Grand Canyon Day Ten

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Even though the forecast had been for snow, I didnt expect to wakeup to 5 inches.

It was also freezing. We madeour way to the train station at 8.30am to collect our tickets for the train we had booked to The Grand Canyon (to save Zoe from driving). The tickets cost $70 each.

We boarded the train at 9.15am and set off at 9.30am for the teo hour, 15 minute journey through the snowy Arizona wilderness.

Facts I learned from our Passenger Service Attendant (Kathy) on the train...

- Williams is 6,700 feet above sea level and gets 85-145 inches of snow a year.
- It is a 1950's town and is the starting point of the Grand Canyon Railway
- It is on route 66 and is 65 miles from the Grand Canyon.
- The inhabitants that live just outside of Williams in thee mountains (that were Volcanic once upon a time) do not have access to fresh water and so pay for it to be delivered monthly. Water is therefore treated like gold.

We were also entertained by a Banjo player on the journey.

The train stopped near the South Rim of the Canyon,but as it was snowing heavily and really foggy, all we could see was a hazy mist.

After waiting around for the weather to clear (which it didnt), we went into a bar for a coffee, (as it was -5 degrees outside), for a coffee. It was in the bar that the barman told Faye that her doppleganger worked there.

We had already found Zoe's doppleganger on a poster in Vegas, so I was really excited, but she didnt start work until 2pm, so I madea mental note and we headed back outside to continue our wander round the South rim.

We saw bits of the Canyon (as the clouds and fog moved around) but what we did see was amazing. I dont even know how to describe it. I would love to go back and see it at sunset on a clear day.

We walked for about half an hour and took hundreds of photos, but they just dont do it justice.

We got back on the train at 3.30pm and played games with Kathy and were then entrtained by Calvin, who played the guitar and harmonica. We then had a quiz based on what we had seen during the day.

Finally, a fake robbery took place. Costumed men in 'armed bandits' outfits demanded loose change from us, while the sheriff lumbered along the carriages to apprehend them. The kids loved it.

We arrived back at Williams at 5.45pm and spent the evening shopping (the shops close at 10pm here)

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