Day 2
When I previously left off, I was getting ready for my Grand Canyon tour. I had managed to find this tour online and it happened to also be partnered by Qantas so I could claim frequent flyer points - win! It was $350 though, but hey, you gotta splurge when you're on holiday. Anyways, I had a quick nap and was up at 5:30am, ready to be picked up by the tour company (breakfast was some good ol' Cruskits that I had brought from Oz).
After some paperwork and reshuffling of people onto coaches at the tour office, we were on our way! First stop was Hoover Dam, a magnificent architectural feat on the border of Arizona and California - too bad that it wasn't full, but when you're in a desert, you're glad for whatever amount of water you have. Annoying thing happened there, a woman refused to take a photo for me. Who does that?! And it's not like she didn't know how to because she was using her own phone to take photos. After fuming and raging silently at her, I found a much nicer (and more normal) person who helped me out. After a few quick photos, we were back on the road.
I was so glad that the coach was air-conditioned - the heat outside was quite uncomfortable. And it was a really dry heat too, which really dried out your eyes and skin. Our tour guide, Thomas, was a hilarious guy who I thought could genuinely consider becoming a stand-up comedian. He knew so much about everything and I loved all the little tidbits of information, which definitely made the 4 hour drive go by slightly faster. As we neared the Grand Canyon National Park, there was smoke everywhere and we were told that there were fires burning throughout the park from lightning strikes. I don't know how that could have happened since there was no rain, but that's what they said.
I had four hours to explore the Grand Canyon West Rim, which was conveniently connected with shuttle buses making the trips from attraction to attraction much easier and faster. It was a shame though that since I had paid for a helicopter ride, I had to waste about 90 minutes of my time waiting in line. However once I got into the helicopter (shotgun too!), the wait was worth it. It was such a beautiful and amazing experience, and something that I will never forget. Flying down through the canyon gave me a chance to see the canyon from a different perspective, and once I got to the bottom, I realised just how high the walls were. After taking some breathtaking photos, I continued to the river portion of my tour, where I boarded a boat and sped down the Colorado River. I was hoping to see some wildlife since apparently they came down when it was hot to cool off in the river, but no luck. However, we did see some locals walking through the river, and after pleading with our boat driver and offering him a tip, he let us get out into the river! I can't describe how good it felt to actually walk in the Colorado River. Although it was such a simple act, I felt on top of the world (ironically) and just so humbled to be able to enjoy being in such a beautiful serene place. I was so glad I had paid the extra $240 to do the helicopter and boat ride, because those two were definitely experiences I would never forget.
Once that was done and I helicoptered back to base (extreme winds caused the helicopter to lurch around which was not fun), I had to quickly make the most of my remaining 90 minutes. I still had the famous Skywalk at Eagle Point to do which was a glass walkway which extended out over the canyon, as well as Guano Point which had an amazing mini-mountain for me to climb and grab some great 360 photos. The Skywalk was a interesting experience. It was definitely nerve-wracking walking out onto glass and seeing just how far you could drop if that glass were to break. However, we were reassured (constantly) that that glass was 6 layers thick (with the top layer constantly being replaced) and could hold several tonnes. It was a shame that they didn't allow photos on the Skywalk, but once I got off, I just took photos of that same view just slightly shifted to the right. Eagle Point was named so because the dip in the rock made it look a giant eagle spreading its wings, and it actually did look like it. After getting the necessary photos, I raced over to Guano Point for the climb and hopefully lunch. I raced up the track and then scaled the rocks quite nimbly even in that heat, but the view from the top was definitely worth it. There's also something strangely therapeutic about being the only person at the highest point on a "mountain". I sat there for a while, and just stared out in wonder, watching the condors glide gracefully through the sky, in direct contrast with the tourists scrambling ungracefully up the rocks below. As my sanctuary was disturbed, I began my descent to the restaurant at Guana Point in hope that I would have time to redeem my free lunch. Unfortunately after factoring in the shuttle bus time to get back to base, I wouldn't have time to eat so I just went back and snacked on my trusty Cruskits.
As I boarded my coach to head back into Vegas, I took one last look at the magnificent orange rock formations that I was leaving behind. I regretted not booking the overnight tour so that I could camp under the stars and desert sky, but at the same time, I had to make the most of my time in Vegas. This Grand Canyon is definitely something you should see if you get the chance, especially by helicopter. I heard that they may be discontinuing the flights down to the bottom, so I'm definitely glad I got to enjoy that experience. I pretty much conked out on the coach back, and woke to see a beautiful purple sunset as we entered Vegas.
After cleaning all the desert sand off me, it was finally time to re-energise and get some proper food into me. I settled for the extremely healthy cheese and bacon fries with fried chicken. Heart attack in a box but soooooo delicious. Once "dinner" was done, I ventured into the casino section of the Monte Carlo. I found an old-fashioned slot machine, one where you pull the lever, and played for a bit. Boring. I don't understand how people can spend hours on these machines but I guess if you've had a big win before, then you might be more interested in playing. I managed to double my money (albeit from an initial investment of $5), and cashed out to try my luck at a more stimulating game for me. I settled into a roulette table and hoped that my luck from the previous night was still with me. Unfortunately not. However I managed to make my $100 last three hours, so I guess in terms of Vegas, it wasn't too bad a loss. At least I scored a lot of "free" drinks - you order whatever you want and just tip the waitress usually $1. After losing all my chips, I called it a night and enjoyed my best sleep since I had left Sydney.
HBL signing out from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Up next: Viva Las Vegas and howdy Houston...
Previously: Hayden does the USA...
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