A stranger - the other perspective

So my last post was about a stranger who was no help at all. But it got me thinking about other strangers who have been enormously touching.

While in Modesto, where George has been airlifted, I went to a T Mobile shop to buy more credit for the phone. The gorgeous girl in the shop - of JLo-like beauty - was fascinated by a tourist in her home town.
'How come you're in Modesto', she asked?
'Oh, we're just driving around in our RV, having a look', I deflected.
'How long are you here?' she asked, again amazed that anyone would be more than passing through. She was so lovely I decided to come clean.
'Actually, our son is in the hospital and we're not sure how long we'll be here', I admitted.
'How's he doing?' she asked, probably thinking broken limb.
'Not great. He's on life support.' Her shock was visible.
'Oh my god, I am so sorry', she offered with sincerity. 'Seriously, if you need anything - if you want to know where to eat or need a park or anything - come by the shop. This is Travis,' she said, introducing her colleague behind the counter, 'he'll be here tomorrow, but I'm here all next week. But if you need anything, please, just call.'

She handed me a card with her name - Angel.

A.R.T. 2

This RV is seriously like the tardis. From the out side it looks small, but in here - it's remarkably roomy. However, our RV is not a patch on some that we've seen. They are HUGE, towing cars for when they get there (every think for brand new Jeeps to Mini Cooper convertibles), boats, jet skis, kayaks, quad bikes and push bikes. In the parks at night, I have seen TVs bigger than we have at home, dogs, cats and even a chandelier. They have awnings that appear and disappear from the roof, satellite dishes, side sections that slide out to make alcoves and fairy lights.

Here's our humble abode....

And one of the others.....

 It's deceptively big -  look at the esky - I had to be back a long way to get it all in!

Anyway, back to the trip.... we were last in the car park at McDonald's - on to Lake Powell. It's a pretty controversial lake as it was formed by the Glen Canyon Dam for recreation and some water supply. It does look amazing to see this massive body of water where clearly there should be dessert and maybe a trickle of river. 

I'd booked a Colorado River 'smooth water' half day tour. Again, the accommodation of George's needs was totally thoughtful and helpful. We get onto an inflatable  pontoon raft and start our trip down the river. Our guide is Megan, a pretty girl in her early 20s with the most excruciatingly painful way of talking. I think her true calling was a presenter on Sesame Street. You'd think we were a bunch of pre-schoolers with her slow annunciation of words and silly jokes. We arrived as a small waterfall, "and this where we guides...(pause for effect) take a shooooower!" as she angles herself around the small flow for our supposed amusement. Oh dear.

At John Lee's Crossing, the only place early settlers could cross the Colorado making the guy a relative squillionaire, Geoff asked why he's been a fugative before he started running the crossing. Megan explained (slowly) that it was a contraversial story. There was trouble between the early settlers and the Mormons, how the Mormons were persecuted because of their belief in polygamy (she almost welled up at this bit, so I figured which side of the contraversy she was on, and like 75% of the population in the neighbouring state of Utah, she was one of the 'persecuted'). The Mormons and a wealthy caravan of settlers had a big fight, the Mormons were scared (read 'justified'} so rounded up all the good folk of the caravan party and killed them. "And John Lee took the blame for the whooooole thing!"

Almost as entertaining was the American couple about our age that I attempted to strike up conversation with, starting with where they were from (Mississippi). When they asked me and I said Australia, he said that's one place they're planning to go - there and New Zealand. 'When's that?' I asked. 'Oh in about 9 years time,' he said, seriously. Okay.... 'We'd go for at least 2 weeks being so far and all. It'll be after we retire at aged 57." Wow. They were so dazzled by the 'fast-ish' bits of the river, I suggested they look at jet boating in NZ. 'We love to travel,' he assured me, 'we've just been to Colorado recently and now, here we are!!" Yep - one whole state away.

We saw the reserve's eleven 'wild' horses on the river bank - apparently an infrequent sight. Mrs Intrepid Travelled was in awe - 'Oooh my goooosh! Hooooorses!" she gasped. She and Megan had clearly attended the same elocution classes. 'They're just sooooo peaaaaceful.' Perhaps there are no horses in Mississippi. What would I know.

At the end of the tour, I was fulling expecting Megan to announce that today's trip had been brought to us by the number 5, the letter B and the colour - yelloooooow!

Next stop, Bryce Canyon.

PS Yes, there should be more pics but I left the connection for my camera at home so need to use my phone or get Elle to email them... I will try harder.