Our arrival into Kanab, Utah was significant for two reasons. Firstly, we would travel from here to explore yet another wonder of the world, a jaw-dropping, tear-jerking masterpiece, also known as the Grand Canyon.
Secondly, and perhaps even more importantly, Kanab was the place where our two tour buses would go head-to-head in the Contiki football match, and losing was not an option!
After leaving Yellowstone we had stopped briefly at the very beautiful and western-styled town of Jackson Hole before an overnight stay in Salt Lake City. Unfortunately we didn’t see much of Utah’s capital city as we arrived late and left just as the sun came up, heading for Bryce Canyon.
We had a couple of hours at Bryce Canyon National Park, located in south-western Utah. Visually, I thought this park was stunning. The red, orange and white rocks looked beautiful against their blue sky backdrop and the dusty footpaths and occasional tree stump made me feel like I was a million miles away from home. A few of us hiked a little along the canyon before we saw one of the guy’s from our bus bounding downhill towards us, slightly sweaty and sporting a newly bandaged forearm. He had lost his footing on the rocks and inhaled sharply as he pulled back the bandage to reveal his bloody wound. We feigned worry, but this was the same guy who had twice thrown himself out of a slow moving raft in Cody, ‘just for the experience.’ When I heard he would be riding a horse around Grand Canyon, I feared for his life.
The first night in Kanab we had a few drinks in Kate’s room but got a relatively early one. It was a short drive to the Grand Canyon the following day and as the sun was getting hotter and hotter, our tour manager, Jason gave us some vital dos and don’ts about the Canyon. After hearing a few horror stories, I was even more excited to get there.
It was around this time that tensions were at their peak between people from our bus and people from the other. I don’t think anybody really knew where this rivalry had come from, but some things were said, especially about some of my friends and winning that night’s football match was growing ever more important.
The Grand Canyon is, quite simply, breath-taking. After stopping to stare at the miles upon miles of expansive rock, Brendan, Christina, Steph, Carly, Aaron and I began our first trail of the Canyon. I loved the Grand Canyon because it didn’t feel too touristy and you could walk around for a while without seeing another soul. I also loved it because knowing that one wrongly placed step could see you plummeting to your death really added to the excitement. I particularly enjoyed our hike through the more wooded areas. We climbed the rocky paths and came through a clearing in the trees, rested on some logs and talked, taking in the outstanding views and basking in the heat. It was a perfect day.
When we got back to the motel, we had a couple of hours to rest and then it was time to jump on the coach and head to the park for the match. The girls and I were taking our roles as the team’s cheerleaders very seriously and though we hadn’t had chance to practice, our fierce loyalty to our tour mates would help us wing it.
The game started and I realised we didn’t have it in the bag as each team was of a similar ability. There were a few near misses but we cheerleaders kept up the energy, literally screaming for our team and chanting their names, “Gimme a ‘C’!”
As with most things, the ‘cheerleaders’ from the other bus were the first to make the chants personal, but we retaliated with the classic, “U.G.L.Y, you ain't got no alibi, you UGLY!” And their childishness made it all the more satisfying when our team thrashed theirs with a 5-2 win. Of course, the girls and I missed the final winning goal because we were engrossed in one of our many ‘huddles’, thinking up slurs, but we were ecstatic none the less.
The match was followed by a huge barbecue and the two buses came together properly for the first time to bury the hatchet and enjoy a good meal. We got back to the motel after the sun had gone down and we all dragged chairs from our rooms into the car park to drink beer underneath the stars. After the adrenaline rush of winning the match, I felt quite sad because I realised the first chapter of travelling was almost over and I would soon have to say goodbye to my friends.
Next stop – Vegas…
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