OK this might be a bit of a ramble but I finally have a proper internet connection and access to a real PC so I'll try and write everything up for the last week or so and then some general impressions of the trip while they are still fresh...
I think the Grand Canyon was where I left off? Anyway that was my triumphant return to the tent as no other options were available - we got up at 4am to go and watch the sunrise - however the weather was so bad that we couldn't see jack!! Everyone else decided to go hiking but I decided to just take a day away from the group and basically be lazy (like thats a shock) and went to a diner for breakfast, read the newspapers and generally chilled out..it was a pretty good day as it happens - chatted to Tiffani the tour leader for a bit and got a bit inspired by the trip again after a bit of a dip in enthusiasm...
That evening we went to a local hotel that had a bowling alley, pool tables, air hockey and a juke box (plus Corona beer and Absolut vodka) much fun was had by all...however that night we got hit by a mother of a storm with driving rain, lightning and thunder all pretty much on top of our campsite - needless to say I slept little and got wet! The next morning morale was at an all time low as much more seasoned campers thanme had found it a hard night..
We then moved on to Momument Valley (the setting of the previous picture) - this is the setting for most of the John Ford/John Wayne westerns and the western scenes in Back to the Future 3 as well as dozens of other movies - it was the first time I really thought the scenery was breathtaking and had a great day - snapping pictures like a Japanese tourist! There was a bit of a problem though as my good friend Steph decided to run down a huge sandbank and smashed her head at the bottom leading to whiplash, hospital visits and a course Vicodin!
On the evening we were set for a visit to a Navajo Hogan (kind of a traditional home - built of wood and mud) I had been quite looking forward to this but it turned into a pretty traumatic experience - we drove up a Mesa (like a mini-mountain) in the pitch black, sat in the back of a beat-up old pick up truck with no rear lights - it was the scariest 30 minutes of my life and took me all evening to compose my self - however watching the sunrise listening to navajo music the next day went someway to lessening the pain!
After this we moved onto Zion - where we stayed at the Ponderosa Ranch - this place was pretty much a redneck resort - full of young families but was pretty brilliant none the less. The first night I took a cabin but as it was Memorial Day weekend I was back in the tent day 2..we had a bit of a cabin party though and much beer was drank - we also played Paintball so all in all it was a good couple of days.. This was also where I was going to horse ride - however not only did I bottle it but it was cancelled anyway!
Next onto Vegas - in a break from tradition I did not gamble at all on the first night - rather got flat out drunk - on Baileys and Vodka and Cranberry (yes I know - how gay!!!) and ended up with Tiff, Nick and Steph dancing (badly) and drinking (alot) in a bar in Caesars Palace til daylight..was a really fun evening and one of the highlights for me.. The second day was good a bit of shopping some drinking and some mild gambling however I lost my head again on the evening and lost too much too fast and got in a huff! Everyone else was pretty burned out by then as well..
For most people I think that felt like the end of the tour and the next couple of days were a struggle - I was in a foul mood post Vegas and would not speak to anyone and the trip to LA was a struggle in crazy holiday traffic (7 hours in the van)..we did just about pull it back together though.
Disneyland was about as close to hell as I think I have ever experienced but I did do the Indiana Jones ride - which was my first rollercoaster type thing and that was fine (also bought a grumpy t-shirt as it represented my mood!)
And that was it really - have said bye to everyone except Tiffanni the tourleader now and I am seeing her for dinner tonight and apart from a couple of hours at Santa Monica last night I haven't had the energy to explore LA yet - might try and do something this afternoon but my energy levels are real low..
Looking forward to getting home believe it or not but I think this has been a great experience for me and I'm glad I did it..if I get time later I'll add some of the funny stories to the blog and do little bios of the rest of the trekkers (and I'll add the photos when I am back home)
