Phoenix is a surprise. We woke up the next morning and  well, you open the door onto the balcony and it hits you, the heat is overwhelming and its hot and that's 8.00am. (I know we are being lazy here!) but phoenix as a city is just amazing. Clean ,tidy and obviously affluent and go ahead. apparently hit in the beginning of the recession badly, but it has certainly turned itself around. Scottsdale airport has the biggest number of private jets in America. We were in Scottsdale area and this is huge, to give you an idea, we looked for our hotel on Scottsdale Rd, you know, oh we will find it ok.........  after number 17000, yes really, we got Jill to look for it. Amazingly she found it!
so Phoenix is a nice place to visit, lots to do, warm and plenty of amazing restaurants to eat at. lots and lots and lots of shopping and malls, massive furniture stores and in a row, the Porsche, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Range Rover and just down the road a brand new "super sized" Mercedes. a complete "smart" car dealer as well.  Home to the shops for "Miss World"" etc, and lots and lots of plastic surgery and cosmetic hospitals. Spas and resorts complete the picture.

So leaving Phoenix and heading north to Flagstaff, through the mountains this time. This was a great drive, had to stop for a "wee" on the way out. Jill got quite upset and started yelling at us. Calmed down when we headed back the right way. Note to self. ALWAYS go to toilet before heading on an Interstate, you really cant get off easily and back on easily.

So the mountains, very much "huntin and fishin" country. The Tonto national forest, is beautiful. imagine Smokey Bear country and there you are. Pine trees and houses tucked in amongst the trees typical American log homes and country barns. This is also mostly populated by Indians so a lot of names of places and towns reflect that. Lots and lots of horses, ranches and corrals!

Flagstaff, Route 66 , took "the" photos under the flagstaff and signs, a typical American town. Lunch and then up to the Grand Canyon. we climbed up to 7000ft on to the plateau. Similar to our plateau in central north island. Plenty of skiing lodges and isolated.

so we got there and well ....... I will show the photo of our view!

heading out of Phoenix

Flagstaff

Phoenix

Flagstaff