Visiting Grand Canyon West

After we left the Hoover Dam, drove for 2 hours,
we arrived at the west side of the Grand Canyon.

That’s the location of The Hualapai Tribe and Skywalk,
which is located outside of Grand Canyon National Park.

Because we spend a little too much time at the Hoover Dam,
it was a race against the clock again.

Normally we had a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon at 4PM.
But when we arrived at the desk, at 4.02PM they told us we were too late.

First I thought it was a joke,
but those Indians don’t joke about those kinds of things.

The only option we had left,
was to take a bus into the Grand Canyon.

They told us that there were no other options available anymore
too see it that day.

After that news I tried to stay optimistic
and bought 2 (in my opinion) heavily overprized bus tickets.

What a tourist trap!!

When you get on the bus,
they first take you to what they cal a “typical Indian Village”.

From the moment Marlise saw the village,she got really excited.
Doesn’t she look excited?

 

Happy Marlise
Happy Marlise

We got off the bus and spend some time in the village.

But it was sooo fake!!

Walking around in the Indian Village
Walking around in the Indian Village
Telegraph
Telegraph
Trading Post
Trading Post
Assay Office
Assay Office
The bank
The bank

I saw a mine and I thought you could enter it and have a look inside.

So I told Marlise let’s have a look inside and then we’ll leave this village.

Marlise told me that she was going to wait outside, because she wasn’t interested.

The mine
The mine

But when I entered the mine, I could immediately see it was just a decor.

That was quite disappointing!

Inside the mine
Inside the mine

But luckily, they also had some nice viewpoints.

Carriage
Carriage
What a view
What a view
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon

So one tip, in case you ever take the bus tour in the Grand Canyon,
just skip this touristic stop!

After seeing all of this, we went back on the bus.
The Next stop was at the Grand Canyon, Eagle Point.

Eagle Point
Eagle Point

On next stop you have the possibility, to get on the Skywalk and look down in the Grand Canyon.
But you can’t take any pictures on the skywalk.

So the only possibility you have,
is to take pictures of the Grand Canyon, on the left side of the Skywalk.

The skywalk
The skywalk

 

The Skywalk
The Skywalk

But what an impressive view.
It looks surreal!

The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon

There are also some Indians doing there typical dances,
while they make special noises.

I don’t know how to describe it,
but I think you know which sound they produce.

Dancing Indian at The Grand Canyon
Dancing Indian at The Grand Canyon
Relaxing at The Grand Canyon
Relaxing at The Grand Canyon

Because we didn’t want to rush anymore,
we took the time to sit down and enjoy all of its beauty.

Relaxing at The Grand Canyon
Relaxing at The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon

On this stop you also have the possibility, to view different kinds of Indian tents, logdes and shacks.

Indian Shack
Indian Shack
Indian tent
Indian tent
A sweat
A sweat
Sweat lodge
Sweat lodge
Sweat lodge
Sweat lodge
Natural tent
Natural tent

While I was checking out all the tents lodges and shacks,
I saw another path to another viewpoint of the Grand Canyon.

My instinct told me to have a look over there,
so I walked towards it and check it out.

The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon Desert
The Grand Canyon Desert

But while I was making pictures over there,
Security almost immediately came over to tell me it wasn’t possible to walk there.

So I had to go back to the tourist part.

When I found Marlise again,
it was time for some “selfies” at the Grand Canyon.

Selfie time
Selfie time
Selfie time
Selfie time

After we took our desired pictures
and after we memorized that viewpoint of the Grand Canyon,
we took the bus again, to the last checkpoint.

It was another viewpoint over the Grand Canyon.

But I personally liked this viewpoint much more,
because there were several viewpoints of the Grand Canyon, instead of one like the previous stop.

The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon

Because we saw a big flat rock, it was time to strike a pose,
with the Grand Canyon on the background.

Strike a pose
Strike a pose
Colorado river
Colorado river
Colorado river
Colorado river

 

When you look down, into the grand canyon (4000 feet down)
it’s quite impressive.

DSC_0634

The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon

Here’s a picture of me taking a picture.

Taking pictures of the Grand Canyon
Taking pictures of the Grand Canyon
The Colorado River
The Colorado River

After a while, we decided to go.
So we looked one last time in the Grand Canyon, took one last pictures and left.

