Our trip to America and Alaska 2013

Tuesday, 27 August 2013

Just some more pictures from Sunday .... because you are all asking ...

the "wee" stop at some place out of Phoenix

Philippa .... this is in the forecourt of the petrol station

on the road to Flagstaff, it goes from this ... desert ...

to this .. which reminded us of home :)

for the bikers who are looking ... the depot in Flagstaff ,

but Rus didn't buy anything ...only Harley's

the guy from Virginia Beach, who was as annoyed as us!

El Tovar lodge right on the rim

and the Hopi house next to it

beautiful actual hand made native Indian crafts and paintings,

the amazing view from El Tovar looking

right over the south rim and the canyon

the elks that roam the park

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

Saturday, 24 August 2013

we had 365 miles to drive today, so an early start it was! off at 7.30am, and just as well too! headed out of San Diego and on to the I-8, or interstate highway 80. Jill behaved well and then went to sleep once she told us we had 75 miles to go.
the road was fascinating, well for me at least, Russell gripped the wheel through the freeway part and then we headed into the mountains up to 4,000 feet. Over the top and then well, I will show the pictures because the Arizona desert is huge.

Heading out at 7.30am about 30degrees.

Through the city and mountains and then there it is 365 miles to go!

if you look closely you can see the dark shadow of the Mexican border, in the distance.

we stopped just after this at El Centro at 9.30am for a coffee, hopped out of the car into around 120degrees heat (about 48ish) this is a tad warm!

the desert sand, which annoying about now as it was blowing across the road, heading towards Yuma the halfway point and the border of the two states.

Yuma, the only major town and halfway

out of Yuma and guess what ....

the next half of the desert

Rus leaning against the post at Gila Bend the turn off up to Phoenix

on every McD's store ..... (well Gila Bend)

Cactus country

Arizona State Prison to the left ( it was enormous) no escaping nowhere to go....

Phoenix and the retro 60"s hotel valley ho

the water misters in phoenix, its about 40 dg's

Friday, 23 August 2013

Today Friday here. Sea World today ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqd-G19PpwE&feature=youtu.be

this is for you Jessica if you can't watch it I will take off some of the privacy settings.

Thursday, 22 August 2013

another day on holiday for you working folks to view! Hot here in San Diego, even the locals were complaining of the humidity today! Some photos that tell our day.