spring is here, sorta

Chilling at Grandma's house in Mats Mats. Using their computer for my Internet needs. Not so bad. Woke up at 8am and got up at 9. Still on vacation time. Had some toast and tea, packed my bag up, Mom loaded Holly into the car, and vroom off we went across the water. It was a sunny day, even a bit warm. Grandma was sleeping when we arrived. I showed Pa a slide show of our trip, and we ate chocolate. Grandma got up and had her breakfast and also watched a slide show. Then she took a nap. We went outside, and did outside things. I read a bit.

Dinner was pasta with white sauce and shrimp, and a side of broccoli. It was tasty. Afterwards we watched telly. Dad managed to show Grandma the Gogo Yubari bit of Kill Bill. Oy vey. We finished up National Lampoon's Family Vacation and I cuddled with Holly doggy during the first bit of O Brother Where Art Thou.

Tomorrow I might hang around and watch the Mad Men premier.

March 22nd & 23rd

Oi vey, I have two days to sum up. Well, the first day was mostly travel, and the second day was mostly travel as well. So it shouldn't be that bad.

March 22nd

Last day at the Grand Canyon. Last day in Arizona. Last day in the Dodge Charger. We got up at 9ish, checked out, had breakfast, and were out of there at 10:15. Or was it 9:15? No I think it was 10:15. The snow was quite melted. Had we arrived a couple days later, it probably would have been typical Grand Canyon. No ice paths for us. At least it made the returning landscape different. Mom from from the Grand Canyon to Williams, to Seligman, and in Kingman we traded off. We didn't take Route 66, and since we were going 75 most of the way, we made excellent time. I drove from Kingman to Hoover Dam. I put the window down, had my arm resting in the warmth, and we blasted whatever tunes we could find that were worth blasting (which weren't many). As we drove west, we shed layers. My cutoffs did not go unused. We returned the car a day early, so that we wouldn't have to drive in downtown Las Vegas or fuss with returning it in the morning or deal with parking at the hotel. I'll miss that Charger. It was fun.

A shuttle took us to Bally's, and alas the Internet was not included with the room (for record, the Luxor and Grand Canyon Inn had internet included, Yavapai Lodge and Bally's did not). Still, it was a very nice room. We watched some television and decided that since it was early, we would go and down some Vegas stuff. We (and by we I mean Mom) splurged on tickets for the 9:30 Beatles Love show, and so we had three hours to kill. We walked around down towards the Mirage (where the Love show is). Got some McDonald's. Went to the Will Call and picked up our tickets. Walked the length of the underground store circuit contained within the Mirage. I accidentally pushed the service button on a slot machine. Mom got some Starbucks. Finally, it was time for the Cirque Du Soleil : The Beatles : LOVE shoooow! The ushers had costumes, and even though we were seated near the back, they were still good seats because a Cirque Du Soleil show is never just on stage. There were skaters on ramps, people on trampolines, trapeze artists, things emerging and appearing from under the stage, and just...it was beautiful. Hard to sum up the circus show. Beatles music. Talented dancers. Costumes. Colors. Special effects. Ahh. Lovely!

I didn't get any photos of Las Vegas at night, but I think we all know how that looks. Vegas is one of the few places that photos do represent how it is. We watched some Futurama and then went to sleep.

March 23rd:

Ah woe is the 7am alarm. I packed everything up. We scanned and double scanned the room, and checked out of Bally's. We had a round trip shuttle paid for, and it arrived at the hotel at 8:45 and picked us off and woosh, our travels began! I went through one of those full body scanner thingies for the first time. I didn't get patted down, so that was cool. I did forget my laptop in my bag (which wasn't a problem in Seattle) so that had to go through the x ray again. Oops. Mom bought me a chocolate scone while I tried to use the abysmal free wifi. Boarded at around...noon? I have the exact times written in my travel journal, but I am too lazy to reference it. I got the window seat, which was awesome. It was a quick hop of a flight. During the San Francisco layover, we ate Pinkberry and watched Game of Thrones. I was directly behind mom on this flight, and we spent a long time waiting to take off. But I had a good book (A Visit From the Goon Squad) to read, and I read it! We landed around 5pm, got our bags, and got on the shuttle to Wally Park, where our lovely non vroomy Prius awaited. We got Burger King drive through and I drove us home. The traffic moved well, and I merged like a champ. Go me!

