Leaving Arizona

Leaving Las Vegas sounds much more melodramatic, but familiarity comes with leaving Arizona …. I’ve been here quite a few times during my skydiving career, but this departure is proving to be the most entertaining and adventurous by far. Departures are never easy, but with both my handsome co-pilot ::

and the gorgeous scenery surrounding us, giving me reason to smile and glow, I find it difficult not to savour the journey as it progresses fluidly through mountainous territories filled with desert sunrises and majestic limestone and sandstone cliffs and mesas.

Travelling through Sedona was a truly spiritual experience, especially after climbing the Red Rock cliffs {known for its energy vortex sites} surrounding the Sedona airport (with a 5000 ft runway leading from end to end of the mesa it’s built upon) … the red of the hearty soil added a striking beauty reminiscent of my time in Australia.

The local Sedona area magazine Four Corners had a transformational horoscope which seems to fit me to a ‘T’ at this stage in my life. Its closeness to home hit me like a rock::

LEO ~ July 23 – Aug 22:
You are taking an original stance copping a brave new attitude. Transformation of who you are in this world comes to you at this time through the higher mind activities of teaching and learning, seeking novel perspectives through travel to exotic realms, imaginary or otherwise, and exploring your basic beliefs. You are preparing to break even further away from the pack at this time when a fresh burst of energy for career and profession is at hand. During May you are very much out in the world, and yet also performing some important in-depth research into your innermost realities as well. Compassionate partners are supportive as you sort out old issues of self versus other, and take up your own authority independent of others. You are finding a new way to be you, and of finally leaving some painful parts of your past behind. It’s not that you are entirely shedding your skin, but definitely putting some new wine in the old bottles.

Arriving in Flagstaff and exploring the downtown core {with shadows casting mystical stories on the buildings which we wandered through} was a delightful prelude to what would lay ahead of us on this trip home. We stayed in a quaint and cosy hostel (Hostel Dubeau) where we lucked out on receiving both a free meal and an unused entrance pass to the Grand Canyon.

It was an early morning departure at 4am for us to find our way to the Grand Canyon for sunrise. We were told that arriving an hour before official sunrise was best. On this particular morning, that advice held promisingly true.

Not only did the Canyon’s meandering depths and colours reveal themselves to us in stages and layers, the drizzle was light and the sun, a misty ethereal ball, provided the backdrop to a photographers dream. My query … how does one convey and encapsulate the beauty that a photograph can’t even portray?

Well try as I may, I am unable to at best, but nevertheless, I sure as heck was going to try! Trying to keep the camera from frying itself with the steady light shower was a difficult challenge which I was all too willing & eager to ignore, in the name of beauty of this one-of-a-kind moment. Bah … Haven’t I learned better, with my experience and luck with cameras?! 🙂

The heavens released down on us shortly thereafter so we decided to exit the park and watch the Canyon in all its beauty and glory from the seats of an Imax theatre, not far from the gate’s entrance. Wow, wow, wow. Don’t miss this film folks. Stunning!

With having earned a free ticket entrance, we weren’t all that perturbed at championing the existential tourist stance of ‘splash and dash’ where one grabs the quick postcard shot and says ‘been there, done that’. There will be another time when a well-planned several day excursion within the Canyon’s depths will serve to provide a more vibrant experience of the spirituality of this grandiose phenomenon.

After an expensive measly breakfast at MacD’s, we made our way to Albuquerque, revelling in the beauty of the snow that skirted the red-soiled tops of the surrounding mountains. Snow! In Arizona .. who would have thought?? Arizona = desert and saguaros, no? 😉