LV part 2 - Grand Canyon (Wed 5th Sept)

Woke up mid-morning, showered & started to organise & rename photos.  Went downstairs & got a Berry Fruit Crepe for lunch, which was very nice.  Then got prepared & went downstairs to wait for the shuttle to take me to the airfield for my helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon.  It started to rain a wee bit on the way but it cleared up by the time we got to the airfield.  There were about 40 people waiting to go on the tour, which concerned me a bit with how big the helicopter would be.  But then we were told we would be put into groups of about 7 per helicopter, so it was all good.  Once we were in our groups (I was in a group with 3 Australian couples) we headed out to the helicopters with our pilots where each group had a photo taken with the pilot.  We then got into the helicopters & prepared for take off.  It was my 1st time in a helicopter, and I was sitting in the front beside the door & window, so I was a tad nervous as we climbed higher & higher.  It was all good tho and the view was amazing!!  There was music playing & after a while it was obvious that it had been 'choreographed' with the view.  We headed out to the Grand Canyon, flew over a part of Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam and then flew thru some of the Grand Canyon.  We then landed about 3000 feet below the rim where we had a cup of bubbly & a snack and a chance to walk around for about half an hour before getting back in the helicopters & flying back to Las Vegas.  I am sure Mum was with me coz the weather was gorgeous so we could see lots of detail for the whole tour.  We stopped at a fuel station on the way back which was located in the middle of nowhere.  We then took off again while the sun was setting and saw the lights of Las Vegas in the distance.  I tried to take photos but with the vibrations of the helicopter all I got was lines of lights.  I can't say anything but WOW!!  It was AMAZING!!  I took HEAPS of photos but they didn't capture the atmosphere & awesomeness of what one saw.  Luckily I had decided to get the dvd of the trip so I can relive it all again.  I got back to the hotel about 9pm & just went to bed.

Helicopters waiting for us.

This is the actual helicopter I went in.

Me, Ulrich & our pilot (photo taken by tour company before taking off).

Part of McCarran Airport.

Suburbs of Las Vegas.

New houses being built.

On our way to the Grand Canyon.

Getting closer.

A small part of Lake Mead.

Hoover Dam.

The white area is where the water used to come up to.

Getting closer.

Another part of Lake Mead.

And here it is!!  The Grand Canyon.

Flying thru the Grand Canyon.  We flew about 1000ft above the Colorado River.

Our landing area.

"Cheers Mum.  We're here, we are actually in the Grand Canyon."  Me with a cup of bubbly.

Taken from our landing area which was about 3000ft below the rim level.

Me living on the edge!

The view was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!  I took heaps of photos but they don't capture the atmosphere very well.

Leaving the Grand Canyon.

On our way to the helicopter refuelling station. A settlement in the middle of nowhere.  Apparently the guy sold these lots as waterfront properties and it was found out it was a scam.  He did get arrested & go to jail for it.

Ulrich living on the edge by sitting on the edge of the helicopter 'wing'.

The sun going down as we left the refuelling station (which was in the middle of nowhere).

On our way back to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas all lit up.

Las Vegas at night. I was sitting at the back of the helicopter & it was vibrating quite a bit so all my night photos turned out like this or worse.  So glad I decided to get a dvd of the flight.