I can Fly.............wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

24 & 25 November 2011 - Spent a couple of days enjoying the sights and sounds and smells of Las Vegas. Lost some $$$$'s on the pokies and met a few people. Stayed at Caesar's Palace the first two night and Bellagio's the third night. We hadn't planned to stay the third night but we were late back FROM SKY DIVING - YES YOU HEARD ME - SKY DIVING - so we decided what the hell!  Bellagio's is expensive but very very very very robes-in-the-cupboard and electric-curtains nice.

Bellagio's

Bellagio's

Bellagio's

Back to the SKY DIVING!!! YAY!!! Was very scared and had shaky hands and stomach cramps - and that was just in the waiting room. However - when the time came I was very calm and got suited up and got in the plane strapped to a lovely man called Leonard. We were first on the plane and last off and while I was waiting to go it was time and suddenly it was  all ok and then we were out the door and falling. Wind rushing by but the last thing I thought about was danger. Then the shute opened and we were floating through the air enjoying the sights way way below (We jumped from 15,000 feet) We had a perfect landing and I was quite reluctant to let Leonard unbuckle me. :)  The actual act of leaving the plane was the thing that I thought would be the hardest and the part that scared me the most and I am so hyped that I could do it.

Absolutely Awesome!!

26 November 2011 - Stayed at the Bellagio till the very last minute then headed for Death Valley. Nice drive and remarkable scenery. Skydiving was something to cross off my Bucket List and today I ran in Death Valley - another thing on my list now gone :).

Beautiful scenery

Death Valley - like a moonscape

We are now in Kingman Arizona and tomorrow will head off to the Grand Canyon

Miles 322.6 (519.4 kms)      Bugs #1147   OLD $23

♫♫♫ Viva Las Vegas...♫♫♫ and state number 48!!

23 November 2011 A huge drive today from Grand Junction Colorado to Las Vegas. 515 miles (828 kms). Great roads - beautiful cool sunny day - no dramas. We travelled through Utah which has phenomenal scenery - for those of us who were brought up on John Wayne and cowboy movies this is where it's at. We also drove through the top of Arizona which means we have visited 48 of the 48 mainland states. Yay!!! We will revisit Arizona when we go to the Grand Canyon. We also gained an hour as we moved finally back into Pacific Time

Utah

As we approached Las Vegas it was just  a haze. I don't know if it was smoke, mist, fog. cloud or pollution but there were just tall building in the desert shrouded in this haze. It was not a pretty sight as we entered the outskirts and we looked around for cheap hotel and decided that the areas we were looking at were way to shady to feel comfortable in. We decided to check out the strip and it is amazing. We made one turn and we were in the most incredible fairy tale area with all the Casinos we've all seen on TV and in the movies. We went to Caesar's Palace and got a room for $90 per night so we were sold!! The hotel is amazing - so big and busy - and yes I'm being very careful with purse and papers :)   We were pretty tired by the time we got settled so haven't yet been out exploring. I won some $$$$'s on the pokies and then lost it and won it again and lost it again lol.    It's now Thursday morning - Thanksgiving Day - and we are watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade sitting up in bed waiting for our room service breakfast to arrive. Ah! Well. You have to spoil yourself sometime.

From our window at Caesar's Palace

The commitment has now been made - we are being picked up at noon tomorrow to go skydiving. I have nothing to say...yet.  I have managed to put it in some little secret part of my mind and I refuse to think about it...yet!

Aspen....you are beautiful!

22 November 2011 - Spent the day in Aspen Colorado and it is without a doubt the most beautiful place I have ever been. Now I can accept that on another day....or in the off season.... it might be as ugly as a hat full of monkey's bums but today it was pristine, picture book perfect......all bathed in glorious sunshine and clean air. This now ranks as my number one town in the USA (that I have visited)...and anywhere else. I felt quite in awe of the beauty of this place.  We met up with Sarah LB ... friend of Lee's from Brighton High...who has worked in Aspen for the last 5 years....and she also loves the place.

Has to be careful on the roads in town - very slippery and I saw a few close shaves.

They looked like they'd been sprinkled with Icing Sugar

From the Bakery window

So beautiful

After a lovely day in Aspen we left late afternoon - destination now is Las Vegas but this will take a couple of days. Tonight we have made it to Grand Junction Colorado. Got in late but it does look like a lovely town. The scenery on the way was also awe inspiring - I think I need to live in Colorado.

Colorado's amazing skyline

Coming in to Grand Junction

Miles # 169.4 (272.6 km)    Bugs# 1138      OLD$23

♫♫♫...Colorado Rocky Mountains high....♫♫♫

21 November 2011 - headed off from Colorado Springs towards Aspen. Never made it all the way - it's about 40 minutes away from where we are now but the weather and the dark conspired to end the day's travel early. We are currently in Glenwood Springs. Today we passed through Breckenridge and Vail and I have to say these towns and the scenery on the whole trip just looked amazing....like Christmas Cards or post cards...I'm sure I've done jigsaw puzzles of some of the houses. It just didn't seem real . Lots of snow capped roofs and picturesque buildings - almost felt like we were in Europe. Of course there were the windy mountain roads again....my personal favourite...NOT....and then it started to SNOW!!!! Finally Lee saw snow actually falling ...after a winter in New Zealand and winter at Mount Everest she finally saw it snow  in Colorado.

The falling snow increased my driving anxiety ....it got quite dark and the roads were winding almost turning back on themselves and the snow was coming right at us. It was only light but then we came to a bit where the road had snow on it. The speed limit was 10 mph (16 kph) so we just crawled along. I applied the brakes GENTLY and they made a weird noise and didn't really do much. I don't have any experience driving in snow so there we are....I'm driving and Lee is on Google on my phone looking up "tips on driving in the snow" lol.   Luckily this snowy bit was only short and we were soon on nice clear roads again.

Miles 236.5 (380.6 km)      Bugs # 1124      OLD$13

So beautiful yet so cold!!!!

20 November 2011 - Woke up to -4 Centigrade - Now heated up to 5 C. Nevertheless the sky is clear and beautiful - no wind - snow peaks. In everyday speak that means it's beautiful but frickin' freezing. Had a slow start and then went to the Gardens of the Gods. Magnificent scenery, awe inspiring in fact. Towering red rock spires.

The Garden of the Gods - Colorado Springs

After freezing to death we made it to a ribs BBQ Restaurant where we thawed out and recovered enough to partake in some BBQ Ribs. So yummy but only a close second to Robbies's ribs.

BBQ - so yummy