Travelling

"The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see" - G. K. Chesterton

Snoopy Mountain, Sedona

Our trip through the Western states of the USA has been amazing. While Caroline and I have been to some incredibly popular places (Yellowstone, Zion etc) we have been fortunate to have avoided anything too touristy. When we were planning this trip, we wanted to see some stunning parts of America and to learn about the cultures which have lived there. We tried to avoid cities, and anything that sounded too much like a tourist trap. And generally speaking we have succeeded. While we have been tourists, more of the time we have been traveling. We have been wowed by the landscapes, the wildlife, the history and the local cultures, whether they be Native American or not.

Today was another day of fantastic landscapes. We drove from Flagstaff south to Sedona through the beautiful Coconino Forest. Dense pine forests cover mountains, and permeate the air with a fresh, wonderful aroma. The forest then gradually is replaced by mountains of the deepest red I've seen so far on this trip. A picturesque river valley follows the road into Sedona. That's where the fairy tale ends. Sedona is the most ghastly tourist trap imaginable, a town that is in an absolutely beautiful part of the world that has decided to cash in on its position. The friendliness and openness that we've experienced throughout this trip was replaced by ignorance and commercial materialism. Prices are hiked, and the customer is just another source of income. Coach loads of tourists were teeming along the streets, making this the busiest place we've been to so far.

The scenic road into Sedona

Sedona sits at the bottom of this river valley

To be honest, Sedona was a disappointment after all the amazing things we've experienced this roadtrip. We spent probably an hour in Sedona before just turning around and driving back to Flagstaff. Flagstaff, by contrast, is a fantastic little town. Situated on Route 66, Flagstaff has an easy feel to it. The historic downtown district is full of restaurants and bars which would suit every type of person from businessmen, to the most alternative hippies. We are staying in an amazing hotel which has housed a number of celebrities. The Monte Vista Hotel, central in downtown, has seen Hollywood superstars like John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable and Debbie Reynolds as well as modern stars like Freddie Mercury, Jon Bon Jovi and Anthony Hopkins. Their name plaques are on the doors in which they stayed, and sometimes pictures of the stars also adorn the doors, and some are even signed.

Historic Hotel Monte Vista, Flagstaff

Not all the rooms have name plates on, but ours does. Not that I'd ever heard of George Babbitt before. However, in this part of the world, the Babbitt family are pretty famous. I found a brief biography here, and in the photo above, on the far left side the Babbitt Store stands.

We have one more full day tomorrow before flying home to Melbourne. We have had a great set of experiences so far, but this journey will lead to more exploration when we get back. I have learned much on this trip, though I'd like to learn more about certain aspects of it.

Stunning Sedona background. Is it just my imagination or does the big rock resemble Australia? Snoopy is lying by its side!

Navajo Nation

Today Caroline and I traveled across the Navajo Nation, from Page in the north of Arizona, south to Flagstaff. The trip took us directly past the Grand Canyon, so we were obliged to take some spectacular pictures.

Grand Canyon from the eastern Desert View.

Our first stop was in Tuba City. Never heard of it? Neither had we until we started looking into this trip. Actually, there is a very cool Navajo Museum there, but unfortunately it doesn't open on Sundays. Is it Sunday? We've lost track of time, date, day and even time zone on this trip. In fact, we go through a daily ritual of trying to remember things that have happened before on this trip. When we realise that we can't recall what happened the day before yesterday we give up and just go with the flow for another day. At the end of the day we check our journals, and ooh and aah about the things that we've done and learned.

The Navajo have an interesting philosophy on life, including the desire to learn something new every day. They feel that we are one with the earth and that life and death are all part of the same thing. When we die, we become one with the earth and help to rejuvenate the land. Their outlook on life is very organic, down to earth and reflects their surroundings. Navajo art and jewelry is equally representative of their surroundings, with animals and dreamlike stories depicted. Community is important and activities like weaving and rug making are deemed communal and therefore important.

