Thursday was technically the second day to our five day trip, yet the first full day for exploration. After waking up about 9, we were dying to cruise around town! 

    As we got in our vehicle in search of a recommended Red Mountain, we jumped in our rental car and began wheeling around. As soon we pulled out on the road Graham said, "look mountains!" Unbeknownst to us when we flew in at dark, we were surrounded in every direction by them! It was my first time personally seeing mountains; they were magnificent. 

    Our first stop really just showed us (mostly me, Graham had visited Arizona once before) the true desert landscape. It was just a stark contract as opposed to Georgia or Florida. It's crazy the diversity that can be found on this continent! 

    After stopping for a moment to buy breakfast at CVS we decided to hike a mountain, Graham has scoffed at that title and insisting it was merely a foothill! Nay, I say, it was not- at least, climbing it certainly felt mountain like. Judge not from the initial photos! The later ones show how large it really was :)

    When we came back down I finally saw my first cactus over a few inches tall! The desert is a strange, beautiful place. 

    From this point on, Graham and I did not have a point in our trip with just the two of us. We formed a few different groups with friends who flew out with us from back home. It was really nice though, it definitely enhanced our trip! We  met up with Graham's younger brother and his wife who were staying with a local who served his mission with Jared. This guy chauffeured us around all day, which was so nice!

    Our first stop, after a really good lunch at Cafe Rio, was an old mining town called Goldfield Ghost Town. Imagine time traveling to an old western town and you've probably conjured up better than what I could describe! This actually was pretty interesting location; there was a gold mine to explore, an ice cream parlor, a train ride, a place to pan for gold, a little gun shooting game, a small zip line and some of the most scenic views to exist. I'm telling you, if you're in Mesa, visit this place. It is SO worth it.

    Yes. I did say zip line and you know we had to ride it! I will just say that when we were at the top, it was breathtaking. The mountains towering around us, the desert just as dry and exotic as ever.

    After this we drove over to some place I'll never remember the name of it! It was in the outskirts of Mesa, and we drove on an intensely bumpy and winding road! I was actually terrified, just because I am so nervous about wrecking, and prayed for our driver throughout. 

    We passed a humongous water fountain, I believe the highest shooting fountain our tourguide said. We actually passed that to visit a National (possibly? I don't know) park and gorgeous place alongside the road with horses.

    But what I was excited about was the Indian reservation we were on :) I'll be honest, it wasn't what I expected at all. It mostly appeared to be inhabited desert land, sprinkled with a few mobile homes and one large casino. More than anything, it made me sad that all of the recent things I have heard or read about Native Americans seem to be true: Anericanized, poor, gamblers. Of course I can definitely not say that this is true of all, just seems to be a generalization with some truths. But I did have to smile when I saw an old red skinned man with long black hair and a few feathers on his cap. I love my heritage! 

    After all of traveling we had to rush over to the groom-to-be's house to prepare for a preweddig party! So we met up with Mitch (aka Groom) and his two friends visiting from England -international wedding, woop woop!- and all left for supper. In and Out is one of those fast food places that I have heard about from friends who live (or have lived) out West. I, not being a hamburger kind of lady, had a grilled cheese and a shake: pretty tasty :) 

    Then we were on to Scottsdale to engage in a go kart activity. Okay, I know what you're thinking: 'go kart? So what. Lame.' 

    Wrong. This is an intense 45mph race, in an open little cart, subject to more danger and this more fun. We wore head socks (giggle, giggle), Graham tested his strength with a punching bag, I played a few rounds of ice hockey. I'm coming back for a rematch Jared Alexander (who seems to beat me in every single competitive thing we do- croquet, phase 10, ugh)! Overall, this was so, so much fun! I told Graham that if we ever opened a business then this would be it. 

(FYI: Lav Fox=Mitch, Midfield General=Ollie, Graham Cracker=Graham,  Lacizzle=Lacey, Birdy=Jared, Kipin It Real=Kipin, Rachael=Rachael.    Ha! Totally forgot I beat Jared! Woo! Redemption! For real, I'm too competitive.)

    

    Go, Mitch, Go! The man of the hour was our winner! After we exhausted ourselves with that, we had to go for some gelato. By the time we finished with that I was ready to crawl in the bed. Originally Thursday was our only free day, and boy did we give it justice. This was one of the most amazing days I have ever experienced. 

ARIZONA: Phoenix

    Wednesday night at seven we arrived in Phoenix, bare in mind it would be nine o'clock in our time, and both of us were prepared to leave the airport and explore. 

    After we left the airport we had to rent a car at a local spot. Unfortunayely, our original dealership refused to honor our reservation (long boring story) so we ended up switching to a new company, leaving with a silver Impala two hours later. Graham had researched Phoenix, and we decided to hang out there since we were staying in Mesa. 

