Brisbane, QLD


Wednesday, August 31, 2011

GRAND CANYON

It was a big day with scenery overload. Zion N.P. in the morning. Kanab at lunchtime and Grand Canyon in the afternoon. I realise this is not the best way to see these wonderful places. One should spend a week or more in each place but when you travel half way around the world and have a limited budget, one tries to see as much of the USA as possible in three weeks not counting the two weeks in California beforehand. Anyway we were having a ball. Everything was new and exciting.

It was raining when we arrived at our cabin on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and on the rim was right. Our cabin was about 50 metres from the edge see below.

The view from our cabin balcony. The rain cleared but unfortunately it remained overcast which didn't make the colours sparkle but it was still an amazing sight.

Are we happy? We can cross off another entry on our bucket list. This overlook near the lodge was breathtaking the drop plummeted for a mile. We are hanging on.

Then we walked to Bright Angel Point. It was exhilarating and scary. It was a walk out into the canyon on a narrow isthmus of rock with a mammoth drop down both sides of the path.

I was amazed that there wasn't a safety barrier on the side of the walkway. It did make it very scary exciting.

It is a shame there isn't a blue sky just a white one but it was still a magic 360* view.

"Living on the edge."

After we walked back up the track we needed a rest in our rocking chairs. We were 9,000ft above sea level and we found it hard to breathe climbing up, especially as I had developed bronchitis. Bill and I booked into the lodge restaurant for dinner. 

The view from the restaurant's huge picture windows was to die for. The overcast clouds were thinning and the sun was struggling through to give us a pleasant sunset. What a magic day that was. I never thought that I would ever really be there.

24 comments:

  1. Wow, more stunning photographs. I love the cabin you stayed in too. This is a great way to see the country. When Gregg and I go on our road trips we see a lot of places in the time we have, and make notes to go back for a long trip one day.

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  2. now that's what i call a view. :) fantastic

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  3. It's breathtaking!! In more ways than one! Your pictures are wonderful!! So glad you got to see this Our family did that vacation many years ago... the Petrified Forest, the Grand Canyon, etc... Beautiful! There are lots of other smaller canyons in Arizona that are gorgeous too. I spent several weeks in that area when I was a college student. (I did some student teaching on the Navajo reservation.) Weekends were spent exploring some of the wonders of the desert southwest.

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  4. Diane you have visited one of the top 5 on my list - I've had this dream for more than 50 years and live much closer than you do. I'm glad to hear you had such a wonderful experience while visiting the Grand canyon. When I taught art to elementary school students I sometimes played "the Grand Canyon Suite" in the background and it often had a magical effect - inspiring creativity in the students. Your amazing photos put a smile on my face today.

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  5. Incredible views! Fantastic to see all this.
    Love the log cabin, and that photo of you both in the rocking chairs is just great.

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  6. I have got to go there.Suppose I had better get a move on. I made a rocking chair like that last year.

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  7. You definitely had a spectacular view from your cabin. The scenery (and pictures) are gorgeous even if the weather didn't cooperate and give you a blue sky. I agree that a person could spend a week at the Grand Canyon and still not see it all.

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  8. Quite remarkable views! It's something you never tire of seeing.

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  9. stunning views and love that cabin. not a place for sleep walkers to stay. haha

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  10. The Canyon hasn't changed but the surroundings ! Isn't it beautiful ? We were always laughing at the Americans who did whole Europe in one week, lol ! Now we do the USA in one week (or nearly)

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  11. Yes this is one of the world miracles. It is so huge and impressive. You can't imagine how deep it is. You were lucky to have a lodge so close and jump from your bed to this amazing view.

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  12. Nice pictures but I am missing a picture of our little friends the squirels.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  13. wow, that is an amazing view!
    glad you both had such a great time.

    i would love to stay in that lovely cabin...looks so romantic.

    gorgeous shots, too!!

    big hugs
    betty xx

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  14. I'm so glad your cabin was right on the rim...isn't that the most amazing place!! Photos will never do it justice, it must be seen in person.

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  15. Fantastic photographs. I wish I could see the Grand Canyon again. I wish my husband was still alive to see it with me.

    Kay

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  16. I have been looking forward to this. I have been there 2 or 3 times and what an awesome place. Your shots are great. Love those rocking chairs too. I spent hours and hours as a kid sitting on a rocking chair on the verandah reading.

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  17. Great shots Diane.
    The cabin looks really great as shown, what was the interior like?
    You really look like "Ma and Pa Kettle" from old movies sitting in the rocking chairs!
    Colin

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  18. You have convinced me to visit the north rim of the Grand Canyon. I love that cabin. Reminds me of our little cabin at Mt. Nebo, Arkansas. BUT--our view in Arkansas (although nice) is nothing like seeing the Grand Canyon! WOW---great pictures --especially that last one.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  19. What a sight to behold! How on earth could one ever find the right words to describe this magical place! Your photographs are splendid and those heights made my knees turn into jelly!

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  20. Stunning photography! And I apologize for what I said when I commented on your Zion post. Of course you wanted to see as much as you could in a limited time -- and your tour did a darn good job of doing that for you.

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  21. How wonderful to be able to experience something you have long dreamed of. Stunning photos, especially the last one with that beautiful light.

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  22. You have some gorgeous photos of your stay at the North Rim. I only wish I could have met you while you were here. My co-worker told me someone on a tour bus asked about Fabgrandma. I was probably working in the campground the day you were here.

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  23. Gorgeous! I'm reading backward to all I missed.

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