Thursday, 10th August, 2017

It was off quite early the next morning and the one hour drive north to our second visit to the Grand Canyon. We headed for the middle section and parked up. The edge of the Canyon is close to the car parks though hidden from them and it is breathtaking when you first see it (the canyon, not the car park). There was even a tour party that were being led blindfolded with one hand on the person in front of them, (a bit like that photo from the First World War of victims of gas, though with a lot more merriment as you would imagine), towards one of the many viewpoints that sort of stick out over the depths no doubt for the big reveal once the blindfolds came off. At least no one got a closer, unscheduled view of the bottom of the Canyon one mile below.

We walked along the rim and even managed to lose Caroline and Nick for some time, which gave us lots of time for endless photos of yet another fabulous viewpoint, a short sample of which are below. Again, as with so much in the USA, the camera is really unequal to the task of capturing the sheer size of the views. You will just have to go and see it for yourself!

As ever with Benn Tours, there was not a moment to lose as we were next due in the complete contrast that is Las Vegas where we were booked in to the Desert Rose Spa Resort. We still had time though for one stop en route at the famous Hoover Dam. The temperature had risen appreciably, but we managed a quick walk from the car to a view of the dam and the very spectacular new bridge that arches over the Colorado River below.

Nick and I were undaunted and went out onto the top of the dam for more breathtaking views, not that one had much breath available in the temperature we were experiencing anyway.

And finally we drove into the lights and glitzy glitter that is Las Vegas. It truly is like no where else on the planet, though, somewhat ironically, it is like them as it has replicas of New York, Paris and Venice to name but a few. Our hotel room view was of the now-infamous Mandalay Bay Hotel.

We headed out for the Strip for something to eat and to soak up the atmosphere. We even managed to catch the lights, music and fountains display outside the Bellagio Hotel which Val and I managed to miss on our previous visit, though weirdly I didn’t seem to take any photos…

A very satisfying day, though we were suitably exhausted and ready for our rather excellent suite back at the hotel.