USA 2004
Introduction
The United States has always been a part of our lives. It's always on our TVs and in our movies. I've bought rocks from there (and I have a USPS watch!) I know people there. And yet, it has been like another planet, in a way. So familiar and yet so far away. I wanted to go there! Unfortunately, my husband wasn't so keen and 'lack of money' was only one of his feeble excuses not to even think of doing the trip - but the real reason was that he was afraid to fly! Fair enough; I'm afraid to fly too - and we hadn't flown for many years. But didn't he see that this was a DREAM and that flying was the only way of getting there? He did and I talked him around - although that hesitance remained. (The money was a different matter - but I shan't discuss that here!)
Unlike most Brits, we did not choose Florida as our destination - but Arizona. To us, Arizona is 'America' - the Wild West, Cactus, Pioneers etc. And then there was the Grand Canyon and all the other little bits of geology to gawp at! Quite quickly, Las Vegas was added to the itinerary and then (why it's so close!), Yosemite National Park. Just as well add in Los Angeles for Paul (grown up son and movie-freak!) while we're at it (Hub objected vehemently to this - he feared bandits at every turn) - and we decided to fly home from San Francisco! We booked for June.
Alas, in March, I was diagnosed with a potentially very serious blood disorder and the trip had to be cancelled and rebooked for September. We had booked flights with British Airways, but they would not change our tickets, so we had to claim off our insurance. There were times, throughout the summer months, when, due to little ailments here and there, I thought we might never go. And then, the Friday before our departure, I visited the dentist because I had a slight sensitivity pain in one tooth (best get it checked out). He gave me a temporary filling. That weekend I have never been in so much pain in my life and we searched the city for an emergency dentist - not helped by the fact that it was a bank holiday! To cut a long story short - the tooth was extracted on Tuesday 31st August.
So, we went! And now we're back! And now I must write an account of a most wonderful time! But, for anybody else who might read this - please do not expect descriptions of mighty hikes, or of museums, or of restaurants. It is a whirlwind trip - we had no time (or desire really) for much in the way of cultural or epicurian delights. It is a simple trip, with simple aims. We wanted to be in America. We wanted to experience America. Everything. Malls, light switches, road signs! Everything!
Whatever I write here though - it can never do justice to how it actually was.
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Start the trip!
Day 1: To Heathrow
Day 2: Up, up and away!
Day 3: Phoenix, Camelback and Build-a-Bear
Day 4: The Smallest Museum in the World, Pinetop and Knees that go Bump in the Night
Day 5: Whoo - Petrified Trees - Meteor Crater - and running out of gas ..
Day 6: Those beautiful red rocks of Sedona
Day 7: I develop a cough - but who cares! The Grand Canyon!
Day 8: Navajo nation, jewellery and a big lake
Day 9: Bye-bye Arizona; Hello Utah!
Day 10: Eh, Viva Las Vegas!
Day 11: Tragedy in LA
Day 12: Hollywood and Santa Monica
Day 13: More desert and some mighty big trees
Day 14: To Yosemite
Day 15: There's wild dogs in them there woods ...
Day 16: Over the Golden Gate Bridge!
Day 17: "Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair"
Days 18, 19 and 20: Homeward bound
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