On the bus

[iandsmith]

Another one of my voluminous travel emails from my overseas travels...
WHERE THE HEART LIES
I’d sit at the desk by the window in our 16th floor room. Before me lay the fruits of investment; some successful; some not so. In fact, one huge glass building was almost, but not quite, complete. Apparently the owner had suffered badly in the economic downturn and halted the building, sold off the TV’s and some of the fittings inside and there it sat with the cranes still poised to lift something, anything.
My eyes however, always drifted to a gap between the high-rises, out to hills beyond; the hills of the Mojave Desert. How I yearned to go and wander those ancient scarred remnants; their barren creased slopes beckoned me, tore at my heart.
Yet beneath me and across the way, tens of thousands of people were happily losing their money gambling, shopping in up market boutiques, dining at restaurants where you could spend $240 on a single meal in a stunning setting overlooked by magnificent chandeliers; laying around swimming pools all designed for best exposure to the sun; doing things behind closed doors that apparently “stay in Vegas”, though I suspect it’s only the money that stays here.
Clearly I was in a minute minority, yet I still managed to enjoy parts of it; the Venetian section with the gondolas was okay and Caesar’s Palace was a monument to commercialism on a grand scale and I thought the Rainforest Restaurant where we once ate was marvellous; heck, even the food was good for a change. Somehow though, I couldn’t wait for the bus to arrive on the third morning so I could get back to the national parks though everyone suspected it would turn out to be a bit of a minor disaster with me constantly wanting to take pictures, always last on the bus, upsetting all and sundry with my far sided humour.
When the moment came for our first meet and greet it wasn’t all that bad, but I suspected I was out of synch with a few of them.
Next day rolled around and I wasn’t last on the bus, though I tried. We rolled out on the highway north, Zion bound. I hadn’t been sure when we were going to see Zion but someone I spoke to at Yosemite rated it just behind that park. Surely it couldn’t be that good.
We passed desert and then the road wound through a mountain range which was a bit special as we slowly climbed. Out the other side there was a town in the middle of all this aridness where people retired and bought condos around a lush golf course, miles from anywhere except for one town that the Mormons had built where cotton was once grown.
Then we turned off towards Zion. Slowly the scenery became a bit more special until, by the time we arrived, cameras had been snapping madly for the last 20 minutes.
Our host said we had 1 ½ hours and only to go as far as the first shuttle bus stop, a mere ½ mile down the road, because if you went further you may not get a shuttle back in time because they might be full.
Naturally, that was like a challenge to me so I hopped on the shuttle and queried the driver about possibilities. He said there were no worries about getting back and the third stop of four (Horseshoe Bend) was the place for pics so I went there, alighted the bus and walked back to the second stop where I climbed up to see the Weeping Rock as advised by another traveller then caught the shuttle back to the first stop and walked the half mile back and managed to be first back on our bus.
How did it rate – it’s an absolute stunner. Like the Blue Mountains on steroids. Sheer sandstone cliffs at all sorts of jagged angles in various stages of decomposition and assorted colours, the white band up top looking not unlike snow. How I would have loved to walk some of the amazing trails that wind up the sides of those cliffs, but our bus was headed for Bryce Canyon, first passing through the appetiser, a place called Red Canyon where we had a brief photo op at a formation called Salt and Pepper.
We arrived around 5.30 p.m. at Bryce and were whisked to the best viewing point from where you could walk around the unfenced rim, something I did until I reached Inspiration Point. Without doubt it’s one of the scariest photo sessions I’ve ever had, the wind was doing its best to push all and sundry into the spectacular chasm below with all its attendant masterpieces of natural sculpture in various hues. It’s like the epitome of erosion gullies, a veritable forest of cast conglomerate.
Though it was frustrating seeing the hikers wander among them hundreds of feet below I was so grateful that at least I’d had the opportunity to see this wonderful spectacle.
And another amazing thing has occurred, it’s been over 24 hours on the bus and I haven’t upset anyone.....yet!

[iandsmith]

Maybe if I add another there might be a response....

[Nuts]

I think everyone is stunned (or asleep, its 11.15) Beautiful, vivid, impossible, good on you!

[photohiker]

Awesome country and shots.

Been there, done that, still want to go back one day. There is a lot to see over there, and the US National Parks are amazing. Hiking the Grand Canyon was an enthralling experience that will always be with me.

Love to go to Yosemite. You lucky bugger.

[johnw]

Stunning! I hope to visit next year, can't wait.

[Stibb]

I think everyone is stunned

I am! Some of those places are on my to-do list now so, thanks.