There are things that always seem less impressive in pictures. I mean, the Grand Canyon is something we've all seen a million times in a million ways. But standing there, as close to the edge as I was willing to get, I couldn't help but be completely awed by the sheer... grandness of it. Miles wide, multi-colored, and shockingly beautiful--it was the absolute highlight of my trip to Vegas and of my whole travel adventure thus far this year.
I got picked up at 6am by the friendly tour guide at Pink Jeep tours (a concierge recommendation -- and it was a good one). Our tour guide was Debbie, a woman in her sixties who was responsible for driving us all the way to the Canyon while simultaneously entertaining and educating us. Her enthusiasm for her job was terrific and her energy level was higher than anyone else on that bus.
Accompanying us were a family of three from Ireland, an Australian gentleman in his late fifties, a young woman who arrived to attend a bachelorette early so she could see the Canyon, and a member of a nation-wide sorority leadership who was playing hooky from her convention. They were amiable compatriots -- interested and polite and conversational.
It's hard to describe the Grand Canyon. We saw it from multiple parts of the South Rim where the Grand Canyon National Park is. All I can say is you should see it. In person. It's really that amazing.
That said the people there drove me up the wall. Not because they were rude or obnoxious -- in fact most were a cheerful kind of excited. You see, I have a had what I consider a slight issue with heights. Today I discovered otherwise -- I'm not afraid of heights, I'm afraid of falling to my death. These are two very separate fears.
I could look out at the grand vista, high above the mighty Colorado, all day. But when somebody ventured near an unguarded ledge (of which there were MANY) my spine would shoot through with panic. People did this, a lot. Kids did this while under the supervision of a barely attentive older sibling. People looking for the perfect selfie. One particular couple had a moment where she stood on the ledge while he slowly approached her with the camera -- if he had tripped she would've certainly died.
I stayed away from the ledge. I still got some pretty terrific pictures.
See the Grand Canyon. It's totally worth it. Just maybe come through Arizona instead of Vegas.
More on that in the next blog.
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