Grand Canyon, Phoenix, Tucson Arizona

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After a delicious breakfast at our hotel, we set out to spend the morning in the Grand Canyon South Rim National Park. Entry was $25US per vehicle and with maps in hand, we headed into the park. The Rangers were very informative and helpful. It helps to be Aussie everyone likes to chat to an Aussie. The weather was very clear and not all that cold, a bit chilly to start off but warmed up during the morning. The park is well layout and designed to handle large numbers of visitors. As it is heading towards winter it is considered low season but still, there were quite a few hikers and visitors out and about. The viewing areas give spectacular views of the canyon and wow this is some gully. The colours and character of the canyon were different at every place we stopped to look. Spotted the Colorado River snaking through the canyon at the Hermit’s Rest lookout, even spied some rapids through the binoculars. We spend an enjoyable few hours exploring before retreating to the general store for coffee and shopping. All touristy items but still fun to look at.

At about 1pm we set a course for Phoenix, with the plan to overnight there before heading to Tucson where we plan to stay for two nights allowing us time to make the trip out to Tombstone. The drive was uneventful and the roads really make driving easy. We arrived in Phoenix at 5.30pm and had a bite to eat in the hotel (Courtyard on Marriott) cafe. Up early and quick continental breakfast before finding a Walmart (don’t know how we did it ..only at least 20 to choose from according to Tom)  for essential purchases than on the road for Tucson only couple hours drive away. On arrival, we head out to the Pima Aviation Museum and Boneyard where all planes not in use are mothballed. The museum was great, so many different planes from so many different eras. Even a couple of old Air Force One planes (Kennedy and Johnson’s AF1 plane was on display). The B52’s are so big, how on earth did they get off the ground, especially fully loaded. To see a paddock full of planes as far as the eye can see is something to behold.

Checked in to our La Quinta room and walked next door to the Denny’s Diner for a light dinner, well at least mine was light, Sharpie has 3 courses again, he couldn’t resist the apple pie. Spend the next two hours moaning about eating too much. Tomorrow we are headed to Tombstone Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday country and the site of the famous Gunfight of the OK Corral.

In and around Las Vegas

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We have walked too far and eaten too much in Vegas. It was good to be back in town again, there is still more to see but I can only cope with 3 days at a time. The food is over the top and we almost succumbed to death by buffet twice. How many snow crab legs can I consume at a sitting well no-one was counting but let’s just say a lot. For Ian it was the mini lemon meringue pies, he ate more than 3 blokes could in a sitting. If the amount of food doesn’t get you…. the walking will. We walked the whole strip in a number of goes, still ended up footsore. We had the best weather for seeing Las Vegas, not a cloud in the sky each day and warm enough to be comfortable about 22c each day. Staying in the Paris Casino was a highlight and being in the middle of the strip it was perfectly located. I have stayed in three casinos in Vegas now and each has been better than the last. Ian had a lot of fun playing Texas hold ’em. He won and even won back the $100 he lost playing blackjack in ’99, he feels vindicated now that he has his money back and some.

After checking out it was back in the car and headed for the Grand Canyon approx 277 mi – about 5 hours driving time.

We had a good trip and getting out of Vegas was uneventful only about three turns in total and all on freeways, easy. Tom proved his worth yet again. Along the way we stopped for coffee and fuel at Kingman otherwise it was straight through to Village near the south rim on Grand Canyon and checked in to our Holiday Inn Express Room ($64) and lovely spacious room.

The highlight of the day would be crossing the Hoover Dam, this was amazing and provided us with a great place to stretch our legs and get some great shots around the dam and the new roadway they are putting. The bridge construction is something to behold. The countryside was very barren until about the last 2 hours of the trip. This country has its share of goat country.

Dinner at the Yippee Yi Oh Steakhouse, it was good food and good service, lovely big open fire and very warm inside. We are getting our first taste of cold as there was evidence of last night’s ice on the ground when we arrived and the temp has been dropping quickly. The gloves are out!!!

Tomorrow we explore the canyon…….

LA to Las Vegas

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We drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas yesterday and it was a good trip. No incidents and driving were easier than getting around Sydney especially with our trusty mate Tom or as sharpie keep referring to it Tomboy or Thomas the Tank. We could not get over the sparseness of the Mojave desert and lack of trees between LA and LV. We are arrived at about 4pm and checked into Paris Paris Hotel. Parking was free another thing that does not happen in Sydney. With only a short stop in Barstow for a coffee at Maccas and another pit stop at a rest area, the trip was only about fours hours.

