From Texas to the Grand Canyon

Hey everyone

 

So the next day on Contiki we left Amarillo and the snow behind. Along the way we stopped at an outdoor art exhibit called Cadillac Ranch. Everyone is allowed to freely graffiti on the old cadillacs.

 

 

My cold was getting a lot worse, and I was starting to lose my voice. Pretty much everyone on the bus had it too though! We stopped along the way in Santa Fe, New Mexico for an hour and a half to have lunch and check out the town. I wish we had longer there. It was a really pretty and cute town. It felt like we were really in Mexico, not America. I'd describe Santa Fe as a mix between Western Cowboy and traditional Mexican. We saw the town's church, then got fajitas for lunch from a street vendor. Adriana and I walked around looking in all the stores. I bought a gorgeous black engraved leather handbag.

 

 

We got back on the bus and drove through the desert to Albuquerque. Adriana and I got a map from our hotel's front desk and walked to Old Town and went exploring. We checked out a lot of souvenir stores and I bought some Christmas ornaments. I was trying to collect one in each city I travelled to.

 

 

The next morning a bunch of us from Contiki had signed up for the optional activity of hot air ballooning. We woke up super early and dressed warmly, only to find out it was cancelled because of the weather. I was so disappointed. It's definitely something I want to tick off my bucket list. We then walked to a restaurant called Little Anita's to have breakfast.

 

We left Albuquerque and headed to Durango, Colorado. From desert, to snow.

 

 

 

It was so cold in Durango and there was so much snow! We were in the Rocky Mountains. We got a group photo with the snowy mountains in the background.

 

 

Our next optional was jeep tours up the mountains. They weren't bumpy rides like I was expecting and the snow scenery was pretty, but not as beautiful as what I've seen in Canada. It was absolutely freezing out there. Almost as bad as the Yukon!! My toes had gone numb.

 

We got back on the bus and travelled to Cortez, Colorado. There was nothing much in this town. We just stayed there for the night and all had dinner together at a local brewery.

 

The next day we left Colorado and travelled through Utah. We had a quick stop for photos of the Monument Valley and the road leading up to it.

We then stopped in the Monument Valley, which was in the state of Arizona. It was really spectacular, especially with all the snow.

After a lunch break in Kayenta, Arizona, we drove to the Grand Canyon. We arrived at the main viewing area of the South Rim. It was so amazing to see and something I will never forget.

 

We got back on the bus and were meant to be a short distance to our hotel, but the road was closed due to icy conditions so we had to take another road which took about 3 hours to go all the way around!! We had a quick stop to see the full moon over the Grand Canyon, then ate a late dinner at the hotel. I had no mobile phone service or wifi so it was time to get in touch with nature!

 

My first morning in the Grand Canyon was spent in a helicopter!! It was one of the optionals put on by Contiki, and fortunately this one was not cancelled because of the weather. I had never been in a helicopter before. I was in one with 5 others from Contiki, and I got chosen to sit up the front next to the pilot!!! I put on my lifejacket and headphones, buckled up, and we took off. Just being in a helicopter was so cool but going over the Grand Canyon was jaw-dropping. It was absolutely spectacular and one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I took a million photos, but photos don't do it justice.

 

 

In the afternoon Brittany, Lachlan and I caught the free shuttle bus to Market Plaza and had lunch and did some souvenir shopping. We then caught the bus to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and looked at their mini museum. We watched a free movie about the Grand Canyon and how it was formed. I found it pretty interesting, but Brittany and Lachlan both fell asleep haha! We all went out to dinner together at a different hotel's restaurant. Afterwards we went to the hotel's bar but because I'm underage and didn't have a parent or legal guardian with me, I got kicked out. Ryan was nice enough to walk me back in the dark to our hotel.

 

Much more to talk about!

 

Love,

Emily