5:30 am, the alarm sounds, waking us for a very long and scenic day. The shuttle arrived to take us to the coach, which we were to board for the Grand Canyon / Hoover Dam.
Our driver Ron, tried his hardest to entertain the tough “Vegas” crowd, but at 6:00 in the morning, he was struggling for form, even though he was the funniest tour operator we’ve had thus far!
After a short drive, we arrived at Hoover Dam. First the sheriff entered the coach to ensure there were firearms or security breaches, then it was time to cross the dam (as we’ve seen in Transformers, Charlies Angels etc). Luckily for us we were able to see this magnificent structure that was built in the 1930’s, as the US Government is shutting down all traffic & tourism ventures into the venue in the next two years due to security concerns / issues (a new bypass will open in 2010).
2 hours quickly passed as we were admiring the Mojave desert, we finally arrived for our luncheon – an American style buffet at the Grand Canyon Rail Station.
Off on the bus again for another 2 hours, before a raucous cheer erupted, signalling our entry into the Grand Canyon – one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. This magnificent canyon cannot be described in words, nor do photos do it justice. It has to be seen to be believed! Breathtaking!!! The height, the width, the colours, were amazing. Kate and I both spent considerable time “snapping photos” as well as admiring the scenery before us! Our group was fortunate to have more time than usual in the canyon, giving us many opportunities to soak it all in.
After a several hours spent gazing, admiring and taking it all in at a couple of different drop off points on the South Rim Tour we boarded the bus again, heading back towards Hoover Dam, ready to take in the “lit up” version! Watching the sun set as we drove home was fantastic, as the west coast provides wonderful red/orange sunsets (reminding us of home), before hitting the Vegas from a height, taking in all the bright neon lights, with each Casino standing out with individuality.
Note – some silly things we saw - Independence Day & Star Wars were filmed in the desert we passed.
- We travelled along Route 66
- Passed a number of celebrities homes (Nicole Kidman, Barbara Streisand)
- Saw Elk wandering the desert / national park
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