Goosebumps

You know that feeling when something really great is happening to you but there's also a feeling of sadness because you know it can't last forever? Well that pretty much sums up the past two days. Starting with a hot air balloon ride over the Pheonix desert at sunrise, to watching the sun set over the Grand Canyon. Can life get much better?

There's something quite surreal about floating over the desert in a giant balloon. Being in the desert itself is quite odd. It really does look like the movies complete with cactuses and miles and miles of barren land. While no tumbleweeds blew past, I was waiting...Coming from New Zealand with its lush green pastures and its beautiful beaches, I found it hard to believe a desert could be beautiful, but floating above one, well, its certainly peaceful.

Two hours floating in the air was followed by a champagne breakfast at what was described to us as 'Pheonix's top restaurant'. In reality we ate at a picnic table next to some cactuses after landing (more like crash landing and tipping) quite literally in no-man's land. Champagne has never gone down so good.

After a brief stop in gorgeous Sedona (this was the exact phrase Ryan used and I can quite happily confirm Sedona's gorgeousness) I slept the two-hour drive to the Grand Canyon. After only a four-hour sleep the night before, coupled with the 40 degree heat, I was feeling tired and grumpy. I just wanted to get to the nearest shower and bed.

Ryan had other ideas. Two minutes away from our lodge at the Grand Canyon we stopped in a car-park and walked to what he only described as a look-out point.

I don't think anything has ever overwhelmed me as much as the sight of the Grand Canyon did.

Spine tingling stuff. Exhaustion was immediately forgotten. And the following day was spent exploring as much as possible. Within reason. Every year there is always one person who goes into the canyon and doesn't come back out. Its easy to see why. The Angel Trail we hiked was very deceptive. We trekked forty minutes downhill before realising the walk back uphill wouldn't be as easy (to put it mildly). If I hadn't packed smart the 30 degree heat would certainly have killed me. I went through three litres of water in four hours.

I ended up spending six hours walking in and around the canyon. Savouring every last moment and feeling wistful to only have one day there. The day ended watching a stunning sunset from Hopi Point- a popular point to watch the sun go down. A perfect ending to a perfect day.