[neilhd]

So with the trip getting closer I thought I'd better get around to booking the Grand Canyon trip.

The plan has been to book it for my actual birthday - what a great way to spend my 40th, right? I wanted the really early tour (6:15am pickup - early starts don't bother me) so I could get back and still go out for dinner.

I nearly booked it a few weeks ago but didn't, and then the USD rate dropped so I held off. On Sunday Ele told me to just get on and book it.

Disaster! The 6:15 tour on my birthday is sold out!

Naturally, being a grown up man, I had a huge sulk and declared the whole trip ruined. Ele, being far more wise than me, talked me around to going the day before with the promise of a lovely relaxing birthday involving not getting up so early and a lovely breakfast somewhere, with perhaps cocktails around a pool or whatever else I wanted to do, followed by a very nice dinner somewhere.

So I reluctantly agreed to this, and we're doing exactly that.

All my own fault, which makes it worse. If it was somebody else's fault I would be quite happy blaming them!