Helicopters, Heat and hEmergency Services

Today Kate and I visited the Grand Canyon using the Sundance tour company (A fantastic compapany and would highly recommed it to anyone). Beginning at about 10 O'clock this morning we were picked up from the hotel by Limosine and taken to the airport where we were picked up by our pilot, Joel, who would fly us to the Grand Canyon by helicopter. but before that a quick photoshoot next to our helicoper,


complete with crash survival kit strapped to our waists, because thats what you want if your helicopter crashes into the water... a small yellow pouch filled with a little yellow vest, (presumably to make it easier for the authorites to find your body afterwards)

Our flightpath took us over the Nevada desert to the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, both of these are unbelievably beautiful in independent ways. Lake Mead looked amazing from the sky, you could see into the water a good 10 meters under the surface. Whilst the grandure of the hoover dam is stunning. On route we also saw Lake Las Vegas and Boulder City. Before we knew it we flew over one more and there it was, nature at its finest and most beautiful as we entered the grand canyon.

We soon came into land on a hill side with tiny little helipads. It was from here we took our boat trip up the Colorado river. Only 15 minutes but a wonderful experience and one which puts the great size of the canyon in perspective.

On returning from the boat trip it was back to the Helicopter for our ascent up to the canyon rim. from here we took in the awesome sights of the Canyon and approached the fearsome Skywalk at Eagle's Point. At more than more than 4,000 feet above the canyon floor with a glass floor (made in Germany, don't metion the war!!!!) Kate was a little apprehensive to look down but soon got over it knowing now that can withstand an 8.0 magnitude earhquake and the weight of 71 fully loaded Boeing 747 aircraft. This truly was an amazing experience.

We then took a short bus ride to Guano Point for some lunch and some of the best views of the Canyon. Both of these would have to wait however as Kate took this opportunity to faint in the lunch queue just as we got to the front! 'I'm going to faint...' then slump 'watch my camera!' shouts I. Doused with ice cold water she quickly came to but the staff insisted she see the EMS, an ambulance pulled up and Kate was taken in to be tested... not by the X-files for alien activity but you get what I mean. I meanwhile waited anxiously outside the closed doors inhaling dust and exhaust fumes 'ahhh nature' took some nice photos too. On her release from the ambulance we did finally get some lunch, pulled pork or chicken....we each got one, the pulled pork was very good the chicken not so much!! So we shared the pulled pork in quasedes (I think that is how it is spelt!!) and had an amazing chocolate brownie!! After lunch we took more photos before, of course claiming the Canyon as Her Majesty's territory by planting the Flag. heading back to the 'terminal' and waited to depart for Vegas.

The flight home took a slightly different path, we crossed lake Mead from a different end passing the Lava dome , an extinct volcano on the outskirts of the city before crossing down town and swooping our way over the strip which was oh so cool!!

Written and experienced by

Kate 'Fainter' Davies and

Chris ' Flagman' Davies