THE GRAND CANYON

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This has definitely been one of the most beautifully surreal experiences. I dreamt of seeing the Grand Canyon ever since I was a little girl and I remember sitting with my grandfather asking him to tell me all about his road trip adventures -and there were many!-, specifically the Grand Canyon. I have always been strangely fascinated with this natural phenomenon, this massive erosion crack on the earth.
When I started to plan this last minute road trip, I HAD to make my way there somehow, even if I had to drive for hours and hours. I have been slightly unlucky with the weather ever since I got to the US, I would not dare complaining but it has been raining a lot, which turned into a big concern at some point: “What if we can’t see the canyon?, What if we can’t shoot?”

When we arrived to Tusayan, a tiny “town” or more like hotel village just 25 minutes away from the Canyon, it was already dark and late at night, it was quite cold and raining as well but I still had my fingers crossed. I was dreaming of doing a sunrise shoot there, just by the cliffs so I got up at about 5:30am, got ready and drove off. When we got to the first Look Out point you couldn’t see a thing, NOTHING, just thick fog, nothing else. I have to confessed I had tears running down my eyes, I have come SO FAR, I wanted to see it for so long, it was a childhood dream and I couldn’t see anything, nothing at all.

I was standing by the lookout point feeling slightly sorry for myself and then it started raining, dammit! Just what I needed, to also get soaked. There was absolutely nothing I could do BUT Rich and I were desperately trying to look for the bright side, the silver lining. I apparently didn’t do enough research to know that thick fog is quite common at this time of the year, it wasn’t a strike of bad luck but one of the massive positives was, there was NOBODY around, literally no one, it was just us and the Grand Canyon, trying to figure out how to capture what we saw. A few minutes later out of nowhere the fog started to move, like it was dancing down the cliffs, moving like smoke, it was such an incredibly beautiful sight. I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was like the Canyon was revealing itself to me, slowly. I was so overwhelmed with emotion and I realised that this moment, seeing the fog moving away and across, it was probably a rare sight, that people see the canyon at its best most of the time, but how many people had seen it like this? with the clouds dancing around, with the magical light? And then the sun came out with a massive rainbow and everything was worth it, the fog, the rain that completely messed up my hair, the soaked clothes, the hours of driving, everything.

I feel so lucky right now and I can’t wait to share this story with my grandfather…

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115 Responses

  1. La niebla le da más personalidad a las fotos, suerte que si te permitió ver el Gran Cañón, sin embargo ¿sabias que las Barrancas del Cobre son aún más grandes? y afortunadamente las tenemos en México.

  2. You’re a very lucky traveller. Grandy Canyon is beautiful! One of the thing to check in the bucket list that’s for sure. I saw the Grand Canyon from a very different experience compared to yours. It’s a blessing already to even get to see this monstrous place.

  3. These photos are stunning! Like no others I’ve ever seen of the Grand Canyon.

    And your hair isn’t messed up! While I was looking at the photos (before I got to the text), I was thinking how great your hair looks wavy like this! Especially in such a natural environment outside, it’s perfect. I’d love to see it like this again. xxoo

  4. Omg how amazing!!! After seeing your pics I wanna go! Had the same experince when at Machu Piccu, was SO thick in fog when we arrived that I didn´t think there was any hope, and then… wow :)- the best feeling x

  5. Hey Andy, I read aboit the phenomenon and the mist a couple of days ago. Must be truly fascinating to have seen all that. Great pictures! You’re such a lucky girl to be traveling like you do.
    – Axelle

  6. Gorgeous photos of an amazing view. But I really love your sweater, it’s so cute.
    xAnnah
    sixteenstorieshigh.wordpress.com

  7. What a magical moment!! I was so emotionally invested in your story, brilliant writing!! I can’t wait for your to share the story with your grandfather!!

    xoxo,
    Teffa

  8. YOu really are lucky to at least have made it to such a beautiful landmark, you took some rad pictures of the clouds setting on the grand canyon which is not a common sight…love it makes me wanna take a road trip again to the grand canyon just to see it like this :)

    x
    StephC

    http://sstephcc.blogspot.com/

  9. I had a similar experience, but unfortunatelly I wasn’t enough lucky to see the Grand Canyon. I came all my way to US from Poland in the middle of September. I was absolutely sure that I WILL see the GC. But it was one of these very rare days when it was raining all day and fog was everywhere. I didn’t see anything but the first rocks, nothing further than 3 meters maybe, really bad as normally the view is for over 100 miles. And it was SOO cold! I was waiting there whole day, as I had only one day for this magical place, but I didn’t get it to see this wonderful view. You are so lucky, I’m happy for you! I’m sure it was worth seeing it :)
    The only bright side of this story is the fact that not seeing Grand Canyon made my USA trip not completed and this is the very reason why I’m sure I’m gonna be there again :)

    Lot of kisses! :*

  10. Oh, so happy for you Andy !!!!! UNIQUES PHOTOS as never seen before of the Grand Canyon :))))

  11. Wow the pictures are amazing!!! And I think it is also a beautiful ex perience, as you already said, to see the grand canyon with fog!
    kisses Gio

  12. Wow! You got so lucky to score these beautiful pictures! I’ve seen many pictures of the Grand Canyon before, but none that look like this! Gorgeous!

  13. wooooow! que lugar impresionante!!! todo se ve hermoso y tan magico!! Si tuviste super suerte de poder conocerlo asi!! <3
    me senti asi cuando fui a visitar un volcan, llegue y todo nublado, 5 min despues todo empezo a despejarse de una manera impresionante <3 si es un sentimiento unico.

    http://www.tastemycloset.com/

  14. Wow. The view is absolutely breathtaking! And I love the way you described this experience, thank you for sharing.

    Enjoy your roadtrip!

    X

  15. This is absolutely gorgeous! What a stunning view. I visited in summer which was a completely different experience.
    Thank you for sharing!

    Avanti
    xxx
    Avantigarde.wordpress.com