    If you are ever in the downtown Phoenix area, go! It was a very hip place. 

ARIZONA: Flying

    I know, I know, I had zero intentions of blogging as I vacation but hey, I'm on a plane with time on my hands! Since I've already taken a few hundred pictures I decided to share about my first plane trip!

    So I didn't go in to work at all on Wednesday but graham actually worked until 10am. Our plane was scheduled  to leave the JAX Airport at 12:43. So while I was at home I packed, cleaned around my house, repacked and tried my best to lie all loose ends! Seriously, there is a few things I couldn't have over a thousand miles away. 

    Anyways, as we neared the airport (with the help of my sweet mother in law Camille) I did begin to feel nervous, with a twinge of excitement. I've only entered an airport twice to help retrieve an uncle and a friend, so just about everything was foreign to me.

    For the first time I had to show my boarding pass, go through security and hangout in the terminal. We arrived with plenty of time, I was slightly nervous but things were going good! Then I hear a weird pounding? I look outside and the raining is coming down in sheets with occasional lightning.

    Yep. You read correctly. I am about to board on my first plane ride as the weather is howling and shrieking! 

    We went through the gateway and onto the plane anyway. It was not as huge as I initially pegged it to be, but still intimidated me. But we were able to sit where we has previously picked, midway with me sitting by the window. 

    Psyching myself up I jammed out to music, refused to look out if a window (ironically after I spent so much time making sure I had a window away) and we began to talk to the man seated next to us. He actually reassured me that the rain had passed, that it was only a little rain cloud. Thank heavens, he was right. The rain stopped and our engines began! We slowly drove forward headed to the runway. It seemed to take forever for us I actually get in the air. Finally, after several minutes of waiting next to the takeoff lane a flight attendant announced that Air Control delayed our departure for 15 minutes.

    After the allotted time, we received an all clear. The wheels started rolling and I began praying venomously! So everyone had told me that I would be fine, and deep down I knew that, but what I wasn't prepared for was the sudden burst of intense speed used to get us actually in the air. So I was laughing, giddily with nervous excitement, and recording. This dang little plane jerked up into the air going utterly vertical. I'll be honest, I definitely panicked for the few minute watching all of Jacksonville become smaller and smaller. We experienced a few bumps which were supposedly  turbulence, and those scared the life out of me! 

    But I'll be honest, I was sick on my stomach but really enjoying it at the same time. When we finally leveled out and bid adieu to the rising elevation and popping ears, it was so surreal staring out of the window looking at the clouds and layout of the land. It's one thing to see pictures, but to be a witness is a different thing entirely. The one word that kept ringing through my head the entire trip was 'majestic.' 

Flying on an Airplane

    Hello! Well I am on pins and needles today... Tomorrow Graham and I are leaving for Arizona! Eek! I am so nervous, excited and any other extreme high or low you can imagine. For those who don't know, I have never been on an airplane. Furthermore, I have never left the Southeastern part of the United States. This will absolutely be two things to check off on my bucket list.

    Graham and I are attending a wedding for a friend, who actually was in our wedding last April. I am grateful to be able to take part in this special time in their lives. Beyond that, however, we have decided to make a special trip as well. If all things run according to our plan we should visit 3 temples, visit a national park/Indian reservation and, oh yeah, see the Grand Canyon. Oh this life I am living- I am so blessed!

    We have been preparing for this trip since October. It has really benefited us to buy things along and along, which is what I am going to have to do next time! For instance, we bought plane tickets first, a few months later the hotel, a bit after that we rented a car. So we have been able to finance our trip without having a huge burden overhead. 

    I am so glad that I have Graham, who has flown many times, to be able to help take my worries away! He has tried to arrange the majority of things (like a window seat for me, fingers crossed) and let me stick to the stressing ;) He is so excited to be able to reconnect with some of his closest friends.

    As my time is winding down, I feel exceptionally antsy! I am still trying to pack everything into a small suitcase, have copies of our itineraries and whatnot. I desperately hope to have everything prepared and squared away. 

    I'm totally going to be fine, I know, I know. I definitely have been infected by Grandma Marilyn and her "worry wart" syndrome! So I enjoy blogging and receiving feedback to calm my nerves.

    With that being said- is there any suggestions I should adhere to when flying or having a layover? Any special places to visit in Phoenix/Mesa? I would like to collect something (not really tee shirts) to commemorate the places we have went, any suggestions? We have a good bit of flexibility in our schedule, so definitely recommend away. 

    Just think, the next time you all hear from me, I'll have just started on my lifelong world traveling escapade :)