Gday everyone.

Well, our 32 days  in the US South West ( California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada) sure was exhausting.
The flight over was on a new double deck Airbus A380.
Once aboard you would never know it was a double deck plane.
We found it comfortable with adequate legroom and by far the quietest jet weve ever flown on.
Spent the first week in El Segundo (Near LAX airport) in Los Angeles with old friends Conrad & Marla Liberty and their family sleeping in their 'Airsteam' caravan.
The 'Airsteam's tre the ones that look like a silver bullet.
And as on previous visits they really spoilt us rotten. Lots of retail therapy for Jane and catching up with the LA County Life Guard scene for John.
The highlight was a day at the world renown John Paul Getty Museum. One word describes these incredible buildings and art within.  Wow!

At the end of the week we picked up a rental car and drove south towards the Mexico border to San Diego.
This created a few problems in the beginning as all the drivers (Except John) were driving on the wrong side of the road.
Booked into our hotel in the Mission Valley and then headed further south to Imperial Beach where Johns daughter Natalie (Main reason for the trip to the US) works for the YMCA.We met Natalie and she showed us through her home on the beach at Camp Surf.
Arranged for brunch the following day (Mothers day).
Spent the week exploring San Diego.
The downtown Gas Lamp district, Little Italy where we enjoyed a fanatic pasta lunch, Old Town San Diego, Mission Valley Shopping Mall, and the US west coasts largest Factory Outlet Mall in San Ysidro on the Mexican border with Tijuana.
And the real jewel in San Diego, Balboa Park. This is a massive area of parkland adjacent to the downtown area that contains the famous Zoo and the beautiful old architecture of a multitude of 100 year old museums all close together and set in sculpture flower beds and fountains. In most cities the museums are scattered throughout the town, here theyre all in one place.
The day before we left we met Natalie again for lunch in a Brewery on Coronado Island.    
The next day we headed off east for a spectacular drive through the rock strewn mountains to Yuma just over the Arizona border.
The town has 28,000 RV sites to catter for the 'Snow Birds' (Grey Nomads).
The downtown area is very old and reminiscent of the wild west. Enjoyed the park on the banks of the Colorado river.

The following day was an easy drive to Phoenix for two nights.
One night would have been plenty as this must rate as Americas most boring town. But to give it its dues. Its spotlessly clean with no graffiti.
So far all our driving has been on divided roads which makes it a lot easier to avoid the cars being driven on the wrong side. LOL.

Now were heading for the country we really want to see.
North today to Flagstaff with a detour through SEDONA as this was recommended by some people on a few Internet Caravan forums.
Holly S*#t!   What a place.
Its a picturesque little town in a valley not unlike parts of the Grand Canyon and the road out north to Flagstaff is a minnie adventure of its own.

Now in Flagstaff for a couple of days. John was last hear 20 years ago and cant get over the changes.
The town is surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks and lies at 6,900ft above sea level which is only a little less than Australias highest mountain at 7,310ft.         
Its quite a decent size town with a very historic downtown area and laid out with wide streets.
After a nights sleep its a 1 hour drive to the Grand Canyon. Words cannot describe the breathtaking scene that awaits the visitor.
It looks more like a large painted mural than a hole in the ground.
The return drive to Flagstaff took us past the highest mountain in Arizona, Humphreys Peak at 12,637ft.  Snow covered of course.

Another drive north to Utah and Monument Valley that first came to fame in the 1930 John Ford  movie Stagecoach starring John Wayne.
Booked into our hotel in Kayenta and then did a quick drive out to the park entrance. It was pouring rain and very misty, but what we saw was fantastic.
After a nights sleep the sky had cleared and off we went to explore the main tourist section of the park.
The road to the park entrance and tourist info centre was bitumen, but once we began the decent into the valley proper it turned into a rough rock covered track for the next 17 miles.
The trip to Monument Valley has been a dream of Johns for 40 years and it certainly didn't disappoint us both. The camera has nearly been worn out.
For great pics just Google Monument Valley Images.

 Back in Flagstaff for the night we went for a coffee and while we were inside it started to snow quite heavily.
Jane was delighted as it is the first time she has actually seen it snowing.
All this snow and only one week before the US summer begins.

This is our last day with the rental car.
Off west, and then north into Nevada.
First stop, Hoover Dam.   This man made marvel of engineering is a must see for anyone visiting Las Vegas.
Now a easy 20 mile drive to drop off the car in Vegas.
In Las Vegas we stayed at the Excalibur Casino Hotel on the famed Vegas strip.
Our dear friends Joe & Cheryle Smith flew down from Denver to spend a few days with us.
After they returned to Denver we found ourselves at a loss for things to do as most of the casinos have now  abolished their free street side shows and/or inside displays due to the downturn in visitor numbers due to the Global Financial Crisis.

 Saturday has arrive and were off to the Vegas Airport for a flight to Los Angeles.
We were pleasantly surprised on our arrive to find Marla & Conrad waiting in the arrival lounge for us.
A quick trip to their home, a nice dinner and an early to bed in the trusty 'Airsteam'.

Our last day in the US was spent quietly before our departure back home at 11.30pm.
Melbourne fog bound so diverted to Sydney, refueled and back to Melbourne 3 hours late.

Back home now.  Thanks be to the Gods.
Pantry and fridge have been restocked.
Bags unpacked, washing and ironing is done.
Lawns are cut and so is Johns hair.
Emails answered.
Mail opened, sorted and mostly shredded.
$15 a week rise in the aged pension.  Whoo! Whoo!.

Cheers, ozjohn & ozjane.
PS> Saw lots of extremely poor quaility (But cheap) vans, and only a handfull (higher priced) that would stand up to Aussie conditions.