Day 6 – Sunday 19th April

Being in a small town after being in the hectic city of Las Vegas is a strange sensation. Suddenly the streets are empty, the sidewalks are narrower and there is no music playing, and the shops disappear. Kanab on a Sunday has been challenging to explore, considering that the majority of the population has been packing out the local Mormon Church just down from our hotel. The churches car park is overflowing, suggesting a strong faith within the local community. The town seems mainly local, with many travellers passing through, and the few businesses offering multiple things such as food and gifts in order to draw them in.

 

(Outside of the Mormon Church on the main road in Kanab.)

 

Lifestyle is much more relaxed here, much less chaotic than Vegas. I’m not sure I can live here because it feels too claustrophobic. Everyone seems to know everyone else, and there is a lack of things to do which excite me. I always thought I was more of a rural girl due to my upbringing, but here I’m starting to long for city life once again.

(A view up the main road in Kanab, showing how much quieter it is than Las Vegas.)

 

Finding sand dunes not too far from Kanab was bizarre. It was so strange to have a sandy desert area surrounding trees and mountains. It was incredibly peaceful, serene and relaxing to sit on top of a sand dune, catch my breath, and reflect on all the travelling so far. Although we were not too far from the main road, there was no sound except the howling of the wind, and the sound of sand being carried along with it. Was this true wilderness? This was much less of a tourist attraction, with no large information centre, only a few pathways and one viewing platform present. The land felt untouched and natural, and I felt I was heavily intruding on the land, making footprints where the land deserved to be left alone.

(The sand dunes, which are clearly enormous in comparison to the people in the image. This picture also shows the varying landscape around the sand dunes, from sand to trees and mountains in the background.)