We have been WiFi less for a couple of days which has been no bad thing. We left LV on Tuesday morning and headed for Sedona in Arizona. it was a pretty long drive but we broke it up with some time in Seligman, a town on Route 66. It looked exactly like something from the 50's and we had a late lunch at a great typical diner.
as we headed towards Flagstaff, the snow on the sides of the highway got higher and higher. The kids got quite confused as they thought we were heading for the desert. Before heading back donw off the plateau into Sedona, the snow got up to a couple of feet around us. incredibly pretty.
To get to Sedona, you have to go down 2500 feet in a short distance and the route on the GPS (and it was dark by now) looked like a whole lot of worms had gotten loose. It was pretty hairy with some mild language from Rob. By the way, earlier this day was also my first turn of driving which was fun.
We stayed at a small motel on the main drag in Sedona - it was pretty priitve, hence no WiFI but serviceable and the owner was very nice. Sedona is an amzing place, a village of art galleries and restaurants and crystal shops surrounded by red rocks, a couple thousand feet high. The views are spectacular from every angle.
On Wednesday we took a Pink Jeep tour which was a highlight of the trip for me. It was 4WD extreme trip over the red rocks and to the most unbelievable lookouts of the area. In between, we hurtled over cliff like roads in the jeep. we dosed Rob and Lucy with motion sickness tablets and it met my need for beautiful scenery with the girls need for adventure/thrills. The guide was unbelievably nice, informative and genuinely interested in us and interesting.
Today we headed for Kingman which is back on route 66 - essentially we have done a bit of a loop. As we were driving along we decided to detour off to the Grand Canyon which we did not have time for going to Sedona. It was an extra 100 miles but worth it for teh girls to say they've been there. Rob and I found it the same as last time - it doesn't quite feel real.
Finally we did about 85 miles of what is left of the original Route 66 which was OK but not much to see. Stopping again at Seligman, we visited some more cute shops and went into a barber shop that has been there since the 50's. The barber is aparently featured in the extras on teh Cars DVD if anyone has that!
Now this sounds like my type of travelling - great natural scenery!! I would love to see the Grand Canyon - maybe one day I'll make it.
Dad and I went to Canberra today for the MRI. We had to wait 4 hours for it to be developed so we could take it back to the specialist in the afternoon.
We filled in the time by going to the National Gallery to see the Degas exhibition -it was totally stunning - how any artists get that quality of light in their paintings I will never know. Dad really enjoyed it and we then had a lovely lunch on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin - just where you hire the paddleboats - do you remember girls - we hired one for you and you went out with one of your nannies - I think it was Jannine?!?
Results of the MRI are mixed - no nasties like compressed nerves or tumours but the loss of sensation in the feet and lower legs is permanent damage from the angiogram - an embolic incident which occured at the time.
The weakness in the left arm however is spondylitis and can apparently be helped by a cortisone injection, which Dad will have in a couple of weeks -Back to Canberra again!
We are off to Halliday's Point tomorrow for 5 days - sun, sand and surf! Phil, Fiona and Sascha will be holding the fort at Robbo.
Happy early Birthday greetings,Rob - I wonder where you will be spending it - halfway between LV and Los Angeles I guess!! Enjoy! Love to you all Mum/Dadxx