Over the last few months via email Suz informed me that while she was on this side of the world she had every intention of going to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. She asked if I wanted to join her and I told her in so many words that I'd never go to Vegas in the middle of August, or ever, for that matter. It's not my kind of place and I can think of so many other ways to spend my time. So I'm not sure how this happened but one day last week after much discussion I found myself agreeing to go with her and packing up Abby's wee VW that Suz and I had dubbed "Hamish" on our way back from Santa Barbara. I figured, what the hell? I should at least experience this place once in my life.
We hit the dusty road early avoiding traffic and driving the 6 hours (with stops) through desert to get to Vegas around 12.30p. OY. What a place! I shook my head in wonderment thinking "how could my friend Joanna have lived in this god forsaken city for 2 years?". I still don't have an answer to that question, but I will tell you, at night it's quite a different sight! The sky was lit up like 11 Burning Man festivals and there wasn't a star in sight. In some ways I found it really cool, and interesting, but in other ways the crowds were far too much for me. In addition, at midnight for it to still be near 100 degrees was not pleasant. I hate the desert. Okay, maybe that's too strong a feeling, but lets just say the green of New England and other places that are wet is much more to my liking and understanding. By the way, I've never heard that many southern accents north of the Mason Dixon Line in my life. Maybe there was a convention.
The highlight of last week's adventure was for me, in all honesty, the Grand Canyon. Despite the very long bus ride and the worlds' most amazingly annoying nails on a chalkboard tour guide, it was quite a trip. We chose this tour company because it was the only one that allowed you to get off the bus and actually walk along the rim of the canyon for 2 1/2 very short hours. No words can properly describe what we saw and felt, so I will just leave it at that. But needless to say I do want to go back, raft down the river and spend at least a week or so there, because only then will I feel like I've really experienced the canyon the way I want to. No strangers jamming their elbows in my ribs, and no fighting to get to the rail to see down 1 mile into the earth.
Thankfully the tour bus driver shut his freakin' mouth for the ride back and drove us through parts of Arizona I never thought existed. Wow! It was so beautiful and amazing that it made me want to spend more time there as well, standing in the rain, watching the lightening, feeling wet, and cool. It was a welcome reprieve from the dry, dusty, burning feeling of Vegas. While I could never live that far from an ocean, I could easily spend more time there amongst the trees and rolling hills.
Overall it was a very great 3 days and I'm glad to have gone to and left Las Vegas. It truly is something, like most everything, one should experience at least once in their life.
Thanks for tuning in...Until next Monday...CHEERS!!!!!!
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