Me in Sedona

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Me in Sedona
Arabella-Sedona
So then it was time to find our own place. It was on the side of town across from the Oak Creek.
It didn’t look as fancy as the Best Western where we had dropped off my parents so I was glad i gave them the nicer place. We pulled around to the back where our room was and its a solid blank wall with 2 floors of doors. no windows. Very cheap motel looking. Even VERMILLION said, “wow, this isn’t as nice as the other place”
we open the door and get inside and the room isn’t bad at all. Its contemporary and lovely
and full of light as it opens up to a balcony and thats where the magic is. Our balcony opened up to a center court with a pool and stunning mountain views. the pics don’t do it justice, it was a real “holy shit” moment
hotels were 2 for 2 in Sedona. Well played!
Best Western-Sedona
So the thing about Sedona is that there is no cheap hotel in the town. Its all super expensive (for me at least) So i picked up the rooms maybe a month before we left on the trip and it was too late. i could only find the last room in some hotel for my parents and the last room in a different hotel for myself and VERMILLION. One of them was a Best Western and my experience with Best Westerns are that they’re cheap. This one was like 350 a night!! But i still assumed cheap quality so i was going to take it for myself and give the other to the rents assuming it would be better.
So we drove up to the best western which was on a ridge.
WHOA!
It was a collection of building with ample outdoor terraces and killer views
This place was beautiful!! it was perfect for them. So we left them there to unpack and relax and we went to go find our hotel in another part of town
Sedona is a beautiful place
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona, Arizona
Entering Sedona
Entering Sedona we started seeing some of the famous red rock formations. They really are gorgeous
Sunset Point, Arizona
I didn’t know what to expect from Arizona. In reality, the only visual geography i could pull from memory was the Grand Canyon, so this sweeping vista was a nice treat. We don’t have mountains like this in the East so everytime I do see mountains, i get over excited. When i drove through California with VERMILLION the year before, i would point to them in excitement and sigh “mountains!” VERMILLION however was nonplussed about it all. He grew up in Puerto Rico on a mountain with mountain roads and it really didn’t do much for him.
Maybe I'm just easy to please. I grew up in Connecticut in a beach town but the beach and water still make me happy as does forested new england towns.
I thought the above beautiful enough to sit and absorb and enjoy but i didn’t know what i was about to drive into. We were halfway to Sedona and that place really knocked my socks off
My thoughts so far
Landing in Sky Harbor Airport, my cold was holding off. I was starting to think that i was over the worst of it (i wasn’t). Phoenix was a drastically different place than home and this is what i wanted to show my parents. The stark differences that lie within our own nation. They’re travel hounds having been all over Europe, and South America and as far south as the Patagonia. But they hadn’t explored this adopted country of theirs. And as soon as we get out of the airport, the difference is staggering. There is hardly any vegetation anywhere. Truly this city lies in the desert. The northeast is lush with green and forests and it was a bit of culture shock especially with my dad and it gave me so much joy to be able to make that point. to show them something new
The Jeep Grand Cherokee we rented was fucking awesome. Im now in love with Jeeps and want to buy my own. But here in lay our first issue. Whenever i go on a big adventure I'm snapping away like crazy with my camera but this time, i was the guy in charge of a party of 4. I knew the layout of all the cities and the locations and was the best driver. My parents are good drivers but they get antsy when they don’t know where they are going and rely on someone spouting directions as does VERMILLION, so it was left to me. In doing so, i didn’t get to catalog everything like i normally do. VERMILLION however had the job of entertaining the folks and boy did he do a good job. More on this later, because it speaks to the slightly fractured relationship i have with my parents. But they were digging him and that worked for me cause I am going to marry the man.
We sought out this restaurant cause when in the southwest, you need to eat some Mexican food and it was bomb ass food. I have this thing where wherever i go, i seek out the local foods that are indicative of the culture or at least locally known and famous. Also i try to not eat anything i can find back home and avoid chains if i can. I had planned on a lot of mexican food being in Arizona. afterward the meal, which my parents did enjoy, i asked them if they wanted more mexican for later and they said no. they weren’t really fans of mexican food
my mouth dropped. that was weeks of restaurant research down the drain. I guess i had to quickly improvise.
Who doesn’t like MEXICAN FOOD?!!
We had our shopping trip for supplies at Walmart. We bought a cooler and drinks and ice and snacks for the car for the long drives and toiletries and of course Walmart in Arizona carries alcohol so my dad found himself a wine aisle to peruse and tried out a chilean wine for the night. My dad and wine is like a dog with a bone. don’t get in between them.
We were in Phoenix for no more than a few hours. I know a few people from online that i would have loved to meet in person but it wasn’t the time. We took interstate 17 and headed north to Sedona. ON the way we stopped at a lookout called Sunset Point and we got to explore and i got some shots in. My dad strolling around the vegetation exploring. My mom sitting in the shade and screaming when she saw a little lizard run up a tree. VERMILLION keeping everyone laughing.
i was happy
still horrifically sick. but happy enough to not notice it
Me at Sunset Point, Arizona
My dad is in his element while in nature
Sunset Point, Arizona
Well Walmart, guess I can’t be surprised it is a red state after all. Even those these aren’t MAGA branded, its clear they are meant for the same demographic
even VERMILLION got in on my cactus shots
I loved the cactus
My Mom and Dad in the walmart parking lot. I was sooo excited to see a real live cacti growing in the wild that i had everyone take pics with it. The people in the parking lot were looking at us like fools, but i don't care. I LOVED IT
Phoenix has a population of 1.6 million and is the 5th largest in the Country. Due to that, i really expected a more impressive downtown. Ive seen building’s half the size with a more impressive downtown. (San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta)
The heat was there but it wasn’t as oppressive as i had expected. It was still i the low 80s going up to 100 but we were going to be out of the city before that peak weather hit.
First thing first, we needed food and being in Arizona, i had to get some authentic Mexican food. I found this restaurant by the Metrocenter Mall and it was a great meal. I regret not taking any shots of it.
Once fed we were about to head north to Sedona and needed supplies so a quick Walmart trip was needed
So i got a Jeep Grand Cherokee rental. My first time in a jeep. I LOVED IT.
I knew that this was going to a huge trip so i was really interested to hear how many miles i put on it.
we start at 42959