7th December- Reflections on the trip

Well we were away for 50 nights and stayed in 20 different Hotels plus staying with friends in Austin for five nights and that meant we had twenty one separate beds. We used two cars as the hire car company do not allow contracts longer than 30 days whilst we travelled 6115 miles and at average fuel consumption of around 27.5 mpg (US mpg) which is not bad for a car this size. 
Fuel costs ranged between 50 pence  and 63 pence per Litre, different states have different rates of tax whilst the problems in the North-east of the USA, also affected fuel prices.
Highlights, well perhaps to many to mention but the Austin GP was great  and so was Elton and the the various parks and although were were not sure about Monument Valley as it was about 600 miles out of our way it was well worth it.
Would we do it all over again not arf!
However, there are quite a few places in the world still to go and see and so perhaps we will not be back in USA for a while but then again that could easily change as well.
Well this is the last on this USA visit and now we have to adjust to not only driving on the other side of the road but the cold wintry weather as well.
We have a large party planned for Sat 15th December to celebrate the BBC comedy series Allo Allo, and this should be great fun, no doubt photos to follow.

Wednesday 5th December- Leaving Las Vegas

A quiet morning around the Hotel although we did leave to go for breakfast in the village rather than sit in an empty restaurant with staff hovering about not knowing how to fill their time.
The late morning and afternoon we spent enjoying the comforts of the Hotel with the odd coffee and whilst we read our books their was no one to disturb us. When you consider that this Hotel has 493 bedrooms and an occupancy of about 2% you can understand why it is so deathly quiet and we loved it.
We planned to leave the Hotel at pm and take a slow drive to the Hire Car Drop off point as the deal we had with the rent-a-car people was they gave? us a full tank of fuel but we should return it empty. So over the last couple of days our driving style had reflected this and this and the on board computer said we had enough fuel for 71 miles when we first arrived at the Hotel on Monday.  When using the car to the mall on Tuesday we calculated the mall was 5 miles away times 2 which meant that the car should have sufficient fuel for the 14 mile drive to the airport only when we got back to the Hotel the computer had dropped to 52 miles, whoops how did that happen. Anyway we drove at a fuel efficient pace to the airport and of course the RED light came on and bells clanging saying short of fuel and the needle looked low whilst the computer said 38 miles however we now only have four miles to go in no traffic and so it should all be fine but cutting it a little close. Approx half a mile from our destination their had been rather a bad accident and there  were police and ambulance and fire people everywhere and so we were stuck in the traffic for twenty minutes whilst the computer clicked down and then eventually we started moving and we made it with the computer showing 12 miles left, phew that was close and not to be repeated.
Our flight was a little late leaving but this was due to strong headwinds for the aircraft on the way out but this meant our flight back was quite fast, just about nine hours compared to the scheduled 10.5 hours.
Boy it was cold when we got out of the aircraft compared to our past few weeks and we had to turn the heating really up in the house to get it warm.
An easy night watching TV and to bed, that is if we can sleep with the time difference.

Tuesday 4th December- Time to recover

The last few days had left us a little tired and so today was all about taking it easy, well that is apart from having to completely repack our stuff for travel as we have with us kettle, plates and cutlery and a rather large car plug-in cooler box.

This completed we took a trip to the large mall nearby but actually did not buy anything just wander around and had a soup and a sandwich at Panera Bread which was very good. The Hotel is so empty its difficult to find any other guests and apparently the timer between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a great time to visit Las Vegas as all the Hotel prices drop through the floor, our included. As a result many Hotel staff now take this time to holiday as also staff were not so plentiful around the place.
Having had many in room meals we decided as we did not have any microwave etc. that we would eat out and so we took the Hotel shuttle bus down to the Village and went to a nice restaurant called Sunset & Vines and the food was very good and actually, for what we had, not bad value either. The same would have cost us at least 30% more in Weybridge.
Then home to bed

Monday December 3rd- A long drive day today

We got up early just as the sun was rising outside our window overlooking the Sonic hamburger 24 hour restaurant as we have a long way to go today.
We have to leave Monument Valley and head back to Lake Las Vegas via Flagstaff and Kingman and then via the Hoover Dam and finally to our Hotel.
So after a quick brekkie, courtesy of the Hotel we departed around 0800 and Jennifer drove the first stint down through the mountains and again with roads stretching out for miles and we believe you could see up to 100 miles away sometimes.

Just outside of Flagstaff we stopped for a coffee and then changed drivers and Noel did the Intestate as we thought that would be busy but no it was remarkable quiet really. At about 13.30 we arrived at Kingman and from the distance we could see the Airport where they apparently store commercial aircraft which are not required currently or going to their graveyard in the sky. As time was with us we drove the five miles to the Airport, I say airport as my garage is slightly larger than their passenger hall and . we wandered around for a while and took  photos of about 100 aeroplanes owned by Delta, American Airlines, Spanair, SAS and lots from DHL and Continental. It was a little difficult as their were fences and in the way but few security guards.

