A Wild, Wild Road Trip

for Upper Crust Magazine

I’ve spent a good portion of my life in the United States (4 years out of my 24 years of existence) whilst pursuing my education there. In my childhood and early adulthood, I have spent a lot of time in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Las Vegas, Orlando (hello Disneyworld!) and all the other ‘big cities’ that travelers usually go to. But when my husband suggested a road trip to the Southwest States, I was both intrigued and skeptical. I had never explored that side of the States and was confused as to if I’d enjoy the same. I let my husband plan and execute the whole trip, for being a travel aficionado, he had been there before.

We started off our trip in the City of Angels. After a long yet comfortable flight from Mumbai to Los Angeles (briefly halting in London), I was excited to begin our journey. We stayed in the trendy Hollywood Edition hotel in Beverly Hills, which had then opened only two weeks prior. We spent the first day walking around Rodeo Drive, shopping and exploring the Louis Vuitton X Exhibition. We then enjoyed a drink in Soho House West Hollywood followed by a romantic dinner at the Polo lounge. The chocolate soufflé at the Polo lounge is a very well-known dessert indulged in by celebrities and LA locals and it did not disappoint to say the least. We wolfed it down and headed to the hotel, as jet lag prevented us from having a wild night out.

The next day, we rented a car and headed out to a friend’s wedding in Phoenix, Arizona and thus began our road trip adventure around the western United States. We enjoyed staying at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge and Spa. The arid climate in Phoenix made it obvious that we were in the desert – cuttingly cool in the mornings and nights and baking hot in the afternoons. We then continued our holiday by driving into Sedona. We were staying at the Enchantment Hotel and Resort and this was definitely my favorite hotel of the trip. The hotel is nestled in the heart of the Boynton Canyon and merged with the scenery. The rooms were capacious, and the décor was evidently southwestern. It had a clear and magnificent view of the red rocks and the open, endless sky, a welcome change after Bombay.

Breakfast in the Enchantment Resort was an absolute delight. I am not one to usually eat breakfast, but we were prepping for a long hike, so I decided to have a bite at the Che Ah Chi restaurant. However, I ended up eating way more than a bite when I saw the quality and quantity of food available. All the food was inspired by Native American cuisine. I ordered a plate of the huevos rancheros which turned out to be the best albeit calorific egg dish I have had till date. I also had a platter of seasonal fruits and healthy juice and by the end of it, I needed to take a breather before we started off on our trek. We went trekking on the doe mountain trail, a medium to high level trail with spectacular views of the red rocks. Although it is one of the most popular trails, we found it easy to find solitude and peace at the top of the mesa. Although uphill, we did not find this trek tiring as it energized us for the rest of the day.

Directly from our trek, we went to visit Tlaquepaque – a traditional Mexican village. We shopped around for souvenirs and picked up a few dreamcatchers and one Southwestern art painting. It was a very lively village, with loud Mexican music playing and folk dancers swaying to the same. We enjoyed the music while having some prickly pear margaritas – a southwestern delicacy! We then returned to the hotel and took advantage of an impromptu photo op with some of the many deer that reside on the hotel’s premises. Since we had an early morning the next day, we spend the rest of the day winding down and getting a relaxing massage at the Mii Amo spa and had a healthy and hearty meal at the spa restaurant.

The next morning, we set off on a two-hour drive to the Grand Canyon. I was freaking out when we reached because I have an inordinate fear of copters and I found out that we were going on an hour-long helicopter tour of the canyon. However, the fear melted away soon after takeoff as I looked at how vast and majestic the canyon is. It was beautiful to look at, and my husband who is an avid photographer, had a field day with his camera. After this, we trekked a little bit on a hiking path on the canyon and stopped to eat at the El Tovar hotel. Everything in the restaurant – from the menu to the waiters to the décor – was out of a western movie from the mid 1900’s. There was even country music playing in the background to complete the effect! My favorite part of the meal (which consisted of cheesy, beefy nachos, tacos and even cheesier churros, was the Grand Canyon Mule – a cocktail comprised of ‘Grand Canyon Vodka’, ginger beer and a half squeezed lime. Yee-haw!

