Out West? Go to Monument Valley. It’s a landscape like you’ve never seen before, straight out of a movie, and possibly out of this world. Sleeping under the stars in Monument Valley – as guests of the Navajo – is up there on my list of once-in-a-lifetime (and possibly even life-changing) experiences. A pit-stop made while travelling the breath of the American South; this night in particular we decided to abandon the then familiar shelter of canvas and the offer of a traditional Navajo Hogan (a roomy yet cozy shelter, slap bang in the middle of no-where) for a night alone with the universe; us, the stars and the silence of the American desert.
That day we’d taken a guided 4×4 tour of the valley, exploring the familiar sites of (your Dad’s) favourite Westerns and the stunning sacred sites of the Navajo Nation – For me it was a welcome chance to learn a little about the cultural history of the people who call this iconic landscape home. We were treated to an amazing evening meal of Navajo tacos, music and dancing, in which we all (yes, even me) partook.
Without a thought to all the creepy crawlies and venomous sleeping-bag invaders, a night of calm spent under the stars was just what we needed to break up a breakneck-road-trip-extravaganza across the Southern states we had embarked on with TrekAmerica. And if the clarity the darkness provided wasn’t enough, we woke just before dawn to experience the most beautiful sunrise I believe I will ever see, sat on the warm dune sands of Monument Valley.