Photo credit: http://womentattoospaper.ga
Nine hours and several scattered downpours later, I arrived in the gorgeous town of Sedona. Other than the airport in Phoenix, I had never really been in Arizona and with many of my friends recommending this particular town, famous for its red rocks and metaphysical qualities, I knew that this was the perfect place to explore the Grand Canyon State.
I cannot even begin to describe my awe when I first saw the landscape. Simply amazing. The desert colors were so vibrant with rusty browns and brilliant blues everywhere I looked. As I made my way to the hotel, I couldn’t stop saying, “It’s so pretty here!” Sure there were some looming storm clouds that would force the cancellation of my planned hot air balloon ride and make the entire trip a wet and chilly one, but I was eager to soak it all in and savor each bit of my first solo vacation.
With two full days to experience as much as I could, I set to work. My hot air balloon ride got cancelled so I booked a Pink Jeep tour instead. I made my way to the Grand Canyon and the old mining town of Jerome. I saw sun, rain, hail, and snow. I did some wine tasting and souvenir shopping. I made friends with other tourists and craft beer enthusiasts. I took photo after photo trying to capture the essence of this beautiful place and felt that none of them did it justice. I checked Yelp for yummy restaurants and treated myself to dessert after dinner. I muddied my boots and got soaked as I stood in the rain at a lookout point waiting for a sunset that was covered by the clouds.
I smiled the entire time.
Love the photos! That’s too bad about the balloon ride, but seems like you definitely made up for it!
Thanks, Amanda! Things happen for a reason and had the balloon ride not been canceled, I probably wouldn’t have gone to the Grand Canyon and I would have seriously missed out if I hadn’t.
Love your photos! I would love to go there sometime.
Thanks, Susie! I can’t recommend Sedona enough and I only wish I had spent more time there. Someday, I’ll be back.
Beautiful spot and so fun to venture out on your own!
Thanks, Bonnie! I have to admit, traveling alone was spectacular. I can’t wait to do it again.
That’s awesome – I have loved some of my solo travels too..it’s just so different and it creates opportunities to engage when you wouldn’t if you were with someone already! Glad you had a great time!
I’m glad you enjoyed your solo trip. Sedona is a very pretty. Great pictures!
Now I see why you travel by yourself, Christina… it’s SO much fun! You meet new people and the only opinion you have to consider is your own. I hope you’re enjoying your summer!
Wow – your photos are spectacular! I LOVE Sedona and that whole entire area. I’ve set at least 3 of my books (not yet published) in that area of Arizona.
And, I also took the Pink Jeep tour and I went to Jerome. I love those kinds of really cool places to explore. I hope you’ll get to go back sometime and spend some more time checking out the petroglyphs and cliff dwellings. Those are pretty danged cool.
Good for you for taking the solo vacation. Sometimes those are the very best.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Thank you, Patricia! I was so surprised by Arizona… I was expecting tumbleweeds and cacti everywhere not forests and rain storms. When I do go back some day, I’ll be sure to check out the petroglyphs and vortices. The weather didn’t allow for much outdoor exploration while I was there, but it was still a remarkable place. 🙂
Sedona is just wonderful, shame you didn’t get better weather but there’s something about the place that really entranced me and I loved it there.
Thanks for stopping by, Lucy! Yes, I happened to be there during a freak storm, but I love rain so it didn’t bother me too much. Someday I’ll go back when the weather is better and I can enjoy even more of beautiful Sedona.
Loved Arizona. The countryside is amazing there. We didn’t do the Pink Jeep tour but that will be next time. We went to Sedona and that was beautiful.
Hope you and your family have a great July 4th weekend! Enjoy and have fun.
I would recommend the Pink Jeep tours, but stay clear of the vortex one. Not enough information about vortices and I think the Broken Arrow tour would have been a little more exciting.
Hope you had a great 4th too, Phil!
Great post! I love Arizona. So much so, that I recently applied for my license to practice law there. And, it was granted. I am awaiting my signed certificate from the Arizona Supreme Court that says I am officially admitted to the Arizona Bar! Once I get that, I am going to look for work in good ol’ Arizona. It really is a special place – you really captured that in this post. Great work!
Thank you, Kevin! I was truly amazed by just how beautiful Arizona was. Even if the weather wasn’t “ideal” to some (I always love the rain so I was pretty happy with it). It wasn’t the tumbleweed-rolling, old saloon, dusty place I was expecting. Then again, it looks like my picture of Arizona was based entirely off of westerns.
Congratulations on being admitted to the Arizona Bar! That’s incredible and quite an accomplishment. I’m sure you’ll be inspired if/when you relocate. Talk about some gorgeous pictures. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Thanks, Jessica! As a matter of fact, I actually have done a post on Arizona (this wasn’t some round about way of getting you to look at my post haha). http://kevinhotter.com/2015/03/03/arizona-grandeur-2/ I agree – taking photos in Arizona is awesome. You can probably spend a lifetime just snapping away. Between the desert, plants, sunshine. Oh man. It is a photographer’s dream location. 🙂