Last night we headed to the buffet in Paris and for $22 I ate more snow crab and prawns than I’ve ever seen, topped my meal off with banana and apple crepe. Yum!! Everyone ate too much and needed a walk along the strip to work some of the dinner off. We wandered for a couple of hours and watched the Bellagio fountain and back to the room to turn in.

We’ve arrived and all in one piece

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Arrived in LA at 9.50am on Sunday morning which was five hours before we left. The A380 what can I say, the quietest flight, the best food, the best crew and all on the newest largest plane I have ever seen. The flight was terrific and seemed to go quickly, usually does for those of us that sleep well on a plane. Excellent onboard entertainment including tail webcam which allowed us to watch the takeoff and landing like never before. The non-plane sleepers are sleeping now in our room at the La Quinta Hotel which is no more than 10 minutes from LAX. We will rest up today and collect our thrifty rental car (100 yards down the road) tomorrow and head for Las Vegas.

The news has reported dust storms in Arizona and snow in San Diego so we are in for a interesting trip weather wise. Today sunny and 24c.

Up up and away to LA

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The day has come to begin our trip. Shuttle picking us up this morning and we fly out at approx 3pm this afternoon. Looking forward to LA especially the 22c after yesterday’s shocker. The bags are packed, all the kids have put their orders in, so I think we are free to go. Jorja is going to watch our progress on the round map (globe). Looking forward to flying on Qantas A380 the novelty will wear off about 5 hours into the trip. For those who are going to follow along on our journey, welcome. Please comment and leave any suggestions for places to visit. Restaurant and accommodations suggestions will be appreciated along the way.

First stop overnight in LA, then collect the car and drive to Las Vegas for 3 nights. After that who knows where but I will at the plans as they are formed. Thanks, everyone for the good wishes.

What do the ballet and a trip to San Antonio have in common?

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Answer: Things we are going to do while staying in Abilene

Just had a call from Leonie she is going to try and get tickets to the ballet in Abilene and organise a trip to San Antonio.

Ian has dipped out on the ballet but is looking forward to visiting San Antonio again. He says he and Scott will go to the pub while the ballet is on.

Things we will enjoying seeing in San Antonio are visiting the Alamo again and also seeing the riverwalk decorated in Christmas spirit.

I am still wearing some shoes (which I love and wear almost every day) that I purchased in the Rivercenter, hope I can get some more.

Bring it on less than three weeks to go before we fly out

Six weeks to go and counting

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Today I booked and finalised accommodation for the first four nights and the car for 16 days of the USA trip.

Delighted with the deals, booked at Paris Paris for an A$100 a night, bargain. You can’t even get a room in country NSW for that price that let alone a four-star casino in the middle of the strip.

Not planning to book anything else before leaving Australia. We a playing everything by ear and will settle on firm plans as we go.

Closer to home Jorja and I spent a very enjoyable day at the zoo yesterday. A reminder to me we live in a very beautiful city and need to get out and enjoy it more. Jorja was excited to get very close to Luk Chai the new baby elephant born at the zoo early this year.

Home safe and sound

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We arrived on time Sunday night. Cleared customs quickly. Sarah was waiting to collect us and we were pleased to see home at about 9.30pm. Thanks to everyone for checking out our blog during the trip. I am going to continue to upload some pics etc for a little while for anyone that is interested.

Thanks again Ange

Paris – Day 2

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We decided to start out walking towards the Opera area, picking up the bus again and heading to the Eiffel Tower. Madness had set in and we lined up for two+ hours to take the lift to the second level(another hour wait to go to the top..mad but not that mad…save top for next trip) The views were truly spectacular and we spent a long time checking out the views with what seemed like everyone else in Paris. Can’t remember the statistics of this construction but they were amazing. After the tower we headed to Notre Dame but first things first lunch, French Onion soup followed by superb steak for me… no dinner needed again tonight. We spent some time looking around the square in front of Notre Dame. Fatigue and cold was starting to set in so we climbed aboard the trusty bus to headed back to Opera area(stop nearest our hotel) A cab home was the answer to tired legs. The peak hour traffic, the drivers driving skills and constant streams of abuse of the other drivers in French. She seemed like a nice lady but boy did she give to the other taxi drivers when they grid locked a roundabout. An enjoyable day.