Having lived in Ireland for going on 7 years, coming from South Africa where there is consistently beautiful sunny summer days, I can’t explain how much I miss the sun and heat. Spending time in Phoenix recharged my batteries to go back to Ireland ~ 104°F / 40°C did the trick. Getting out of the car or stepping outside after being in the air-conditioned environments it felt similar to cooking a roast in the oven, feeling the wave of heat after opening the door. It might sound unpleasant, but to me it felt like heaven.

I booked into Cibola Vista Resort & Spa for 3 days, it met all of my requirements of a good place to chill in the desert: aircon, a nice pool, hot tub and resort activities. This resort was awesome. It has self catering suites with everything you might need in a kitchen, a living room to relax in and laundry facilities – great for halfway through the roadtrip.

My days in Phoenix did not involve bouncing around from things to do in the city centre, but had plenty of relaxation time and seeing friends who live nearby. At the resort I spent a lot of time at the pool, there was also a cocktail and drinks bar at the resort which was great, their Piña coladas and coffees were a fantastic addition to chilling at the pool.

I also tried pickleball for the first time, it’s easy to pick up and lots of fun.

The surprising thing for me in Phoenix was seeing my favourite plant from South African which also grows in Phoenix – thrives actually. It’s called Spekboom in Afrikaans, Elephants food in English.

I love cacti and they are everywhere in Arizona. Seeing so many varieties of cacti and how they grow everywhere reminds me very much of the cacti my mother planted outside our home in South Africa that was at the time of planting only 2 inches tall, but grow into a 7 foot monster. Very effective burglar proofing and it flowered beautifully in summer.

roadtrip progress

14 hr 22 min (881 miles) – direct route travel