Tuba City Navajo rug representing Storms

From Tuba City it is a short hop to Flagstaff which seems a really cool little town which I'll talk more about in days to come. Suffice to stay we're staying in an iconic hotel (thanks to Caroline's booking skills) which has housed stars like Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Debbie Reynolds and Jon Bon Jovi. The Hotel is an amazing old building which is apparently haunted if you're into that sort of thing, and after passing through the spiritual Navajo Nation, one can believe almost anything. But before getting to Flagstaff we took a short trip to the Grand Canyon. Actually, we didn't go the whole way, partly because we were exhausted and partly because Caroline is freaked out by heights, But she braved some views from the eastern Desert View of the Canyon especially for me. It is an amazing spectacle, about 10-12 miles wide where we were, but getting up to 18 miles across in places. One of the bonuses of travelling in from the east is that you get to see the canyon of the Little Colorado River that, to me, was just as spectacular.

The Little Colorado River Canyon

Grand Canyon, grand view!

Watchtower at the eastern end of the National Park

What more is there to say about this trip? Well, I'm currently sat in the bar of the historic Monte Vista Hotel drinking another great American beer, oak amber creek. I'm absolutely exhausted physically, but totally invigorated spiritually and mentally. I remember saying about 2 weeks ago that this sort of holiday is not for everyone, but for me it has been perfect: stimulating, invigorating, challenging, educational, and spectacular from a sensory point of view.

Amazing Sights

Horseshoe Bend in the late afternoon

Caroline and I have spent the day in Page, Arizona. Page is situated on the edge of Lake Powell, a reservoir that was created in the 1960's and now a beautiful playground for water sports. Page is also situated on the edge of the Navajo Nation, and there are many areas sacred to the Navajo in the region. To top things off, Page is also right next to the Colorado River, and more importantly for tourists, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. So there is plenty to do for a day around Page.

Our first trip was to Antelope Canyon, an area sacred to the Navajo and one of the most photogenic areas in the world. It is illegal to go to the canyon without a guide, so we booked on to a tour and were driven along a dry river bed to the canyon. While there are tours going through the canyon all day, apparently, the best time to go for light is at 10.30 am. Photographers will understand what I'm talking about better than I do! We were very lucky to pick up 2 spots on today's 10.30 am tour, as I don't think there were many more left! Our guide Rob was excellent, showing us how to use our cameras optimally, and directing us to the best spots for taking photo's. Even a duffer like me managed to get some good pictures. Caroline, who is an amazingly good photographer would have some fantastic images, though we'll have to wait until she gets home and processes them before seeing them.

Colours and a glow in Antelope Canyon

The light shines through into Antelope Canyon

This excursion lasted about an hour and a half, though the time flew by as we were engrossed with the sights in the canyon. It truly is a magical place, worthy of worship and a must see for anyone who is visiting this area.

After Antelope Cnyon we took a walk to Lake Powell, and then to Horseshoe Bend. The road to Lake Powell had been broken, probably by flooding, so we had to walk the 4 mile round trip, and it was pretty hot. Catching views of the lake was worth it. Then it was another hike to Horseshoe Bend, an overlook into the Colorado River from way up high. Today has truly been a day of spectacular views, which I don't think can be topped. I suppose the Grand Canyon tomorrow might stand a chance.

A rocky road to the beautiful Lake Powell

And Into Arizona

Today, I read in a brochure "Most people come to this part of the World to see the Grand Canyon, but there is so much more". We have a couple of days before we're due to see the Grand Canyon, and it better be all it's cracked up to be, because we've seen some wondrous things so far. Today we started off in the town of Springdale, Utah, which is a gateway town to Zion National Park. To be honest, I wasn't too fussed about this part of the journey before we left Australia, but today I saw the light. Zion is a beautiful combination of rocks and valleys, a blend of colours that bring nature vividly to life. The only down side to the area was the lack of running rivers. We're at the end of a dry summer and things were looking pretty arid. Saying that, it was still magnificent.

Multicoloured mountainsides of Zion National Park

The rivers in Zion were very low

Beautiful fir trees cover the lower slopes in Zion

We then headed back east to Page in Arizona. Page is situated next to Lake Powell, a reservoir created in the 1950's and 1960's after the building of Glen Canyon Dam. We had to cross the dam today, and got our first glimpse of the mighty Colorado River running through enormous red faced cliffs. Tomorrow is our main day of exploration around Page as we're staying here for the day. Moving out of Utah, we have headed on to the borders of the Navajo nation, which we'll enter tomorrow. It is very obvious that Page has been shaped by the Navajo culture.

Sitting in front of 'Checkerboard Mountain'

The Colorado River at Glen Canyon Dam