Grand Canyon, Here We Come!

Both the flights and hotels are booked. Whoosh! I can now let out a huge sigh of relief.

My mother, brother and I are flying out of the city into Flagstaff, AZ on August 10. We will return in the wee hours of August 16. Those overnight flights coming back from the West coast are an absolute killer on the human body. At least I'll have all day Thursday to recover. The hardest part of planning was finding a hotel. Booked solid. We happen to be travelling during the busiest season, so thankfully, I blocked out a ton of rooms at several different hotels for various dates. Just to be on the safe side. Now, we need to weed out which is which, and then I can cancel some of those bulk reservations. The search for a rental car is Mom's responsibility, but since finding the hotels was kinda hers too, I might have to step in to get the ball rolling - yet again. Sigh.

Our original goal was to fly into Las Vegas and then fly out of Flagstaff. That way, we could get a taste of Vegas and hit the Hoover Dam on the journey into Arizona. Due to airline prices and the way car rental costs skyrocket when you return to a different airport, this plan was sadly, not doable. However, since we have an extra day to play with, there might be room for a day trip. Right now, it's a big "we'll see".

We have a lot to think about and much to plan. It's going to be interesting to be visting a state that has the second highest concentration of Native Americans in the US. I wonder how Mom will fare? For once, she will blend in! We're pretty low key travellers, so rafting trips and the like are out of the question. Hiking excursions will be pretty much just long walks. Much of it for photo ops. I'll need to brush up on the flora and fauna we will experience as well. Okay, I know we won't have a problem, but the headline "Mountain Lions and You" which is in the Grand Canyon visitor's guide, does freak me out just a skosh.

There is so much to do in that decent amount of time. The sights, the shopping, and all that driving. I definitely want to drive on Route 66 for a bit. I got to experience the route in Santa Monica, CA, which is the official end point. That was so cool. Yeah, I confess, I'm a bit corny about stuff like that. Plus, I'll get to exercise my NPS Passport book. Ooh, more geekiness!

The itinerary is still in the beginning stages, but I'm sure many plans will be finalized on the flight over. And, quite possibly, when we are there.