I woke up around 9:30 am, buzzing with excitement for my scenic flight over the Grand Canyon. I needed to confirm the flight in the morning, and luckily, everything was set. The van was scheduled to pick me up in front of the hostel at 10:20. Surprisingly, the scenic flight was quite affordable, costing only $150.
Around 10:20, the driver picked me up. I knew it would take some time to get there, with the plane scheduled to take off at 12:30 pm. During the ride, the driver shared fascinating stories about his work in Las Vegas. He mentioned that prostitution isn’t legal in the city, only outside of it. If a man got robbed by a prostitute, he’d have a problem too.
The Legal Quirks of Las Vegas Prostitution
“They could go to the police, and yes, the police would investigate. But if they managed to catch one of these prostitutes, those men would have to appear in court as well,” the driver explained. “They’d get punished too because it’s illegal in Las Vegas.”
He continued, “The police do arrest these prostitutes, but they get released the next day. I remember the local newspaper once listed all the arrests. The top prostitute was caught 300 times in one year!” The driver laughed as he recalled the story.
Arrival at the Mini Airport
An hour and a half later, we arrived at our destination: a small airport in Boulder City, just a 30-minute drive from Las Vegas. This spot served as the gateway to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. I checked in without any issues. Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines charged my credit card, and I waited for their call.
Around 12:15 pm, our group was ready to board. The plane wasn’t full, with a few Americans and other tourists. It seated 16 people, but 5 seats were empty. I got a front seat on the left side, just like I did in New Zealand. Ten minutes later, we took off for our scenic flight over the Grand Canyon.
Another Scenic Flight
In an instant, I was transported back to my scenic flight over Lake Tekapo, New Zealand. The sights were stunning, and the visibility over the desert was superb. Within 10 minutes, we reached Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, formed by the Hoover Dam. Seeing the dam from the air was an extraordinary experience—one of those moments where no picture or video can truly capture the feeling of witnessing something amazing in person. It sounds passionate and romantic, but for me, it’s true.
I was lucky with my seat on the plane. The Hoover Dam wasn’t officially part of the tour, but on the way back, we would fly almost directly over it. This meant that those sitting on the right wouldn’t have as spectacular a view as I did. Lake Mead wasn’t fully filled due to water demand and the ongoing drought, and erosion had scarred the land. It felt like I was looking at a vast painting created by Mother Earth.
A Bumpy Ride
From then on, the flight got a bit bumpy. The turbulence in the small plane was quite noticeable. It was a bit annoying to take pictures, and of course, I felt a little nervous. However, seeing the pilots joking with each other right in front of me was reassuring; if they were relaxed, I figured I should be too.
After 15 minutes of flying, we finally arrived at the Grand Canyon. I had to wait my turn, as the right side of the plane had the view first. Eventually, the pilot turned and flew back, giving me the opportunity to take pictures.
There was still much to see on the right side. I was amazed by the depth of the Grand Canyon’s canyons. We were flying over a flat plateau, with the Grand Canyon on the right side, while I could still see rocky mountains to the left of me atop the plateau. It was mesmerizing. I felt so tiny at this moment, especially when the plane finally turned, giving me the chance to take amazing pictures. Take a look below—you can see the mountains on the plateau as well.
Minor Turbulence
Whenever the plane flew over the canyon, it encountered different airflows, causing a bit of turbulence. I really hated turbulence, and it was more intense here, making it quite noticeable. I reassured myself that I’d had a great journey so far, and joked to myself that the Grand Canyon would be an amazing place to die, haha.
After 15 minutes, we got closer to the border. I used my zoom function to take some nice shots of a small river.
After a while, we flew over what felt like a border to me. It was like looking at small sand dunes on a dry beach—truly amazing. The first village appeared beside me, signaling that it wouldn’t be long before we returned.
The pilot announced that we were nearly back at Boulder City and apologized for the bumpy ride. I expected a rough landing, but instead, they performed a gentle dive landing (not as scary as it sounds), which turned out to be quite comfortable.
Highs and Lows of Aerial Photography
The scenic flight over the Grand Canyon had thus far been a bumpy ride, challenging my photography skills (or lack thereof) to capture some incredible shots. It was frustrating at times; many photos didn’t turn out as I hoped, but I was prepared for that. I took so many pictures knowing that half of them might not make the cut. Whether it was a dirty window or the engine getting in the frame, there was always a reason to delete a shot.
Back at the airport, I had to wait for 15 minutes before the shuttle took us back to our accommodations. Since I was the first one picked up, I was also the first one dropped off. Within 30 minutes, I was back at the hostel.
I told Sean about the flight. He had a limited budget for activities around Las Vegas after partying at EDC. I showed him some pictures because he didn’t quite understand what I meant by the tour. His limited English skills made it amusing at times. After showing him the camera pictures, he finally grasped the concept of flying, scenic flights, and airplanes.
Subway Lunch and Evening Relaxation
Later in the afternoon, I grabbed a Subway sandwich somewhere east of Fremont. I also picked up groceries at a nearby supermarket, which I realized was Mexican after walking there for about 15 minutes. The atmosphere was different, with diverse people and aisle signs translated into Spanish.
In the evening, I didn’t do much. I worked on my laptop, posted some pictures on Facebook, and relaxed. Tomorrow, I planned to wake up early and drive three hours from Las Vegas to visit a National Park. It would be a long drive, but I knew it would be worth it.