Got home at around 7ish, and spent hours getting caught up on this and that. AHh Internet. I've missed you. It is nice to be in my bed and at home, though we'll be up at Mats Mats tomorrow. Dad is up there right now, so we need to bring him his goodies and provide him with company.

March 20th & 21st

I had very minimal access to Internet from when we left the Grand Canyon Inn till our arrival at the Las Vegas Airport. Expect another double day post tonight (the 23rd).

March 20th

There is no Internet at our hotel at the Grand Canyon. However will I survive? Well, there is a TV and books and views and stuff.

This morning was obscenely bright. The sun had no clouds to obscure it, and as the landscape was snow covered, it refracted painfully into my eyes. Gaaah.

We ate breakfast at the Inn. Hash browns, toast, eggs, and tea for both of us. A side of bacon for me. Mmm. It was filling and warm and lovely. The road was clear, and so we drove onwards for the Grand Canyon. Many cars passed mom by.

Arriving at the Visitor's Center was a typical situation for any National Park: you drive hours with barely anyone else on the road and all of a sudden, so many cars, and people! Where did they all come from? It wasn't that crowded at all, what with it being the off season. Snow sloughed off roofs, but the paths were mostly ice free. I stamped by book with its National Park stamps, and got a patch. We saw the video about the park, which contained lots of footage of people standing perilously close to the edge. Snacks were enjoyed, and we drove in a loop around part of the park. Even though check in was 4pm, we managed to get in at around 2:20ish. Our room has a fridge! One step up from the Inn, which had a coffee pot, and two steps up from the Luxor which had neither.

From our rooms, we packed our backpack up, and walked over to the cafeteria. Mom had chili, and I had Salisbury steak with mac & cheese and rice sides. A bit bland but filling and warm, which is good. We boarded the blue shuttle bus (within the Grand Canyon National Park, there is a blue, red, and yellow shuttle bus system that gets people around) and disembarked from it at the Hopi House. We looked at the beautiful jewelry designs, and oooh and ahhhed at the canyon. It is so bigly hugely big. We walked along the rim trail and checked out the Kolb Brothers studio. Those guys had some major balls. Rafted down the Columbia River with film equipment. Set up very daring scenarios to film and photograph. Ellsworth and Emry were crazy, but a lot of good came out of it. Mom got Ellsworth's book about boating the river, and I got the smaller book about the two of them. Whooo!

The red line took us up to Hermit's Nest. We rode it straight up, while other people got off at the various points (Hopi, Mojave, Papi(?), etc.). At the top , at Hermit's Nest, we saw some elk! I was able to get decently close enough to take pictures. We took the bus down, and got off at Mojave point and watched the sun go down. The canyon just goes so brilliantly red. Some people sat at very precarious positions, but none fell. The packed like sardines bus took us down into sunset, and under the arrival of night, we went to the Bright Angel Restaurant and had dinner. Mahi mahi tacos for me, fish for mom. I also ordered a slice of chocolate cake to go! The Blue line runs only every half hour or so, after 7:30, and we managed to board a bus right as we got to the stop. Hurray! The driver was hilarious. Tomorrow we will do some of the yellow bus routes.

