Day 5 - Grand Canyon

The Coffee Terrace with the best view in Sedona
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Again up at 6 am leaving Phoenix at 8 for the drive to the Grand Canyon. En route we stopped at Sedona a once hippy commune that now has a a wide range of shops and places to eat.  Look for the terrace bar at the back of the largest coffee shop overlooking the surrounding hills.  A contrast to the barren boulder fields and desert we drove thro' after San Diego.  The scenery is now quite lush and green and a pleasant change.  Collected sandwiches and drinks for a pleasant picnic lunch at Sliding Rock, a gorge just outside Sedona with picnic tables and small shop selling delicious ice cream.  Lunch finished at 1pm and then onto the Grand Canyon.  We arrived at the Heliport at 3 pm for our helicopter flight into the Canyon.  Briefed and took off at 4:30.  WOW. You just have to go there to expereince  the vastness of the canyon. Flight was 25 minutes and worth every penny. Glorious colours as the sun was setting.  After the flight went to Bright Angel Lodge to stand on the very rim of the canyon.  We stayed there as the sun set it was magical.  You just have to find a quiet spot, sit quietly and let the atmosphere sink into your soul, almost spiritual.  Tonight out stop was in Kayenta's Best Western Squire Inn. A place described elsewhere as: "when you get there put your foot down and keep going".  Hotel was very good but dinner options limited. We went for the Yippee Ay Yeah steakhouse.  Full to overflowing, huge portions and cheap, but very strange waitress. Not particularly recommeded.