Arizona and into Nevada

Finally some time to update you on the most recent happenings here on the road trip. In the last 3 days we've been squeezing in magical sights from 'Meteor Crater' in Arizona to Hoover Dam and then to Las Vegas in Nevada, where we are now.

Here's a few pictures...

'Meteor Crater' is 30 miles east of Flagstaff, AZ, and a stunning natural phenomenon in otherwise flat and arid ranch land beneath the Navajo mountains. 1 mile wide and approx. 50,000 years old apparently, oh and would fit downtown San Francisco inside it to give you an idea of it's scale.  It's the best preserved meteor crater in the world and was used by NASA to train astronauts before the moon landing!

 
A 4 hour drive and a sharp increase in temperature (up 10 degrees within an hour to 42 degrees Celsius) took us to Hoover Dam. The Dam itself spans the Arizona/Nevada state line, and has changed since I last saw it 12 years ago; not the 1930's dam of course, but there is now an amazing bridge (bypass) which allows highway access to Las Vegas without travelling over the Dam itself.



Lake Mead (the world's largest manmade lake) being held back by Hoover Dam

 

Once we had been wowed by HD, we travelled a further 35 miles into the centre of the neon action in Las Vegas. It's hard to describe as a place, if you haven't been here you should come, it really is a sight to see. Over the past few days we've been to New York (again), Paris, Venice, Treasure Island, watched a volcano explode, a fabulous Bellagio fountain show, flamingos and lots lots more...

 

 
Tomorrow, on our final day, we are heading for Circus acts and rollercoasters at height...then it's onto San Francisco for my final project...have a great weekend.