Moseying into Tucson

Varmint
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Well howdy agin pardners, it's been a while since we could lowg owan to the darn intreenate so scuse me ifn i gits confused.  Our great pals Mick and Donna who have been such amazing hosts for what must have seemed months to them pack us of.  Mick said it felt as if he was sending us off to school as he packed our cooly box with ham and pickle sandwiches crisps and bottles of Stella...."it helps me concentrate sir"

As we barrel out of balmy 75 degree California into the Arizona desert the external temp guage seems to go up a couple of degrees every 10 minutes until it's a sweltering 109 outside.  Inside we have the air con on full bore to keep us at a more British 68.  Consequence is, when we get out of the car it's like opening the door of a fan oven mid way through cooking your sunday roasties and yorkshire pud.  All moisture is imediately leached from your body, or would be if we didn't constantly replace it with the beer.

Prickly
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In Tucson we find a great little hotel full of olde world courtesy, there are complementary drinks with the manager between five and seven oclock (we're only paying $50 a night!!) Course what they don't mention is the olde world train line which although far enough away has huge engines running all night and it's apparently vital they blast away on their bloody horns or whatever every 20 minutes....ho hum.

Obviously we've visited a few countries now but funnily  enough we had more traouble understanding the Kiwis than anyone, till we got here.  We  needed a Pharmacy and asked directions, and subsequently spent 20  minutes looking for a shop called Fid and Willers.  Couldn't find it anywhere, asked someone else, they'd never heard of it.  "What kind of shop is it?" they ask

Hayulp......Hayulp......
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"A pharmacy"

"there's one over there" pointing to a Walgreaves (US for Boots) on the corner of Fifth and Wiltshire.

Kim trying to get a bottle of water was just a joy to behold.

"A bottle of water please"

Stick em up!
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"What?"

"Water"

"what?"

"Water ...it's over there"

"You want what?"

"WATER"

A bloke behind her takes mercy.

"She wants warder"

"OOHHHH Warder"

On the outskirts of Tucson are the old tucson film studios.  Countless Cowboy films were shot here with all the great stars, as well as Bonanza, little house on the prairie, High Chaperal, the lone ranger and all sorts.  It's a fantastic day out with all the usual shoot outs and mock up saloons.  The place is set in amongst the Saguaro national park which is one of those places you have to see to believe.

The Saguaro cactus is the cactus that a kid draws if he's drawing a scene from a western, looks like someone with their hands up.  Only they grow up to 50 foot tall here and there are millions upon millions of them stretching away to the horizon in all directions up and down hills and mountains.  Some are in beautiful flower and all have resident birds, doves and owls mainly, it's a stunning place.