March 21st

Had a pretty good sleep. The snow has melted a bunch, and it generally is less icy. We walked to the cafe for breakfast, and it was brilliant and sunny and even a bit too warm under our layers. I had the bacon, egg, croissant sandwich and mom had oatmeal. We booked our room at Bally's or somewhere in Vegas. From there, we returned to our room and packed our things up for a day's hike. We took the Blue to the Yellow, and there I found out it is actually the Orange. The Orange took us to the Geology center, and we took in the views. Then we took the bus up to Yapi Point. Also quite beautiful. From there we took the Orange back down to the Visitor's Center and got on the other Orange bus and went back up the Yavapai Point trail start. Unfortunately the trail was pretty icy and slushy and muddy, which made for horrible walking. No one wants to shuffle down a winding narrow path when there is a danger for sliding. So we went back up, and took the Rim Trail. I stopped and drew the canyon for an hour, which made my butt numb and I couldn't nearly capture the whole vista. Blimey. We took the bus back to the Geology museum, and walked along the Rim from there, and took the Shrine of the Ages path back towards the market village.

We are now relaxing in our hotel room. We will go grab dinner in a second, and maybe see the ranger talk at the auditorium. There is wifi at the cafe.

east, ho!

Still can't quite get this thing to upload unresized photos (and I can't be bothered to resize a bunch of them at this moment), but if you are my friend on Facebook, I have photos from our trip uploaded there.

Breakfast was the same as yesterday. Coffee and muffin for mom, orange juice and apple fritter for me. We checked out the gift shop, but the shirt designs were sub par. Then we packed up our things and at 10:40ish, we express check outed ourselves from the Luxor. First step to Las Vegas freedom! It took us some navigation and back tracking to find the exit that brought us to the shuttle drop off/pick up, but we got there! There was a shuttle van leaving for the airport, and we hopped right on it. We were dropped off at the Rental Car shuttles and they took us to the rental center. At Enterprise, we got an upgrade from Economy to nicer than Economy, and we had our choice of some Mazda, an Impala, or a Dodge Charger. Yeah, I went for the Charger, and Mom obliged. BOOYAH!

Three right turns got us on a road, which got us to Henderson (or whatever town is near Las Vegas) and before we knew it, we had escaped Las Vegas and were vroooming our way through the sunshine and eastward toward nature. We came to Lake Mead, which was in its off season and thus closed down in many parts (including the visitors center). There we switched drivers. Me. Behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger. AWESOME! So comfy, such effortless acceleration, such easy to use dashboard knobs. I always thought, from the vantage point of my bike, that the new models look a bit big and clunky, but looking at our rental and comparing it to other cars, it still holds a sense of fun and cheek. I shall get a good job and work hard, so that I will some day be able to afford a not so fuel efficient car of my own! Though for the almost seven hours worth of driving that we did today, it sits at half a tank. Which is pretty good I think. I know driving the Prius down to Portland took me to half a tank, but then again the Charger could have a much larger tank. Still, a days worth of driving and no refueling needed.

On the way, we went to an Arizona Tourist Information place that was located in the "town" of Chloride, Arizona. It was a bit ghost town/vacant, but in a very charming way. Got some drinks at the general store and some driving advice and a map, from the very helpful tourist info lady. Then we went back on our way. We switched drivers again in Kingman, Arizona. We got drinks, water, more drinks, fruit, snacks, and a big lunch at the Safeway. I chowed down on my sandwich while Mom headed East to Route 66 and all that it contains. We stopped at Hackberry, which was very charming. Lots of old, rather broken down cars. Some cute dogs in the store. Lots of license plates and other knick knack type items. Mom ate lunch, I took pictures, and we hydrated. It was all very scenic and lovely.

Talked to Nathan on the phone. Happy birthday Nathan!

Talked to Dad on the phone. Happy Monday Dad!

As we went along Route 66, headed for Ash Fork, the landscape started to turn snow crusted. And as we passed Ash Fork and went to Williams, it became full on snow covered. The roads were fine, and it did break up the scenery. Trees and rocks covered with snow, instead of the same tan rocks and sweeping tan views. We decided not to stay the night in the very snow covered, and icicle laden, Williams and opted to press on for the Grand Canyon and stay at whichever place was nearest to there. I took over the driving, and we went on the long straight road North. The sun was starting to go down, the landscape was snow covered, and soon the blue sky was consumed in gray. Half way there, the snow started coming down. A little, then more and more. As our visibility started declining, the Grand Canyon Inn appeared and we pulled right in and got a room for the night. The snow has since stopped, but it was a good place to stop. The accommodations are nicer than the Luxor. We have a coffee maker and a bath tub! Sure I don't drink coffee, but it is nice that they trust us with such an amenity.

