A grand sort of canyon...

5th June

On the way to the Grand Canyon we stopped off for lunch somewhere along the historic Route 66.

The little cafe was very cute, with an incredibly cheery man serving us all food. The place was decorated from floor to ceiling in postacrds, tickets, photos, stickers, and stamps- it was really quite a place!

Gillian, and 6 of the people on the tour decided to splash out a bit (justifiying it by promising themselves not to go too crazy in the shops in New York) and went on a helicopter ride over the canyon. This was most of their first views of the canyon, and their first time in a helicopter- and it was this most exhilarating and breath-taking experiences I think we've ever had!!

(Gillian with the super cool, eternally happy pilot, Eric)

And Sas, Gillian, and Leanne infront of our helicopter!

After a quick evening meal at some sort of cafeteria thing, we all rushed back to the minibus (we really can't get enough of that vehicle) to see the Grand Canyon at sunset. It was a pretty spectacular view and here is some of the evidence...

We all headed back along the very simple track back to the minibus, and somehow Bessie managed to get lost. After about half an hour of hooting the horn, calling her name, and sending out search parties, she strolled back nonchalantly- much to Gillian and Alice's relief!!!

We spent the rest of the evening making sandwiches and chilling in our tour guide, Kat's room.

Then, being the utterly insane people that we are, we all agreed to meet at the very reasonable time of 4.40am the next morning, so that we could catch the sunrise.

6th June

The next day as the alarms went of at 4.15am, Alice and Gillian seriously considering reviewing this decision- but everyone made it (except Kat, who arrived in a bit of a fluster at ten to five).

We all agreed that the sunrise was even more spectacular than the previous night's sunset (if that's possible!!) Seeing the shadows lifted into the beautiful red light was pretty inspiring (that sounds so cheesy but it is impossible to describe, and pictures do it no justice!)

We had a brilliant cooked breakfast consisting of toast, pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns, bagels, and coffee.

Hlaf the group then went off to hike down a trail called Bright Angel Trail...

Alice, John, Bessie, Dave, Sas, and Gillian at the first checkpoint.

The first checkpoint down the trail was after 1.5 miles (about 1,000ft down). At this point, John, Bessie, and Sas decided to start the 1.5 return climb back to the top, and Alice, Gillian, and Dave decided to brave it to the second checkpoint (a further 1.5 mile trek down another 1,000ft).

The three of them arrived at the second checkpoint at about half past ten, and then had a bit of lunch and a lot of water. The temperature was about 35 degrees celsius when we arrived, and about ten minutes later, when we left it was nearly 40 degrees! The hike up was a whole lot of effort, not gonna lie. Having got up at 4.15am, and proceeding to hike up the canyon (which had virtually ZERO shade) was exhausting. Was so worth it when we got to the end though!!

(very proud of ourselves, at the top after a 4 hour hike!)

That evening we ate at a pizza and pasta place (which was called something like The Pizza and Pasta Place), and then some of us who were still awake went bowling!

(the bowling crew with our serious bowling faces on...)

And Alice decided to demonstrate exactly what a pro bowler looks like...

Yup. That's how it's done.

Next update will be of Monument Valley and Santa Fe.