A day with a lot of twists… We got a late start—checked out around 11 AM, grabbed some food, and made a quick stop at CVS for snacks. It was almost 1 PM by the time we hit the road. After last night’s clubbing, we planned to take it easy today, but that delay ended up leading to the biggest disaster of the day.
That desert heat we’d been feeling the past few days? Crazy as hell.
First brunch stop was 義美, hilariously named Taiwan Deli in English lol. After gassing up and grabbing food in Taiwan Deli, we hit the road.
The drive from Vegas to the Grand Canyon takes about four hours, so we knew we were in for another long one. Things started off chill—picked up some Starbucks, everyone was feeling good, recharged by the quick break.
magnificent highway stretched out before us. It was a reminder of the freedom and vastness you only get on American roads along the way.
There’s something about road trips with the right people that makes the whole journey feel like an adventure, even in rough weather.
As we got closer, the sky grew darker, and rain started falling. Suddenly, a wall of white appeared ahead of us…
Terrifying!!
We arrived at the park, but honestly, we were a bit lost. The internet recommended starting at the visitor center, so we drove there, but with the heavy rain and fog, we couldn’t see anything. We couldn’t even get out of the car. After some thinking, we decided to try a different scenic road, South Rim, but it was closed off—only official buses could enter.
Despite the cold and the fading light, we stood there taking in the overcast Grand Canyon. The beauty was indescribable. It wasn’t just what you saw; it was how the scale and vastness hit you deep inside. Words can’t capture why it’s so breathtaking, but the sheer grandeur of it leaves you feeling both humbled and uplifted.
With the last bit of light fading, we clung to the final glimpses of the Grand Canyon’s landscape and decided to find a nearby restaurant. Unfortunately, it was completely full—and man, was it cold. The moment we stepped out of the car, the icy wind hit us hard. I felt bad for not anticipating how chilly it would get here.
(Later, I found out that while the temperatures aren’t usually this low, rain causes them to drop rapidly. Definitely a reminder to always pack rain gear and warm clothing!)
We wandered around a beautiful little cabin-like shop next to the restaurant. It had all sorts of Grand Canyon-themed merchandise, from towels to clothes. There were even storybooks full of breathtaking photos of the Canyon. I was surprised to learn you can go rafting here! Seeing these stories and travel adventures in the shop, right in the heart of the Grand Canyon, felt surreal. Next time, I’ll read up on these experiences beforehand and explore through the books before seeing it all in person.
This place is definitely one where you’d want to stay a few extra days—just to really soak in the atmosphere and let the beauty sink in.
Later that evening, we had dinner at a cozy restaurant. The bread and dipping sauce were shockingly good—simple, but one of those unforgettable meals that just hit the spot.
We were all a little chilled by the cold. Sitting down together in the warmth, just chatting quietly, felt incredibly cozy and comforting. Despite the weather, it was one of those simple moments that made us feel really happy and content.
After the meal. we hit the road. it’s gonna take hours to arrive at the hotel we are staying today.
I took a quick nap to recharge, but when I started driving again, it was still pouring rain.
American drivers seem to love using their high beams, even if someone is in toward them. And it’s beyond frustrating. In the dark and rain, all we could do was focus on the lines on the road to stay in our lane.
The high beams were blinding—I could barely see what was in front of us. All I could do was focus on staying in our lane. Then, out of nowhere, the lights were directly on our car. I realized something was wrong, and instinctively turned the wheel. I don’t remember the exact moment, but somehow we didn’t get hit head-on; the impact was more on the side. Both of our speed is pretty fast.
The airbags exploded, filling the car with smoke. It took me a moment (in what felt like slow motion) to process what just happened. I couldn’t believe it—did we really just get hit? I took a deep breath and yelled, “F**k!”
Then I heard Yichen’s voice from the back, calling out, “Stay steady, stay steady,” pulling me back into reality. I gripped the wheel and focused on slowing down the car.
I got out of the car, surprisingly not too scared—maybe I felt like I needed to stay calm for everyone. But my body was shaking uncontrollably. At first, I thought it was from the rain and cold, but after a few minutes, I realized this was something different. This was shock. My mind was clear, but my body was trembling harder than I’d ever experienced.
After the crash, I called Sixt. We were in the middle of nowhere—no stores, no streetlights, just darkness on U.S. 89.
There was no address, and when I called Sixt, I spoke with an operator who had a thick accent, which added to the frustration of the situation. She kept pronouncing “vehicle” as “wee-cle,”so annoyed.
After spending what felt like an hour on the phone with Sixt, we were told they couldn’t send a tow truck without a claim number. Meanwhile, the police were busy dealing with the other party involved in the accident. We wasted so much time just waiting for Sixt to take action and get us help.
Even though we were stuck there for what seemed like forever, we tried to stay positive. We reminded ourselves how “lucky” we were to have all five of us together, and “lucky” that no one was seriously hurt. It was freezing, and we were soaked from the rain, but we huddled together to keep warm, finding comfort in each other.
Thankfully, after finally gathering all the necessary information, Sixt began the process. But in the end, they couldn’t offer us much help—no replacement car, no ride to safety. Instead, they just told us to call an Uber, which, at 4 AM in the middle of nowhere, was impossible.
That’s when Kurt, the tow truck driver from Economy Towing, became our first angel of the night. His company has a strict rule against taking passengers due to past incidents, but Kurt went above and beyond. He called his boss at 3 AM, got special permission, and offered to take us to a nearby café where we could sit down, warm up, and figure out our next move. Without him, we could’ve been in real danger that night.
As we rode with Kurt, he started talking about another accident he’d responded to, and I could feel the trauma creeping in. The moment of our crash kept replaying in my mind, making it hard to focus. It was terrifying.
When we finally arrived at the IHOP café, we were still stuck without an Uber to take us to the nearby Holiday Inn. But the manager was incredibly kind, offering us hot water with lemon and honey to warm up. Then, they went even further and offered us a ride. What a blessing—they were our second and third angels that night.
When we arrived at the Holiday Inn, the front desk staff helped us out by arranging a more affordable room, even bending the rules a little. That person became our fourth angel.
In the room, we were all covered in the smell of smoke. At first, I thought something was wrong with the AC, but then I realized—it wasn’t the room, it was us. We took showers and finally rested.
By then, it was already 5 AM.
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