way on these usually hot/dry lands. Nicole lives in Phoenix, for the love of Pete! And the last thing she expected was to be freezing just a few hours from her home!

Needless to say, the three Panamanians were not ready to confront winter-weather environments at the end of May…or any other day.

Let me just say, though, that I did know that the climate would not be all sunshine and heat. Believe it or not, I had checked the forecast. So, I brought a few warmer pieces of clothing for my sister. I figured, with her being the one coming directly from Panama, she would be the one who’d need the most help in this department. I forgot that my niece, coming from Phoenix, the Sunshine Valley, would probably be even less prepared for the shocking weather. So, they ended up wearing layers upon layers and Nicole finally had to give in and buy a nice winter coat at one of the cute towns we visited. I have to say, she got a great bargain! But anyways…

Then, there was the bus situation: the two/three-hour intervals of stops were not enough. Especially, when one did not anticipate the need for snacks or drinks! So, we quickly realized we needed to strategize. What would help us meet our bare necessities between stops: liquid and sugar, of course! So, at the next stop, that’s exactly the supplies we gathered: water and M&Ms. And thus, those staples became our sustenance.

The key was to time it right, though…if you know what I mean? We mastered the art of calculating the exact amount of water that we could drink to keep hydrated and still be able to make it to the next bathroom stop. Not an easy feat.

But let me tell you, with every chocolate covered peanut treat we popped in our mouths, we finally began to settle into our seats, and started to fully experience the sweetness of the ride and the magnificence of the scenery.

God is Good, all the time…and all the time, He is Good!

So that’s how we rolled the rest of the way…and that’s the answer to the inquiry “how does one survive a 2000-mile bus tour of the American West?”: bundled up, and armed with water and M&Ms (just make sure they’re the ones with peanuts, for protein, of course!)

Tomorrow I’ll tell you a bit about our travel companions…stay tuned!