Arizona- Gunsligners and Cowboys

After what seemed like a pretty quick flight I landed in Tucson, Arizona. As usual my trouble to sleep on flights didn't let me down. But when I steeped out of the airport a wave of warm air hit me. However after walking into sun it felt like I was walking into an oven! I have decided that Arizona must be the venting area for the fires of hell. It was phenomenally hot.
After the usual procedures for exiting an airport, my friend decided that a quick immersion and introduction to the Arizona desert was essential. So it was a quick dash to the desert museum where due to the pending closure we had to run around checking all the animals and fauna as we possibly could. It a pretty cool landscape of desert filled with Cactus, and mountains. Very much like what you see in the old westerns most of which were filmed in the Tucson area apparently.

After almost 3 months in Michigan I have to admit it was great to see mountains again!.
I once heard that NZ 'ers find it hard to be in parts of America due to the lack of mountains, and I was certainly anxious that the lack of would enhance any 'home sickness'. At times it was frustrating because there was no points of orientation. However I didn't miss the mountains so much as tree tops were a substitute to block the vastness. But it was great to see Arizona mountains that kind of reminded me of the type in the Queenstown/ Otago area.
After the almost frantic run through the desert museum, I was shown the local university that my friend attends. It was quite nice. Very big, but reminded me more of a high school rather than a university. It became an interesting sight to see green grass in the desert area. As though it didn't really belong considering that every thing else was dry and mostly baron of greenery. A quick tour of the area brought us to the house. Which provided a great opportunity for a shower etc, before our dinner at a 'very nice restaurant' where one is expected to dress nicely. So after being loaned a pair of black shoes and a tie. I felt like I was heading to a business meeting but was pleased that I could finally use my shirt and formal pants that I have carried around the world!!!
The restaurant was a very well themed steak house, and some what of a local attraction. But it was only when a I noticed (mid conversation) the cowboy standing behind me that I also noticed the myriad of ties decorating the rafters. The look on his face and scissors in hand brought me to the realization that I was the only one in the place wearing a tie!! even my friends father had slyly removed his at some point before entering. The cow boy was dead set on cutting my tie. No matter what excuse I gave, I tried the “it was given to me by my dyeing grandmother, and is an air loom” and “I have just come form New York business meetings and this is how one dress's for dinner”. But no matter my argument I was set up to fail no matter what battle I brought. This cowboy had won many tie fights before judging by the decorated rafters.
The next day we went out to 'Tombstone' an authentic gun slinging wild west town. Home of some of the cowboys and gunslingers that have been immortalized in movies, like Doc Holiday and …...ahh others. We even visited a burlesque house (now a museum) that had seen many gun fights the evidence was still lodged in the bar posts or walls. It was good to see people (locals I presume) dressing up in the period theme to enhance the atmosphere.

On the way back we passed the plane grave yard, and the stock pile of U.S military planes which was huge. The vast fleet of planes ready to go was huge. Put out 10 (or whatever) stock piled planes to shame. It was impresssive to see the stock pile of big military cargo planes.
The rest of the weekend was spent socializing and church which was again pretty big. But as usuall before to long I was back at the airport ready to go.

The flight to London was uneventfull, as seems to be the case in Chicago (for a connecting flight). I almost missed my flight again. But by the time I landed in London I had been through so many different time zones I had no idea what the actuall time was (body wise) I wasn't sure if I should be eating breakfast lunch or dinner! But once I got to my friends house (in London) all the stress melted away...........