We also used there airport terminal for a light lunch and then departed the 80 odd miles to the Hoover Dam where we had thought the new road would allow some good photos, but no, you need to go to the Dam and look up to see the new road,, oh well perhaps next time.
We arrived at the Hotel one hour earlier than anticipated as the clock changed by one hour back about half a mile from the Hoover dam to Pacific time.
When we arrived at the Hotel we noticed that the car park was virtually empty? and the doorman informed us that due the time of year they have about 5% occupancy, wow that cannot be good. Anyway as a result of us being a Starpoints member and the hotel being quiet they upgraded us which was nice.
We took all our goods and chattels from the car and wondered how we had got them to the USA in just four cases, oh well some work to be done tomorrow.
We stayed in the Hotel for dinner and went to Ricks cafe and sat by ourselves however we did not mind as after covering about 420 miles today we were not looking for the disco.
Tomorrow will be a relaxing day, repacking and then a little shopping and then some more relaxing, perhaps go in the pool if its warm enough.

2nd December- Monument Valley Utah

A nice blue sky greeted us this morning which hopefully meant the weather would be kind for our trip to Monument Valley. We are staying in a town called Kayenta which seems to live off the Monument Valley tourism trade and as a result the have not a bad small shopping centre. We stopped by here to collect some snacks for lunch and then took a slow drive out to the park which is about 15 miles from.
We went at first to another Hotel we had looked at called Goulding's Lodge which is motel style but with not bad views we thought. This place has been there so long that John Wayne use to stay there when making his cowboy fils and there is a small museum dedicated to his ilk. We also visited the Navajo gift shop but prices seem a little steep and so we departed with nothing.

We were due to meet our tour guide at the View Hotel which when we first checked for Saturday night they wanted $ 250.00 for a double room, not from me will they get this, but is clearly a very nice Hotel with amazing views and far better than those from the Goulding's Lodge. 
We had our snacks and then met with our tour guide who turned out to be a very nice young and very intelligent 19 year old who conducted us around the park in a GMC 4x4 Saloon which was most comfortable considering the appalling road conditions. Our Ford rent-a-car would have given up at the first bump and so we were glad we had decided to spend this money and this gives us the opportunity to go off the beaten track for sights not available if you drive yourself. We had a most enjoyable two and half hours touring and learning about the Navajo beliefs whilst perhaps taking to many photos.

It was a most enjoyable afternoon and well worth the expense.
We got back to the Hotel around five pm and showered off all the red dust and went for dinner in the Hotel restaurant and ordered food which turned out to be far to much for the both of us and so now it is sitting in the boot of car in doggy boxes and will no doubt be enough for lunch tomorrow.
So then an evening to relax and watch TV, last night the Monty Python Film 'The meaning of Life' was on which did surprise us.
Tomorrow we must leave quite early, around 8am if we can as have a long distance to go and we do not want to be driving around Las Vegas area in the dark.

Saturday 1st December- Back on the road again

We had originally booked four nights at the Legacy Golf Resort at Phoenix but as we enjoyed it so much we added another day and and a result would not now be stopping in Sedona overnight.

We have about 320 miles to cover today and we plan stops in Cottonwood and Sedona. The roads out of Phoenix were quite busy and we used the interstates to get going and eventually cam to the turn off for Cottonwood, We arrived first in the new part of town, just like any other US City sprawling malls and gas stations,and then followed signs to the Historic part of town. Within a few minutes we noticed the hundreds of people that had come to welcome us, they were lining the streets with their chairs and food and drink and we though what is really going on. It turns out to be a Christmas parade that will start at 11.00 and finish around four and will travel several miles right through the middle of the old town. Damn. So we were able to take a quick walk, have a coffee and then get back in the car and followed the Police diversions which sent us in the wrong direction but finally we made it back to correct roads. It was a shame as the town looked very nice  and worth a visit but we could not take the risk if being hemmed in.

We arrived in Sedona which is a beautiful town which unfortunately has become a major tourist attraction and holiday destination. The saying goes 'That God designed the world and lives in Sedona', and you can understand why with the fantastic mountains surrounding the town. We were planning to have lunch there but as they were wanting a merer US 15.00 for a basic hamburger we said no carried on walking and eventually left town around 2pm after Jennifer had bought a new cowboy hat.
After a while we arrived in Flagstaff after a rather nice drive through the mountains and then a Quiznos sandwich place and the food was excellent.
After locating an ATM we then left and headed north in the direction of the Grand Canyon but after two hours turned off toward a place called Kayenta where we are booked tonight at the Hampton Hotel for two nights. It was getting dark at 5 pm and that slowed us down a bit but eventually checked in around 6 pm.
It is unusual for a Hampton Inn to have a restaurant but this one does and although the service was a little slow the food was good. In this Navajo controlled area their is no alcohol allowed at all and if the locals get caught the punishment is severe to say the least. If they find booze in your car they confiscate the car or if they find some in your house they then evict you and confiscate the building , boy this is tough.
Tomorrow afternoon we have booked a tour in a 4x4 in Monument Valley rather than risk damaging the hire car. The roads are dirt roads with lots of holes and bumps and the last thing we need is a broken car, miles from anywhere.
Anyway a nice day but just a little tiring