Grand Canyon day

With very sad hearts we left Caesar's Palace and the lap of luxury. However, we did leave in slight profit - over the slot machines at least - Richard won $35 on them last thing! Hurrah! We had a long complicated drive out of Vegas, stopping to ask directions from a friendly cop on the way. It seemed to take forever to get out but finally we were away. The drive into Arizona crossed the state line over the Hoover Dam which was another photo opportunity! Then we were back in desert country and to our delight there were indeed "Little Fluffy Clouds" as per the song by The Orb, the CD single of which we had brought along specially! We blasted it out as we drove along - great fun!

Grand Canyon

We didn't arrive at the Canyon until about 4pm but this was the perfect time to arrive. The air was beginning to cool and the light was wonderful. The views were just incredible - it really is like another planet. We drove to two or three differentviewpoints along the South Rim and had a wonderful time. We saw  couple of squirrels, a lizard, more eagles, swallows and bats as well as some sort of falcon which really looked like a peregrine. We were hoping for a sighting of a Condor but they're generally more morning birds. We definitely identified a red-tailed hawk which was exciting. At 8pm we joined a guided walk along the South Rim under the full moon which was magical beyond compare. He told us (all 200 people on the walk!) how the Hopi and Navajo Indians think of the moon, how astrologers and astronomers view it, what the animals use moonlight for and all sorts of things. It was absolutely brilliant. He told us all about the creatures of the night - scorpions, mountain lions and rattlesnakes, very scary. On our way back to the car park we heard a loud and distinct growl behind us, closely followed by a scream - we didn't look back but can only assume it was the big cat he had warned us of surprising another tourist!

GC View

Then we had an hours drive to Williams to the sweetest litle motel with tapestries and on the wall and teddy bears on the bed on patchwork quilts. I'm writing this on the verandah outside the room in the cool shade hiding from the blazing sun. My turn to drive today - argh! 

Richard at GC

Squirrel at GC