We spent the night in Flagstaff, which was midway between the Grand Canyon and our next destination. The next morning, my mother in law joined us on the trip and we started our drive to Monument Valley but encountered a very interesting attraction on the way! A hand painted sign in Tuba city led us to a ton of dinosaur prints and calcified fossils from millions of years ago. I am still a little dubious as to how much of this was real, but it sure made for a fascinating experience. Nevertheless, it was nothing compared to what came next. Monument Valley was like stepping into a Star Wars movie set, except grander. It is a dream movie set and has been used in all sorts of films for decades (2001: A Space Odyssey, anyone?). We drove around all of the rock formations and spent time admiring their shapes and monumental (pun intended) sizes. ‘The Three Sisters was definitely my favorite formation. If you are a movie buff, make sure you take a slight detour and take a picture at the Forrest Gump point! Run, Forrest, Run! We were staying in a boutique hotel within Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park and got to experience a traditional Navajo meal for lunch – Frybread and beans topped with tomato and wild onions. It was enjoyable and highly resonant to our Indian chole puri.

We continued our canyon travels the next morning as we drove to the Antelope Canyon (also the prettiest canyon by far). The colors on the walls are different shades of pink and orange, brought to life whenever the sun decides to sheen them with its rays. We took a one-hour tour of the canyon (which is the only way to see it). On a funnier note, tour guide gave us an interesting mini course in iPhone photography and how to filter our canyon photos to make them look optimal! It was clearly the tutorial one needs to replicate those famous Microsoft wallpapers. There was a stark difference betwixt the temperature outside and inside the canyon and a jacket is definitely required in all seasons. I wish I knew that earlier! We stayed at the Amangiri hotel, a desert oasis built around a swimming pool with remarkable views. The hotel blended in seamlessly with the surrounding views of canyons and plateaus. One day was definitely not enough at this plush property and I would recommend staying for at least two nights.

The drive to Zion the subsequent morning was beautiful but a little scary for those who are afraid of heights. There are lots of winding roads, valleys and twists and turns. It was all worth it when we reached our hotel, Cliffrose Springdale, another month-old hotel. We were staying in an expansive two-bedroom villa in Springdale. It was furnished with minimalist, modern furniture and a view of the mountains. We took on ‘The Narrows’ hike in Zion and I would not be lying if I said it is the most noteworthy hike I have ever done. The hike takes place in a narrow gorge where you hike upstream. Be mindful, your legs and part of your torso (depending on your height) will definitely be soaked in water. There is no land path to hike to narrows. It was a medium to high level trek because walking against the current takes energy and there are underwater rocks to navigate. We needed to rent waterproof pants, boots and hiking sticks from the hiking center, but this definitely did not stop water from seeping in and making us shiver! Despite slight initial discomfort, I enjoyed every minute of the trek, from the slushy cool water to the gushes of wind that blew through the narrows. I highly recommend both Zion and The Narrows to anyone who is looking for a new adventure. After our tedious trek, we filled our stomachs at Moki, a cute café tucked away in a corner in Springdale. We enjoyed a generous helping of a cheese platter which was served with a variety of compliments along with some good old avocado and chips. Even though Springdale is a small town, it had many quaint restaurants with an assortment of cuisines (including an Indian restaurant) and stores with handmade items and souvenirs of Zion and even a curio shop!

As we bid Zion adieu, we knew that our trip was taking a more luxurious turn as we spent the next morning driving 2.5 hours into Las Vegas, the city of sin. It was a much-needed two-day break after many long days of hiking and driving (especially for my husband who had driven more than 1900 kilometers in a week!). We enjoyed some shopping, playing and Michael Jackson: One, an extraordinary Cirque De Soleil show. We were staying in a penthouse suite in the Bellagio (I believe old is gold when it comes to Las Vegas hotels) and scarfed down dinner at Spago.

That evening, we flew out on a direct American Airlines flight to Cabo San Lucas. Our trip to Cabo involved a lot of delicious meals, sun tanning, relaxing and most importantly – swimming with whale sharks! But I will save that for another time, for this article is strictly about my rampage through the Wild, Wild West!