Belated travel blog from Zion Park, Utah on 28 Dec

Hi guys

Just thought I'd drop you a note from Zion National Park. We're staying in a cabin right in the heart of the park surrounded by scenery so gorgeous it makes you want to weep. I've been in Nevada, Arizona and Utah today. We saw or rather nearly ran over RoadRunner today. It certainly is the same landcsape as the cartoon. People are so smiley and friendly. Unfortunately the weather is not all that. It rained and was cloudy in Las Vegas can you believe and snow is forecast too (without sunshine) but I guess snow at Xmas is something to relish. Snow in Bryce Canyon should be spectacularrrrrrr.

Despite the overcast sky the views are still very impressive and I think I have exhausted all the adjectives I have ever known. Jim, my friend, is only surprised that its not him I'm looking at while saying WOW. He's sort of on best behaviour except when being outrageously shocking - I had to hide under a menu at lunch today. You know his last travelling companion joined a convent and that is no joke.

We're having fun and getting quite overwhelmed by the stunning vistas. It's good he appreciates a good photo so I have carte blanche to shout stop when I see a great photo opportunity. Tomorrow he's talked me into walking up a 20 turn steep zig zag to see the view in the photo attached ( photo not attached but I made it and it was totally worth it being one of the most spectacular views that I've ever seen). I have vertigo but in my many new years resolutions I did say I wanted to challenge myself. Going up is okay - it's the going down that freaks me out and results in me having to resort to singing "whenever I feel afraid, I whistle a happy tune".

Another bold step was one to get closer to my ambition of being Meg Ryan - well I got blonder. I went to the salon in Las Vegas again namely for the amazing 10 minute head, neck and shoulder massage that's part of the service. OH MY GOD!!! So they put some blonde in to make my hair more interesting and well it turned out very very blonde indeed. I was in total shock when they put me in front of a mirror. It's the kind of blonde look that baddies in sci-fi movies sport. Jim said he was more concerned about the bright red bits. Well when its dry it all sort of blends but I do look like an exotic bird now which quite goes with my exotic boots - people stopped to admire my now world famous boots. Well you have been warned - guess I can dye it out or it'll fall out, one of the two. Can't wait to see the reaction at work - this may floor them more than the pink hair last summer.

Last night in Vegas had a wonderful meal from the fire pit at Rum Jungle which is tropical rodizio. This helped my desire to put on weight with the set menu including 9 generous cuts of meat or fish from the fire pit, an entire plate of salad, two types of rice, two types of beans, bread with dip. Then danced it off. It was a bit quiet in the club but the dancing girls in skimpy ultaviolet lit costumes were in full flow, the men on the ginormous bongos amongst waters of wall and fire were giving it their all but alas the women dancing on trapezes in the air had the night off.

I finally got to Caesars and the Bellagio but that means I now feel to have done Vegas after three visits. I already want to come back to do this trip though when blue skies are guaranteed because of the breathtaking scenery. Well time to go back to the cabin, light the log fire and curl up with William Goldman's Adventures in Screenwriting. Goodnight