The day I felt like Schapelle Corby… [S.O.F.T.]

At Phoenix Airport I was lucky enough to receive an intimate body search, because my knees go bing! Suddenly the hand luggage stops rolling, with my bags inside it. The guards are looking at me and so is everybody else… What did I put in my luggage? My gold bracelet often causes problems but surely that isn’t so serious.

Anyway, the police were called and my luggage and I are taken into a small room… Everyone is madly staring with keen interest! I am starting to feel like Schapelle Corby! They go through my luggage, oh the embarrassment! I had thrown in my hand luggage everything I bought at Tombstone, including a sheriff’s badge and a small gun lighter I had bought for the Panama hat! I hadn’t really thought about it at five in the morning! When they realised it was a cigarette lighter for $5, everyone relaxed except for me… I needed my laudanum! Still, I was photographed, and copies of my passport were taken! All a bit heavy and sadly I had the lighter taken away!

However, my final day in the South West had been amazing. I visited three museums in searing heat. First we saw the San Xavier Mission on the Tohano O’odham Reservation, near the border of Mexico and the Chihuanuan Desert.

The tower had never been completed to avoid taxes. Inside were amazing murals and a mummified saint whose name escapes me. Unusual it was!

Then the wagon headed out to the Sanoran Desert Museum, which you guessed it was an outside museum in blistering105 degree heat. It was not the best time to visit this unique and interesting museum/zoo/garden… But the cacti were in flower and I saw my hummingbirds, which I’ve decided, are my new totem. I never realized how small they were and how difficult they are to photograph!

The last stop was the Heard Museum of the Native Americans- also equally fascinating, but thankfully inside and air-conditioned. It is mighty tough heat for those cowboys, cowgirls and Indian, bar girls and dancing ladies. No wonder the West was Wild. I learnt the difference between Zuni, Navajo and Hopi jewellery, but it doesn’t really matter because they all make everything now! My fetish necklace and my hummingbird are of Zuni origin, as is my watch and bracelet. The Navajo jewellery is chunkier and less refined? The Hopi are known for their silver overlay… A brief history for you! The museum shop had outrageous prices on the jewellery. Quite disappointing.

I made the mistake of agreeing to go, once again to the Rustlers Rooste cowboy night. I hated it the first time and I didn’t feel better time second time. Line dancing is really quite mindless, and thus it’s appeal for the cowboys that drew me back! I enjoyed the Mormon chuck wagon far more as the musicians were so good. Anyways I survived two attempts at this hillbilly event, where the white wine tastes like vinegar!

Then everyone kissed and swapped emails, while I ran for cover… There were a few on that tour I really did not like! Especially the conservative chunky variety and their equally boring husbands!

The following day I went to Taliesin West the home of Frank Lloyd Wright or his winter home, because it was so bloody hot in summer. It was incredible!! This was built in the late 1930s and is hip and modern, and in tune with nature. He described himself as the greatest architect in the world, and he was correct! Apparently Marion the wife of Burley Griffin studied under Frank in his desert house.

My days in America are coming to an end, but I have done my bit to improve the American economy… Obama rang me personally to thank me. Without my shopping indulgences and my overloaded suitcases the economy would be in worse shape. Michelle was very impressed, and understood why I flew Hawaiian Air, with their huge luggage allowance, and crap movie selection! I watched “The five year engagement”, and “Les Miserables” out of sheer boredom. Russ was not very good… A bit of an Ozzie ‘love-in’ with Hugh and Russ really! Stay tuned for the next part of my journey…