Wow & wow!

Went to the Grand Canyon yesterday. One word - wow! That is the word that all of us said on the helicopter when we swooped onto the start of the west rim yesterday. 5 of us that were staying at the hotel were picked up at 6.45 am in an airconditioned 4x4 with tinted windows. We went through the 'DRY' county (no liquor) of Boulder County - the cleanest place I've seen in the world - probably because no one drinks! Then we were taken to the Hoover Dam - an amazing piece of engineering - no mater how many timnes you look at it you cannot get your head around how something so big was bulit into sheer rock. Then we were taken into the dessert further. Eventually we came across the Grand Canyon Ranch on the West Rim of the Canyon. This is a working ranch with real cowboys & horses. It has accomodation for people to stay in comprising of ranch houses & indian teepee replicas. A gun fight was reinacted for us. Then we were taken by horse drawn wagon to the heliport site about 5 mins away. We all loaded onto the helicopter & we traveled across the flat Mohave dessert. In fact - i intially thought this is a little flat for the Grand Canyon. The pilot was friendly enough & he was playing the theme from the Superman movies on his tape player - but it could have done with fixing as it kept getting chewed up in his player! Anyhow, as I thought, this was a little flat for the actual Canyon, then the pilot said to all of us 'Are you ready for the Grand Canyon folks?' Well, a second after this we came across the Canyon itself - everyone let out an almost simultaneous 'Wow' over their headphones. An amazing vista opens up both in terms of distance & depth. No photos can portray the overwhelming beauty & magnitude of the canyon. It is truly only something that can be experienced. We had no wind & a clear view right across so the pictures that I got were good but nothing compared to experiencing it for yourself. It is not something that you can really put into words and I am still trying to come down from the experience now! After the helicopter flight, we were given bbq chicken & beans back at the ranch - where we were given songs by the cowboys & the history of the ranch. Turns out the ranch was originally owned by a family, that then sold it to a bank robber who had dealings with Buth Cassidy & Sundance Kid. Apparently, the govenment thought the bank robber owner was dead as they mistakely thought that they had shot him in Colorado so he was able to get away with robbing for years later as officially he was dead! Anyway, then went onto the Joshua Tree Forrest - the trees give no shade & have absolutely no monetary value - but they look nice! Then back via Hoover Dam for more pictures. Then back to hotel at 4.30 pm, then meal, then out on town to Ghost Bar on 55th floor of the Palms Casino last night. More partying to happen - will be going to a few shows today & partying later on at more clubs - about time to wear that shirt done by Elvis's tailor that I bought in Memphis! - more updates to come from Vegas as I will not be in San Fran until Monday and it is only 10.40 am Friday local time now. Well out & about looking at the hotels & going to a couple of afternoon shows today. Still hot, hot, hot. Lucky its only 65f in San Fran now as I will need to get acclimatised for going back to UK in a weeks time! More updates from Vegas to follow tomorrow!