A day trip from Las Vegas lasted well into the night….
This was originally planned as a photographic diary of my trip to the Grand Canyon, an awe inspiring place. So let’s start with that. We were shocked to see snow on the ground as we travelled up Route 66. It had been around 19c all week in Vegas and the booking agent said it was only 4 or 5c cooler in the canyon. Yeah mate thanks for that.
The courtyard at the Grand Canyon visitor centre had quite a lot of snow behind the doors! We should have known then that something would go awry!
Regardless of a bloody early start (6.30am pick up – which was late!) and late departure (we were the last coach to leave as we waited for a replacement driver- jinxed maybe?) we made it to the south rim and the views were stunning. I mean properly heart in your mouth views. My words and pictures can’t do it justice.
Me, mum and Fi- looks sunny doesn’t it…
Canyon selfie!
It was immense. That is the best word to describe it.
Everything was so pretty in the snow and ice.
Don’t step back…
However things took a turn for the weird when, just after 6pm, the bus left for home. We had barely gone a mile when the bus got jammed on compacted snow. A national park Ranger turned up and went away again. We pushed the bus. We dug out the snow. We jumped up and down on the back.
We got off. We got on. Several times. Nothing. Feet got damp, toes got cold and we started to hope that a fleet of helicopters would be sent to our rescue. 
Our driver, a lovely lady who had driven for years, didn’t seem to be getting any clear help from Grayline the coach company, and it was more than two hours before the rangers came back with a shuttle bus parked near by. We slid across the icy path and were taken to nearby Maswik Lodge.
Our saviours!
The hotel were fabulous: leaving the restaurant open late so we could eat and warm up and supplying drinks, blankets and wifi while we waited in reception for our replacement coach (which we really had no idea when it would arrive). The night shift manager was brilliant- she made calls to airlines, chases the coach firm, checked on people’s welfare…she was a million miles apart from the coach company.
Stranded selfie!
Maswik’s foyer was warm and welcoming, if not the most comfortable
Our replacement transport arrived around 2.15am, left at 2.30am so we got to our beds at 6.30am- 24 hours after we left. We were the second drop off, others were still on the coach as we crawled into bed.
I missed a trip I had booked for Friday morning and we didn’t get to some museums we had planned. For others, it meant missed flights, additional room costs for late check outs and general chaos. It was mishandled terribly by the tour company and wouldn’t book anything with them again.
we were promised a full refund:
@GoodEggFoodie Claire, Apologies for the long delay. We want to make it right. You will receive a full refund – email help@glvegas.com
— Gray Line Las Vegas (@GrayLineLV) February 3, 2017
I am still waiting to get our refund, despite FOUR emails now to Grayline, and some fellow passengers who have had it, haven’t had the full amount refunded which seems totally unreasonable, so let’s wait and see shall we? We certainly bonded as a group by the end of the night and a great lady called Michelle has also written to them from all of us so we are still in touch.
22/2/17 Update: A cheque is in the post….well, it will be soon. We’ve been promised a full refund but I have to wait for a cheque and the bank say it can take SIX weeks to process because it is a foreign currency!
If you get the chance to see the Grand Canyon they you definitely should- I would love to go back and walk around more and maybe go down into the canyon itself. Just do your homework before you book, and remember that even the desert can have snow!
Am adding this post to the Capturing Moments linky – go check it out 🙂
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