The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon

 

Because we saw enough of Las Vegas for one weekend,
and there was so much more, I wanted to show Marlise in LA,
I suggested to drive directly to Los Angeles from the Grand Canyon.

She liked the idea, so after 6 hours of driving,
we were back in Los Angeles.

Ready for a new excursion.

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A day in Death Valley

It was the second day for Marlise and we planned on going to Las Vegas,
but first we wanted to make a stop in Death Valley.

So we had to wake up early in the morning and start driving.

During the trip we made several stops, to enjoy the views and stretch our legs.

Desert
Desert
Sightseeing
Sightseeing

We also made a stop here, because of the incredible amount of windmills, in the middle of nowhere!!

Wind turbines
Wind turbines

We weren’t even in Death Valley yet and it was already 94 Fahrenheit.
So we had to make another stop, because Marlise wanted to change her pants.
It was just too hot for normal pants.

Getting stuff
Getting stuff
On the road to Death Valley
On the road to Death Valley

Because we saw an open road and we had the feeling we were alone on the road, we started speeding.
And when you drive with an average of 110 MPH, you get around fast.
But our fuel tank was thinking the same, so we had to make a quick fuel stop in the middle of our trip to Death Valley.

And I’m happy we did it!!

Not only to prevent finding ourselves without fuel in the middle of the desert,
but also when we left the gas pump and started speeding again, Highway patrol past us.

We were so lucky that we just left the gas station,
because we were only driving 87 MPH at that moment (and the speed limit was 60 MPH).

They can even track your speed, while they are driving themselves, in the opposite side.
So he made a U-turn in the middle of the road with his big pick-up and started chasing us.
It was quite impressive and shocking at the same time, because I didn’t knew what to expect.

What would the price be for driving 27MPH above the speed limit,
would I lose my driving license,
did they had a radar on another point,
how much time would it take to get it fixed, …

After we stopped, he walked towards us with one hand on his gun and the other hand on the car.

He asked for my driver’s license, papers of the car, and some extra information.
Then he asked ,with a poker face and those typical police glasses, why I was speeding.
So I responded that I wasn’t paying attention and he gave me a weird look and went back to his truck.

When he came back and he gave me the good news.
I would get away with a warning.

But he also told me from the moment they catch me speeding again,
I have to go to court and I would receive this speeding ticket ($400) an additional ticket and some other additional costs.
So like a good citizen, I promised him I wouldn’t happen again and thanked him several times for giving me a warning.

But if you have been speeding most of the time 60MPH feels soooo slow.
But I did my best to keep it as an average speed.

After driving 4 hours we finally arrived at the entrance, of Death Valley.
So it was time to make a picture again.

Death Valley
Death Valley

And of course take some extra pictures of the nice view.

Enjoying the views
Enjoying the views

When you drive through Death Valley there is so much you could go to and see.

You could go to the Sand Dunes

Sand Dunes
Sand Dunes

Or go to Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin
Badwater Basin

Where we took the time to make a “selfie”.

Selfie time
Selfie time

Or climb to high points, so you have a nice overview.

 

DSC_0678
Or check out (like they advertise) the “incredible rock bridge”.
First time we just walked by it, because we couldn’t believe that was it.

The rock bridge
The rock bridge

Or the dried out waterfall.

Dried out waterfall
Dried out waterfall

But after a while I had to do something more exiting, so I started climbing rocks.
Going up wasn’t that hard.

Climbing some rocks
Climbing some rocks
Quite a climb
Quite a climb
Made it
Made it

But the getting down part, was much harder.

Trying to get down
Trying to get down

But eventually I made it down, without falling, breaking something or ….
That made me so happy.

But I made it without falling down
But I made it without falling down

So after “a little adventure” back to the sightseeing,

Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Nice view
Nice view

The views where breathtaking.

Sunset in Death Valley
Sunset in Death Valley

The sun was setting so I it was time to take the bull by the horns

Catch the bull by horns
Catch the bull by horns

But then she got the upper hand.

Riding the bull
Riding the bull

So I started running away and hit the camera by accident, but the self timer made a nice picture by itself.

Death Valley
Death Valley

Eventually the sun vanished behind the mountains, so it was time to drive to Las Vegas.

It's getting dark
It’s getting dark

But first I had to made some extra pictures of the stars, because they are really visual in Death Valley.

Stars
Stars
Stars
Stars

After our last photo was taken, we were back on our way to Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Here we Come!

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