On the way to the Grand Canyon we passed over Hoover Dam, marvelled at its size and how it powers a city!

Arriving at the canyon we caught a brief glimpse of what the fuss is all about but turned a blind eye until we pitched up the tents and decided what we should do over the next 2 days. There were also a couple of elk roaming our campsite shortly after we'd pitched up, obviously welcoming us to the area!

A trip to the visitor centre sorted us out and we're ready to tackle the canyon! The instant we arrived at the canyon rim, we were left breathless. The sheer magnitude stuns you. You just can't comprehend how big it really is from simply looking. Can it really be a mile deep? Can it possibly be 26 miles from one side to the other? Well, apparently so! We visit a couple of viewpoints to start with just to take it all in before strolling for 3 miles along the canyon rim, stopping constantly to take photos and spotting huge condors swooping below.

Sam and I went for a walk down into the canyon while Jason and Becky tour the farther reaches of the south rim by car. We woke early - helped by the cold, its hot during the day but the temperature really does drop at night - boiled some water for our oats and cuppa then caught the free bus to the trailhead. Around the main sections of the national parks, they put on a free bus service to get you around. The buses run on natural gas, save you using the car and the rangers that drive them talk you through the various stops, offering advice.

So, for orientation purposes, we're at the south rim of the park and, being at the rim means we're at the top looking down. Also, the temperature at the top is much more moderate than down in the canyon. The day we hiked into the canyon reached 27°c at the rim but right down at the bottom it reached 36°c! Most of our descent was in the shade, we didn't go all the way down and it was early so we missed the hotter parts luckily because the climb back up was tough enough when it was cooler!

Our walk was a 3 mile return trip on the south kaibab trail but didn't even reach half the depth of the canyon. When sat in the canyon admiring the high walls and deep valleys you gain an even greater appreciation for its size. Its also much more peaceful so we sat in awe for 30-40 mins. As I said, the walk back up was much harder but it was made more bearable by a bobcat that we followed up for about 200 metres. We filmed him and showed it to a ranger who said we were extremely lucky as she's worked there for 9 yrs and never seen one. Its about as big as an average sized dog but its a cat with pointy little ears and a very feline walk!

When we finished, it was only around 10:30am and, as we headed back to the campsite, Jase and Becks drove past us just starting their day so we joined them for their tour of the south rim! We saw the Grand Canyon from a slightly different perspective so we took lots more pictures!

One of the nights we went to Yaki Point to enjoy the sun setting over the canyon. The colours of the canyon as the sun approached the horizon gave it a completely different appearance and, when it was blinding you so all you could see were the shadows of the rocks and the hazey mist it created an unimaginable feeling because you could no longer see what you couldn't comprehend earlier!

I think the Grand Canyon is one of those places that has to be seen to be believed. No matter how much you know about it before you visit, its still going to blow you away when you see it for real. Amazing!