We then found the places we are staying this week in Phoenix and whilst the accommodation looks great, the weather doesn't look so hot. But we so nearly had an even worse start to the holiday....
We were up and ready for a taxi to the airport at 3.40am on Sunday. But as I closed the front door and turned the key, I felt the key twist and start to snap in the lock. I stopped immediately and very slowly and carefully turned the key back on itself to remove it. Luckily, it came out and I rushed back in, locking the door from the inside and used a spare key to leave by the back door. Imagine having the key snap off and having to go on holiday with a key stuck in the lock. We would have had to get it out before leaving and that could have been a nightmare.
We made it to the airport, watched the snowploughs do their formation dance around the airfield clearing the overnight snow before our flight to Phoenix via Vancouver. The flights were uneventful apart from the lovely views over the Rockies as we approached the West Coast.
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| Airport snowploughs |
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| Hills. We dont get them in Manitoba. |
10 hours after getting up in minus 20 odd degree temperatures outside we were outside our apartment in lovely warm sunshine and 24 degrees. Its such a nice feeling to have the warm sun on bare skin after a Winnipeg winter so we were very happy. Unfortunately, we weren't supposed to move into our apartment till 4pm and it was 2pm local time. So the only thing to do do was... Sneak into the secure apartment block and somehow get to the pool.
We walked brazenly in through the front door and peeled right into the accessible elevator. It rose up to the first floor where we disembarked and started searching for an exit to the pool. After wandering around we found an exit door, which locked behind us and discovered the pool was out of reach behind a glass fence and locked doors, which need an electronic fob to pass through. Balls! After a quick resup (beer from the bag) I left Buffy enjoying the sunshine with the cool blue water just out of reach and tried a 2nd time. I sneaked back in after escaping out of a side exit and tried a different route. After getting trapped in an elevator without a fob to make it work I found a games room which had a push button exit door......to.....the.....pool. Success.
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| Sneaky 'break in' early pool swim |
I opened the impenetrable gates from inside and let Buffy in. The time was still only 2.15pm. After 15 minutes in the pool my phone buzzed and we had the codes we needed from the company for the proper way to get in, with a note saying how seriously they take their security. Haaahaaa, not well enough for us!!
A swim in the pool and some sunbathing was followed by a wander into the city where we had a spot of dinner in a pub which sells only Cornish Pasties -A strange thing to find in Arizona, but amazing and delicious. Then after a long day and a few beers it was time for a long kip.
Monday.
The clouds had descended as expected and so we decided (Buffy made me do it) on a hike up and down Camel back mountain. Although only a short hike (just over a mile either way) its a strenuous one with almost vertical clambers over boulders and rocks as you gain about 400 metres in height over just 2km in distance.
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| Hilly bastard |
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| Looking down |
We had the perfect day for it though and the expected 90 minute climb up took us just about an hour. There were perfect views over the valley all the way up and lots of clambers up steep rock faces with crazy drops around, but we enjoyed the hike a lot.
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| 360 view from the top |
Once at the top we decided to carry on and follow the alternate path down which brings you out just West of Scottsdale - the posh area of Phoenix, where we found orange trees and a lovely little area with cafes, bars and a huge blowing colourful artpiece hanging above the canal. We decided to stop for a bit of a late lunch and were very happy to find it was happy hour and that the lunch would be huge, cost only $20 total and that included $3 pints! The cheapest pint I have had in years and very well deserved after the strenuous morning.
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| Not an 'Orange' tree, but an 'Orange tree'. By a bus stop. |
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| Unhappy cactus picture |
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| Happy cactus picture |
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| The cactus |
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| Also found a house with motorbikes in the lounge! |
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| Big canal art thing! |
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| Found myself a perfect beer |
The day after Monday.
After a late Monday evening, we had a late start to the day after Monday. The two things we wanted to get from this holiday were warmer weather than Winnipeg and relaxation. Its safe to say that on the day after Monday we got both. The sun came out, tipped its hat and then hid behind clouds for most of the day. It was like a game of Sun Hide and seek as the big ball of gas teased us with its presence all day without bothering to hang around for more than a brief chat. But after a day reading, snoozing and boozing by the pool, we were more than happy that our local star and source or all life on earth, at least bothered its arse to be seen.
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| Sausages |
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| Poolside fireplace |
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| Blue skies |
Later that afternoon we grabbed the half cow sized steak we had bought from the local meat merchants alongside with some veg and salad and cooked ourselves a big dinner on the outside grill bbq's that are free for all to use. A scrummy dinner after a lazy day. You may notice that there are no pictures of this food, or indeed the other food we ate whilst holidaying. The reason is that you know food looks like and if you imagine good food being eaten by me and a slightly pregnant Canadian then you get the idea. Nice.
The day of the daughter from the Addams family.
1. Early start.
2. Lyft to airport car rental pick up.
3. Long elevator to car.
4. Drive.
5. Walk in a canyon.
That was the plan for this day. The day also known as The Valentines day.
The plan went quite well. Although we had originally hoped to get a soft top mustang to drive North from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon, the car company didn't have one. So instead of a big American style muscle car, they gave us a German Sports car - still a cabriolet soft top version though! Its lovely to drive, once you figure out all the knobs and buttons and we really enjoyed our 4 hour journey North from Phoenix.
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| Looking down |
On arrival at the Grand Canyon it was cold and there was snow on the ground. So much for a warm summer holiday eh! But it wasn't that cold, so we spent a while looking down into the daunting hole rip in the earth that makes up the Grand Canyon. If you haven't ever been you really cant take in how big it is. If you have been, well you will know what I mean! Its quite big.
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| posing |
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| Looking up |
We decided to take a look from a different angle and spent the afternoon clambering down the Bright Angel Trail, which leads eventually all the way to the Colorado river. That 9 hour one way trek was a little too far for our plans though, so we stopped after descending about 400 metres down and 2 miles along the path at a lovely vista overlooking the valley hundreds of feet still below us.
The place really is awe inspiring and we spent a good while just taking it all in - looking up as well as down and all around of course!
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| it WAS valentines day. |
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