Back in the USA

It was another epic journey halfway round the world, but well worth it to catch up with my mum and stepfather again. Elizabeth and Kent live in Golden Valley in north-western Arizona, just across the Nevada border. It’s a spectacular but harsh environment of mountains, mesas and vast desert plains covered with cactus, stunted junipers and the occasional Joshua tree or cypress. Animals are surprisingly plentiful, with rabbits, wild burros, jackrabbits, ground squirrels, quail and other birds of all kinds very common, and coyotes, roadrunners, rattlesnakes and bighorn sheep often encountered as well. Even wolves and mountain lions have been seen from time to time. The Colorado River winds through the valleys like a vivid blue serpent, sustaining all this life in a dry land. And I mean seriously dry: your skin flakes, your nose bleeds, your hair goes electric and your eyes feel like dried apricots. The pharmacies do a brisk trade in various products to address these ailments and constant rehydrating drinks are vital if you don’t want your kidneys to shrivel to the size of dried beans and your pee to resemble black coffee.

Wild burros

Quail

Surprisingly, perhaps, a lot of people come here for their health. I’ve been told the clear dry air is great for asthma, bronchitis and similar complaints. Mum is doing well, still going for a good walk a couple of times a day and going down to the Tropicana in Laughlin for a game at the casino from time to time. Kent wasn’t in great shape when we arrived, but a new doctor, a course of Gatorade and some of our best healthy cooking saw him improve significantly over the fortnight. Watching him get a little better each day was the best thing about the whole trip.

 

 

Amidst the cooking and catching up, we managed to entertain ourselves in best western style as well. Championship Bull Riding at the new Laughlin Events Centre was a highlight, with some of the gamest young guys I’ve seen being flung around like rag dolls astride these wild thrashing bulls. I was interested to see that each bull has a rating, just as the riders do – obviously bulls are rated on how quickly they can get the guy off, while he is rated on how long he can stay on board. CBR was a fashion event as well, of course, and we felt a bit naked without our ten gallon hats and embossed boots. Denim and rhinestones were de rigeur for the gals, along with tats of roses, ropes, hearts and horses. A local DJ kept up a steady background of rock and country music throughout the evening, but when he played ‘Cotton-eye Joe’, the foot-tapping just about brought down the stands. It was great fun!

 

The next afternoon we headed down to the Colorado Belle casino to see Benny and the Swamp Gators play zydeco music against the backdrop of the Colorado River (cold and fast-flowing at the moment) and the mountains. Lots of cold beer contributed to a very laid-back and entertaining afternoon. We also took a drive out along old Route 66 to the small town of Hackberry, with its nostalgic General Store.
 

Benny and the Swamp Gators

 

 Hackberry Store

 



Before we knew it, it was time to bid farewell to the folks until next time. We spent a couple of days in Terry’s favourite town, Las Vegas Nevada, where we spent up big on boat stuff (particularly a new VHF radio and relay, of which I have high hopes) and managed to enjoy a couple of great meals and a performance of Jersey Boys, which was wonderful.

Many thanks to mum and Kent for a fortnight of great company, and for helping us to all sorts of cool stuff using their casino comp points! Thanks also to our lovely friends Jerry and Ellen, whom we met at Cooley’s Landing in Fort Lauderdale, aboard their boat Grace. They live in Vegas and had offered us a place to stay when we were in town. I wonder if they really believed we would appear on the doorstep?  Anyway, they collected us from the airport, put us up in their beautiful home (which is full of wonderful memorabilia from a lifetime of cruising!) and fed us right royally. I do hope that we can repay their hospitality some day.

 

So here we are back in beautiful Finike, where everything is green and blooming and the air smells of orange blossom. This is not how I ever imagined Turkey! Next up is a trip to the famous hot springs at Pamukkale for a little rejuvenation and recovery from sitting for hours in planes and buses.