Growing up, I would dream a lot about all the big things I wanted to do and all the adventures I wanted to go on. I imagined going to Egypt, to see the Great Pyramids of Giza, taking a trip to Mars and becoming a famous writer. Family and friends said I liked building castles in the air, but I remained unbothered.
In my teens, I made a bucket list containing some of the ‘impossible’ things people said I would never be able to achieve. In my early 30s, I was able to tick half of the items on that list, including a visit to the Grand Canyon!
In November 2019, after a work-related trip, I planned to spend a few days in the United States. I had five cities on my itinerary, with Arizona being the most exciting because it was a chance to tick one more item on my bucket list.
I arrived in Las Vegas a day before my trip and checked-in to an artsy Marriott Bonvoy Hotel, where I could relax in preparation for the adventure. The plan was pretty haphazard, at first. I knew I was going to the Grand Canyon, but I didn’t know whether I was going by road or by air; if I was going to the North or South Rim; and whether it would be a day trip or I would spend the night.
After a little research on my computer and right before midnight, I made a decision. I booked the “Free Spirit – Grand Canyon Landing Tour” with Mavericks Helicopters Henderson. A four and a half hour tour which departs from Henderson Executive Airport.
The next day at noon, I was picked up from my hotel by a chauffeur, sent by the tour operator. We also picked up a few other guests from their hotels. I sat in front of the car as the driver gave me an informal guided tour of the city, while we made our way to the departure point.
When we got to the airport, we were grouped, assigned a pilot, and received safety briefings, before we boarded a luxurious ECO-Star helicopter. I was lucky to get a front-row seat next to the pilot throughout the tour, which gave me a bird’s eye view, all the way to our landing spot.
The pilot had an epic playlist that seemed like each song was selected carefully, to suit every iconic view we came across. Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” has since become my travel soundtrack and Lindsay Stirling’s “Something Wild”, my mood-elevator whenever I am down.
It was a clear day, and the views were amazing. Mountains, valleys, the clear blue sky and the blue Hoover Dam and Lake Mead Water made it almost unreal. The pilot doubled as a tour guide as we passed over Fortification Hill and Temple Rock.
The helicopter began its descent into the interior of the Grand Canyon, just when I thought that the views could not get any better. The landscape was out of this world. It resembled a scene from Matt Damon’s “The Martian”.
From the top of the West Rim of the canyon, we descended gently and landed near on a cliff by the Colorado River, where we had drinks and snacks. I sat on a rock and wondered if it was all real. The magnificent views of the canyon, the calm river, the succulents and me being there all seemed so surreal.
When I finally snapped out of it, I took a ton of pictures even though I knew that the camera couldn’t come close to capturing the beauty of that moment.
As the sun began to set, we commenced our journey back to Las Vegas, equally filled will awe-inspiring views. We made a quick fuel-stop somewhere in the Mojave Desert, which allowed us to see Joshua Trees up-close.
After our stop, the pilot continued to blast his epic playlist all the way to the airport.
