Sedona.
Wow man. The energy of this place is just, like, awesome. I just feel so totally rejuvenated by the spirituality of the place. Yesterday I hiked up this mountain and I, like, totally realised how, like, truly insignificant I am in the vast chasms of time. And it was, like, completely humbling but also, you know, like totally comforting at the same time. And I just, like, realised just how totally incredible nature is and the world is just, like, so completely beautiful and we all need to worship it, and run around naked, and sweat without washing and then, like totally, hump each other....
ONLY JOKING!!!
I'm in Sedona, Arizona - mecca for New-Age mentalists who believe the red rocks here have rejuvenating powers and pilgrimage here so they can all act like total funny-farm-residents together.
The truth? The place is beautiful. And if you can bypass the weirdos it's definitely worth a visit.
Yesterday, with two determinedly open minds, Rich and I decided to hike to one of the famous 'Vortexes' of the place. I can't remember if I explained before, but basically people in Sedona believe there are four vortexes (like tornadoes but safer and cheerier) in the area, that upon visiting will fill you with euphoria and contentment for several days afterwards.
Us being us - we decided to pick the most difficult one to get to. Cathedral Rock. Mainly because it looked pretty on Google images. The vortex is apparently right underneath the base of the rock which you have to hike/climb to. All the websites had warnings saying stuff like 'This hike is very strenuous and dangerous' or 'Don't do this if you are scared of heights', and 'in less than a mile you go up in serious altitude and lots of people can't handle it'. Us being us - sniffed at this - and assumed the warnings were probably written by lazy obese Americans who only found it hard because they couldn't drive there and there wasn't a MacDonald's at the top.
So, in the heat of the day, we drove up to the trail starting line. And promptly gulped. There was another warning sign. This time written by Red Rock park officials telling us the hike was difficult. And Cathedral Rock looked very far away. And its base seemed very high off the ground. But we decided to see how far we could go....
It seems strenuous exercise isn't conducive to a happy relationship...
For the first five/ten minutes Rich and I got on swimmingly. We strode along, holding hands, stopping to admire the view, and smugly telling each other how beautiful it was and how we were so glad we came...
...Then we were faced with climbing (not hiking, CLIMBING) to the summit up a sheer cliff face. We had already drunk most of our water. And the arguments started.
Me:
Rich:
Me: Well why don't you sit down with me?
Rich: I don't want to sit down.
Me: So you do mind stopping? You think I'm lazy don't you? You don't fancy me because my lack of fitness repulses you - doesn't it?
Rich: I don't mind. I just don't' want to sit.
Me: I don't mind if you do mind...I just want you to be honest with me.
Rich: I am being honest with you.
Me: Then why aren't you sitting with me?
etc etc
And then...
Me: I can't believe you didn't bring climbing shoes...
Rich: Was I supposed to have brought climbing shoes?
Me: Of course. God, if I had known you had only brought your old trainers with no grip I would have had a go at you.
Rich: You're having a go at me now...
Me: Well I want to go to the top.
Rich: I don't think we can - it's too dangerous.
Me: It's only dangerous for you because your wearing your stupid shoes and you didn't bring climbing shoes.
etc etc
And then when we finally reached the top....
Me: Let's go over there and explore that part.
Rich: It's too dangerous.
Me: No it's not. It's part of the trail.
Rich: I don't see the trail.
Me: It's blatantly part of the trail. I want to go see it.
Rich: I'm not going. It's too dangerous.
Me:
Rich: **###&&&***
(Can I point out that I'm not usually such a psycho. And we've gone a month without arguing and it WAS really really hot - and he WAS wearing stupid shoes!)
But it was worth the bickering, the dehydration, and the vertigo. When we got to the top it was just incredible. The view was insane and the red-rocks just look like they're painted onto a background. We did notice there was a strong wind and stood in it to see what happened. To be honest, it did feel good. But that was because it was a strong breeze in 100f heat. And I don't really understand why having wind blow hard beneath a tall object makes it a vortex and not just science? It was just the same as the breeze you got outside the bottom of the Arts Tower in Sheffield - and you didn't see bangle-adorned hippy mentalists hiking through the Union to worship the bottom of the Arts Tower. Well, OK, apart from the odd stoned Philosophy student.
SO that was yesterday. Today we had even more fun. Without the bickering. We spent the day at Slide Rock State Park - which I can only describe as a massive outdoor version of the rapids at Centre Parcs. It's a river made from melted snow (so the water is freezing!) that has churned out all these natural water chutes, rapids, and deep diving points out of the rock. The place was packed full of the happiest group of people I have ever seen. Men, women, children, grandmas, grandpas, were all hurtling themselves down the water using only their bodies with giant grins plastered across their faces. Rich and I managed to drum up the courage to jump off a pretty-high rock into the freezing water below - but were too scared to go tombstoning. The rapids were so so much fun. As I said, like Centre Parcs, but about a mile long and real - not made from plastic.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I really quite liked Sedona. It's funny how it's been working out. All the places I think I'll love - I usually don't like very much. And all the places I'm sceptical about turn out to be wicked. But I'll be glad to get away from the place after seeing in a real pharmacy them recommending the use of a PILLOW MADE FROM SAGE to cure headaches. What's wrong with four Nurofen washed down with a whiskey? Bloody hippies.
Tomorrow we start the two-day drive to Vegas. I'm slightly concerned about Vegas. Mainly because I've made the mistake of starting the second 'Girl With Dragon Tattoo' book and now resent having to do anything in life that isn't reading it. Which reminds me - I need to find out what happens!
Peace, love, and sloshings of bulls*it
Holly
xxx
No comments:
Post a Comment