Wednesday 22 September 2010

Falling Down A Canyon Like A Couple Drunken Criminals

We visited the Grand Canyon on the second day of our holiday.

We spent day 1 checking into our hotel, unpacking, re-packing, changing rooms (I am no princess when it comes to hotels but a bloody-looking carpet stain and a shower that refused to drain forced me to the brink of crazy) and passing out (in our new! murder free! room) after drinking too many margaritas.

We were ready for some fun on day 2 is what I'm saying.

We did a day-long bus tour instead of a road trip because we ran out of planning time. The tour worked for us in that we got to see the Grand Canyon with minimal effort, but it was definitely not the best way to see the canyon. I'm glad we went but I still want to go back one day to do it properly.

Shawn and I were both a bit grumbly by the time the bus parked (5 hours from Vegas to the Grand Canyon + bathroom breaks = a longass time on a bus) but when we peeked through the trees and saw the canyon for the first time our grumbles turned to awe. Our awe soon turned to giggles as the Grand Canyon is ripe with "that's what she said" jokes (it's so big! it's so red! it's so deep!) and we are 12 years old.

It's impossible for me to describe the Grand Canyon, just like it was impossible to take a photo that really captured its magnitude. It was like looking at the ocean; you know that it ends somewhere but it is so far off in the distance that it seems endless.

It was a wonderful day that I'm so glad I got to share with Shawn (even though he insisted on giving me multiple heart attacks by going right up to the edge and even climbing down a few rocks until my voice got all shrill and tight and I suggested that perhaps he could stop being a jackass because I am too young to be a widow.)

17 comments:

  1. Yay! I'm glad you got to go. Tell Shawn to be careful - my friend died by falling at the Grand Canyon. Seriously, died. Crazy.

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  2. Beautiful pictures.. and the murdery room would have had me freaking out.

    You'll have to tell me which tour you did - because I'm yet to book a day trip out from Vegas yet - it's my mission this week !!! ;)

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  3. Ohhhh how gorgeous! I'm so glad you guys got to do that!

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  4. Aw crap, and I was totally going to get you this for Christmas:

    http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/b9b2/

    I hate how photos can NEVER do justice to amazingly vast natural sights like this - even in the UK, I was disappointed with my cathedral pics - it was the BIGGEST Gothic one in all of Europe and looking at a photo, you'd never know it.

    Glad you had such a fun time, and that hubby is safely back on solid ground!! :)

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  5. Yay! I'm so glad you got to go!

    I dream of riding a mule down into the Grand Canyon someday. It's just so amazing.

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  6. I've always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon but now I REALLY want to go.

    (I'd be making the same jokes, for the record.)

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  7. I've been to a lot of beautiful destinations in the United States, but the Grand Canyon isn't one of them. The photos you shared are amazing ... definitely on my list of places I must visit before I die.

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  8. i can't be-LIEEEEEVE i've never been to the grand canyon. especially after TWO las vegas trips this summer...!! pictures = GORGEOUS, so lovely. i'll tag along next time when you go properly, ok? :)

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  9. So beautiful! Though I agree with Emily and you - photos never do the truly beautiful things justice.

    Definitely going to have to see this for myself at some point :)

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  10. I apparently have visited the grand canyon before, but since I don't remember I refuse to believe my parents on this aspect.

    But those pictures do look awesome and I'm glad you had some fun! :) You know, after the grumbly bus ride.

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  11. Sounds exactly like my trip to the grand canyon. I spent 90% of the time telling my sister to get the heck.away.from.the.ledge.now. It is definitely awe inspiring though!

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  12. I suggested that perhaps he could stop being a jackass because I am too young to be a widow.)

    Hillary, yea, that could have been a demoralizing jack 'ass' incident:)

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  13. I'm pretty sure if I went to the grand canyon I would force Jesse to wear one of those backpacks with a leash on it. I get vertigo really easily, so I'm pretty sure I would be awed by its beauty as long as no one stood close to the edge. In which case, I would be awed by its beauty as I passed out.

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  14. What beautiful pictures! I would have so freaked with that hotel room.! I also just finished reading the shinning, so I might have even tried for a different hotel

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  15. Awesome photos! My Sean tends to get too close to the edge, too. When we were in Ireland he was on the edge of a bluff, and I believe my words were something like "Unless you have some sperm frozen in a cup somewhere that I don't know about, get the fuck away from there." Scary!

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