The first stop was the Hoover Dam - I've seen programs on it before and seen videos and studied it in geography so I wasn't expecting to be that impressed really but I so was. It is absolutely massive, I can't believe that it was built in the 1930's though I just can't believe that they could have done that then and its still as strong as it was then - there has never been a crack in it at all! The only thing they have done is replaced the mechanical bits actually inside and install computers. They are freaking out about it though, the whole coach had to be searched before we were allowed near it and they are now building a bridge across the top of Black Canyon (which will be another engineering miracle cos it'll be so high) and a bypass because at the minute all the traffic on that particular freeway drives straight across the top of the Dam.
It takes 3hrs on the bus to get to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon (the south rim where the National Park is takes 5hrs) and its all owned by the Indian tribe who live in the area and run it. The West Rim is where the new acclaimed Sky Walk is -I didn't do it, glass bridge with a 4000 ft drop - not a chance! I was quite pleased that I didn't actually because you aren't allowed to take cameras on there, they have a professional photographer on there taking pictures and charge $25 for the privilege! People were not happy because you get rushed along (apparently) I didn't speak with anyone who wasn't moaning about it!
Right where the sky walk is, is an area of the Canyon called Eagle Point where you can see and eagle actually in the Canyon (if you use your imagination) - check the picture. The elders of the Indian Tribe really didn't want the sky Walk built there because they consider it one of the most sacred places in the whole 100 million acres of land that they own but the younger generation argued and it got built and now visitor numbers have increased from 250 per day to 2500 per day so I guess it was worth it.