6-17 June 2018

Just to set the scene, we have friends who live 5 miles away. She took a week off work to spend time with us. We did a lot of retail, including some grocery items we can’t get in UK. Oh, and clothes. And other things. And they have a pool, which is nice when the temperatures are around 108ºF/42ºC

So the 3 of us spent a fair amount of time doing Malls, and Premium Outlets, in the west and south-west corners of the huge sprawling conurbation of Phoenix. Oh, and cooling off in the pool, of course. I know, we’re a bit weird, but we like suburban America - it’s very useful, for a start. And Phoenix has wide streets, with carefully tended gravelled verges comprehensively planted with various cacti and flowering shrubs underneath the over-arching trees … it’s really rather attractive! Some road signs can be a bit confusing, though.







Other excitements included some torrential rain one morning …



… and a visit to a local shooting range, where I revisited my old sport of making holes in paper with a rented 9mm pistol. Not a bad result for an out of practice old-timer! Some high shots on the RH target due to ‘pushing’ the shot, but almost no evidence of ‘snatching’ the trigger at all even when doing rapid fire. Well pleased with myself!



And then it was time to head home, having filled both suitcases but not needing the overflow sports bag. The OH was very pleased with her new rolling carry-on, though … $180 reduced to $40 will do nicely! Must shop harder next time!