Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Arizona Day 1 & 2

We are here. It's beautiful and warm. The sun is very intense. Actually, it feels like we are on ultraviolet overload. The constant pure bright light is almost overwhelming to our naked winter retinas. It's like we fell asleep in March and woke up at noon in July. Very strange. I think I counted a total of 2 clouds in the sky today on the ride to the Grand Canyon!


Our flight was uneventful. The food was pretty good... Gary had ham & eggs for breakfast and Hannah & I had cereal with banana. We all received yogurt and fruit cups. Lunch was a steak burger, minestrone soup and fruit. The stewards were very attentive and it felt great to be sitting where we were. Oh and I stole a little pillow from the plane. Our hotle is really nice. We have a 2 bedroom/2 bath suite with a full kitchen and livingroom. Hannah thinks she's real uptown because she's got her own room with a tv... "And it's a flat screen, Mom!" she announced to all who would listen.


The decent into Phoenix was a little rough. I don't know if it's because of the mountains that we felt like we lost altitude quickly. It was just different than any other landing in a plane I've done. It also might have been because my happy flying medication was wearing off and things just seemed more extreme to me. The rental car is decent... they let us pick what color we wanted and we chose silver for our Grand Caravan. Hannah promptly jumped in and turned it into our rolling dumpster for the week. Who knows why she needs all the stuff she carries around. The speed limit is 75 here which means Gary drives at 85. Add to that some 6%-8% grade of hills and bumper to bumper traffic moving at 90 mph and I am white knuckled. It really freaked me out to see these signs that said "Runaway Truck Ramp." Sweet Jesus and all that is Holy... that last thing I ever want to see on the road with me is a runaway truck. Good times.


I was so excited to see the Grand Canyon and I was not dissapointed. It's hard to describe what it was like. Huge and overpowering are two words that come to mind... yet it was peaceful and majestic too. As I stood on the edge I was trying so hard to drink it all in and no matter where my eyes lit, there was something new to see. It was the most amazing place I have ever seen. It wasn't like we could see it in the distant as we drove to it either. You can not see it until you walk a little pathway, enter into a clearing near the edge and it unfolds and takes your breath away.




2 comments:

lime said...

sounds like some luxurious accommodations there!

and wow, those pics are just stunning, really really beautiful.

Jules said...

The Grand Canyon is one of my favorite places ever. I actually cried the first time I saw it...as it was the first of many Wonders of the World, and it inspired me to see more.

So glad your vacation is going well! And, my fellow Northerner: ITA about the "ultraviolet overload" LOL.