Mom watched Dancing With the Stars and 30 Rock, and I computered it up. Tomorrow we make for the Grand Canyon. Unless we are snowed in or something, but I doubt that.

Love the Charger. Love nature. Love taking lots of photos, especially when some of them turn out quite nice.

the embedded smoke is getting to me

Tried to upload some photos, but they are too big I suppose.

AH! Today was full of walking. Seven, eight hours on our feet. We had some breaks for food.

Mom woke up at 8am and went to get coffee and brought back an orange juice and apple crawler for me, for when I eventually got up. I showered at 10, consumer my breakfast, did the Internet thing. Then at 11:20ish, we set out for our day on the Strip!

We took the tram over to the Excalibur and descended into the MGM Grand. Or err...well we went under the hotels, and once you go under the hotels, they all connect. We went under the Manderlay and the THE Hotel. Kept walking till we arrived at the Shark Reef Aquarium. First adventure of the day. It was a lovely aquarium. It had very big tanks with tons of sharks and other fish. Even a turtle! There was a jellyfish tank, and a horseshoe crab touch tank. It was fun.

After that, we wandered through the underground network. The allowed cigarette smoke got to me, and I feel a bit ill right now from it. I'm just not used to it. Don't know any smokers. Mom and I got some of that frozen yogurt, the self serve kind where you put your own toppings on. I went for candy, nuts, candy, cheesecake bits, and more candy. Mom went for fruit (she also had a greater variety of the yogurt). Yummy snack!

From there, we worked our way back through the MGM Grand, and exited on to the strip. Daylight! It was windy, but generally nice. We got dad a Las Vegas Hard Rock pin. It isn't a Gibson pin, but mom says he needs some variety in his collection. We'll let dad decide if he does, I suppose. We wandered around the Bellagio for half an hour. It had the nicest hotel interior of the ones we went into. New York, New York once you enter it, is just dingey and lame and just...uhg. Bellagio is nice all around, and has some pretty exhibits. We waited outside to see the half hourly fountain show, and it was nice. It was set to the tune of This Song by Elton John. From there, we walked past Caesar's Palace. My anxiety levels were pretty good. As in, I wasn't that anxious at all. There were crowds, but all was well. We ended up not going to see a show. We were pretty tired, and it seemed like shows were selling out. We ate a late lunch at McDonald's. Good old comfort fast food. The plan at the time was to hang out in the Flamingo courtyard, then go to Treasure Island and see the Siren's Show, then go back to the hotel. The courtyard was neat, and the flamingo's sure were pink. And there were some other lovely birds. I hoped the hotel would have a cool flamingo shirt design, but they didn't.

Just in time, we got to the Siren's Song stage at Treasure Island. Or so we thought we were just in time...turns out we were two hours early! The guide to Las Vegas said that there would be a 5:30 show, but that was a misprinted lie. We decided to return to our hotel. That meant going to the monorail, which required backtracking and going through Harrah's. There was a nice Londoner in the station that we chatted with a bit. I took her picture for her. The monorail dropped us off at the MGM Grand, so we walked through that AGAIN, and walked to and through New York, New York, and the Excalibur, and an hour and twenty minutes worth of travel from Treasure Island later, we got back to our hotel room.

Oh so very tired and tuckered out. Once we started sitting and laying in bed, it was clear we were done for the day. I watched Walking Dead and proclaimed loudly when Michonne was introduced. LOVE HER! And she came out of nowhere, which was awesome.

Now we are tucking in to bed. We have to check out by 11 tomorrow. I want to see what the Luxor gift shop has to offer. Need to get me a sticker and maybe a shirt, if they have a good design. Then we check out, go to the airport, pick up our rental car, and out we go to see some nature. Awww yeah, nature baby! I love it.