Grand Canyon and beyond

So last Saturday we were picked up by a limousine from our Hotel, New York New York, and taken zza short dive to the Los Vegas airport where we met our pilot for our flight to the Grand Canyon (I already posted some photos of us at the airport while we were waiting).

Grand Canyon

Once we're we're briefed about the safety we took of to the Grand Canyon. It was a 45 min helicopter flight each way. On the way we flew over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam - all massive. But the best was to come. at times the mountains came right up to the helicopter. The helicopter seated 6 people, two in the front and 4 in the back - all had great views because of all the glasszz. We rotated the seating across the 6 hours of our tour.

As we flew over a ridge we had our first view of the canyon - it dropped 3 km straight down. It was amazing. The helicopter slowly fly along the canyon whilst deciding below the sheer cliffs until we reached the canyon floor and the Colorado river. It was mind blowing.

You have to see it to believe it, and photos and video can't show how great this place is.

We deparated the chopper on the canyon floor and hopped on a punt for a trip up the Colorado river. There were plenty of photos taken, as the punt floated back down the river to the Helicopter.

After the punt we hopped back in the helicopter and flew up the canyon, and then up to the west rim where we were dropped at the SkyWalk. The SkyWalk is a glass structure that hangs out over the canyon where you can look straight down 3km to the bottom.

We had a couple of hours to ourselves to explore around the west rim. This is where we had lunch and caught some buses, to other viewing area. All amazing.

At around 3pm we met our pilot back at the airport and he flew us back to Las Vegas.

Our hotel, New York New York is in the photo on the left. It was taken as we flew past.

On Saturday evening Tony and Linda went to another adult only Cirque De Solei performance that was shoeing in our hotel. Sophie and I hung out and over the evening went on 6 rides on the roller coaster ride that starts and finishes inside our hotel - you can see it in the pictur above, in the middle at the bottom.

Sunday

We checked out and drove to Palm Springs via the Majov Reserve. Not the quickest but the most scenic route. As per where we have been the scenery was great.

We detoured of the main road to see the Kelso Sand Dunes; these dunes are 20 meters high and form from the northwesterly wind collecting the sand and then blowing back on its self when it hits the mountains. The sand is dropped to form these dunes I. The middle of nowhere.

The scenery was fantastic and not far away was the Joshua Tree National Park which inspired U2 - and as we headed south through the Majov Joshua Trees started to appear everywhere. Apparently they can grow to 6-7 meters in height.

When we left the Reserve we travelled in part of Route 66.


Just before Palm Springs on either side of the road was America's biggest wind farm. 3,200 wind turbines - they generate all of Palm Springs power. ZAmazing.

 

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