Just a quick note and the first of many many pictures from this absolutely wonderful state. Just a warning, when I get a chance there will be over 150 pictures being uploaded :)

I am visiting some family members in Phoenix Arizona, Stephanie and Tom. They are absolutely wonderful and have been fantastic showing me some absolutely amazing scenery.

On Friday when I arrived Stephanie took me to visit her mother who has just moved out here. We then went on to the boulders, a very upscale resort and spa with some fabulous rock formations that look like an enormous pile of boulders. The whole scenery is unbelievable with Sagaru cacti, the ones with the arms (did you know that before they grow arms they have to be at least 70 years old!). They are absolutely everywhere in phoenix, amoung the scrub and the dry sand. We also took a drive through some older towns full of bikers and rodeos and old saloon type bars, very western looking places, with names like Care free.

The evening was spent sitting in the hot tub outside the house and then enjoying some of Stephanies amazing cooking.

Today Stepanie and I were up early and we headed out to Sedona. The scenery changes as you rise up the elevations towards Sedona. The Saguaro cacti dont grow above 3000 ft so once you get up above that it is only the smaller scrubbier cacti. The road into Sedona is fabulous with the beautiful red rocks they are so famous for in various different formations.

We took a pink jeep tour out to the Verde Valley called the coyote canyon for 2 hrs. The time just flew in, it didnt seem like 2 hours at all. Our guide, John, was fairly young and very knowledgable about the flowers and wildlife in the valley. The Valley is older than the grand canyon and it is full of small volcanoes which are really cool. I just found the red rocks unbelievably beautiful and awe inspiring.

We did some shopping in the local art shops which are stunning and I was tempted into buying a few bits and pieces. We had lunch at an amazing restaurant overlooking the red rocks and the view was just stunning. There was a beautiful courtyard full of shops and sculptures.

We then headed out of Sedona and we stopped at the most amazing church that is built right into the rocks. It was just beautiful and the view out the window was phenomenol. Then it was on to Montezuma's castle and 800 year old castle built into the limestone rocks by the native American's. It was deserted 200 years later and no-one knows why but it is so incredible and so moving to be there.

Tomorrow Im going horse back riding and then Monday to the botanic gardens and then back to cold Chicago!. I am really enjoying the beautiful temperatures and sunshine here.