Continuing road trip to Arizona

Whoever wrote "Arizona is a road tripper's dream because of its stunning landscape features" obviously hasn't been to New Zealand. Yes Arizona has its scenic showstoppers but there are hours of driving through desert scrub and Navajo reservations between the highlights.

We continued down the country towards Arizona and stopped for three days in Moab, Utah to experience two more National Parks, Arches Monuments and Canyonland. Both were amazing Arches for for its giant sweeping arcs of sandstone with a red desert backdrop. An all day hike would have seen the best of them, but we weren't quite prepared under 83 degrees of blistering sunshine.

Canyonland provided greater variety of tall jutting columns and spires, deep craters, crimson hues, and vast serpentine canyons looming high above the Colorado and Green Rivers. Apart from anything else it is an off-roader's playground.

Down the country we continued to Prescott, Arizona where Doug and Jerry-Lee live. They have nearly finished building their house, an 8 year project on a hectare of land. They live the American dream with five vehicles, two boats, motorbike, and a variety of other toys. Shopping appears to be a national pastime! When we thought we saw it all another toy was hidden in one of the garages!!

We are spending considerable time at the moment planning our onward trip. We pick up a rental car tomorrow and will head off on our own to Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon. In the meantime we have just spent a couple of days on Lake Powell. As soon as we arrived the slipway was dominated by large houseboats being removed from the lake for Winter maintenance.

One didn't quite make the trailer and got a very wet bum!

Lake Powell stretches for 185 miles and was formed by a hefty dam on the Colorado River. Its narrow channels twist in all directions, but what is most spectacular is its sapphire blue colour contrasting with stunning multi-hued cliff faces.

We meandered around on Doug's motorboat and even did a spot of fishing!

We haven't finished following the Colorado River yet and are fascinated by its journey. Here is the famous horseshoe bend, - if only it knew it could take a short cut!!!