Sunday September 20/Monday September 21
Travel is not about escaping life; it is about exploring the vastness of the world.
There is something wonderful about beginning a journey when you don’t quite know what adventures await around the next bend.
Our latest adventure out West got off to a somewhat unconventional start. In fact, if travel is supposed to be about the journey rather than the destination, we got an early reminder of that lesson!
We flew out of Huntsville through Atlanta to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, thunderstorms were creating havoc in several places, and our flight from Huntsville was delayed. Then our flight in Atlanta was delayed. Then we missed our connecting flight in Atlanta. Delta rebooked us on another flight, which was then delayed.
But eventually, we were airborne and headed west.
We finally arrived at our hotel in Las Vegas at 1:55 PDT on Monday morning. We were in bed by 2:30. For most people, that might not sound like much of a night’s sleep, but I managed to sleep in a little. For me, “sleeping in” means staying in bed until 6:45 a.m. I suppose retirement has not completely changed my internal alarm clock!
Despite the delays, we were grateful. Our flight was safe, and Delta kept us informed along the way. Sometimes you simply have to remind yourself that arriving late is considerably better than not arriving at all.
And once we arrived, our western adventure finally began.
Rather than trying to cram a lot into our first day, we enjoyed a leisurely day around the Las Vegas Hilton at Resorts World.
I began the morning with breakfast at Junior’s, right there at the resort. I also took a plate from Juniors back to the room for Amanda, who was still sleeping in. After our long travel day and short night, it was nice not to have an agenda.
One of the things we have learned about traveling is that you don’t have to turn every day into a race.
Sometimes the best travel memories are made when you slow down long enough to enjoy where you are.
As we often do when we travel, we enjoyed one substantial midafternoon meal and then settled for a light snack in the evening. We found a great diner near UNLV called Blueberry Hill Family Restaurant.
It was exactly our kind of place. Nothing pretentious. Just good food, friendly surroundings, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable the moment you walk through the door.
And there was an added bonus for seniors: a complimentary dessert!
So naturally, we did what any sensible senior travelers would do. We took our desserts to go and saved them for our evening snack.
For our “light” evening snack, Amanda chose Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake and I selected Carrot Cake. Both were delicious…and huge. We could only eat a portion. Some travel traditions are worth preserving!
On the way back to our room, we drove by the Sphere, which has become one of the most recognizable landmarks in Las Vegas. We’re saving the inside experience for later in the trip. Next Sunday evening, when we return to Vegas for a couple of days before we head home, we plan to see The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere.
So our first day included a little preview of one of the experiences still waiting for us at the end of our journey.
Our rental car provided another unexpected twist.
We had reserved a Nissan Rogue, but when we arrived at the rental counter, the only SUV available was a Nissan Kicks. We had never driven one before.
As it turns out, the Kicks drives great, has plenty of room for the two of us, and has all the accessories we need for our journey. Sometimes the substitute turns out to be a pleasant surprise.
Perhaps that’s another lesson travel teaches us: Not everything has to go according to plan for things to turn out well.
Tomorrow we head toward Utah. Our plan is to stop at Valley of Fire State Park in the morning and then continue on to Hurricane, Utah. On Wednesday, we’ll return to Zion National Park for our second visit. We last visited there around 25 years ago.
From there, we’ll head to Page, Arizona, where we’ll explore Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
Then it’s on to the Grand Canyon, followed by a return visit to Hoover Dam, which we have also visited before.
After that, we’ll head back to Las Vegas for a round of golf before catching our flight home.
And, of course, there is one more adventure waiting for us before we leave—the Wizard of Oz at the Sphere. It should be quite a journey.
One of the things we appreciate more and more about travel is that the destination is only part of the blessing. There is the anticipation before the trip. There are the unexpected moments along the way. There are new places to explore, old places to revisit, good meals to discover, beautiful scenery to enjoy, and memories to make together.
And there is something for which we are especially grateful: the health and opportunity to travel during our retirement years. We don’t take that blessing for granted.
Every journey reminds us that life is a gift, and every new destination gives us another opportunity to appreciate the beauty, diversity, and awesome wonder of God’s creation.
So, despite a delayed beginning, our adventure is officially underway.
The bags are packed. The car is ready. The road is calling.
And we’re grateful to have the opportunity to answer.
Welcome to the adventure. This week I’ll be sharing a few highlights from our journey here on my blog. We hope you’ll follow along as we make our way across the West—one scenic stop, memorable meal, unexpected detour, and scenic sunset at a time.
