It’s was early; very early. I would never imagine myself getting up willingly at 4:30 in the morning while on vacation. I had just heard about how amazing the event I was about to see truly is. My dad was getting up at 4:30 for the second day in a row. I thought it must be worth it, even though my dad tends to be a morning person. I was all warm and cozy and sound asleep in my queen size bed in the hotel room. I was awakened by my dad. He said in the quiet voice that annoys me so much, “It’s time to get up.” I think to myself I can hear walking around. I know it’s time to get up. I just don’t want to. Eventually I got up and put on the clothes that I laid out the night before. My dad and I headed out to go and meet my aunt and uncle and other aunt who are also on vacation with us.

It was still the black of night when we got out to catch the bus to go to the best spot to watch the spectacular event. There was only one other guy on the bus besides our party of five. We rode the bus up to one of the bus stops to catch the bus that would take us to the lookout point on the rocks that is best suited to watch this amazing event. We got out of the bus and had to walk awhile because they want to limit the amount of miles the buses go to reduce the amount of harmful gases it produces in the natural setting. Once we reached the red rock where we were going to watch the explosion of color. We went down to the railing and looked out into the gray quite lackluster rock about to burst into color. We awaited the much anticipated sunrise on the Grand Canyon.
I started to regret that I didn’t wear a heavier coat because without the sun to heat the air it is very cold even in Arizona. We can see down into the canyon because the sun was starting its way up into the sky and gradually see more and more. The rocks were gray and dull without the sun’s ray hitting them and making them sparkle with the dazzling deep colors of red, orange, and brown. I film this new perspective of the Grand Canyon rocks. There was a slight indentation between the high ridges and there we started to see the first sliver of the sun poke up. I began to feel the warming rays and the world below starts to show its vibrant color.

I kept filming to try to capture this on the family video camera, but it was in vain. Some things in nature just can’t be justified by film. It is something I had to experience live. There is nothing like it. Once this event started to unfold it happened very rapidly. It kept coming up further and further. Besides a man who came up with his very friendly white dog we were left alone to witness this amazing natural phenomenon. The colors in the canyon began to be revealed. They went on as far as I could see, ever expansive rock became vibrant with the natural colors. The oranges and reds and browns now stood out against the bright orange horizon. The clouds began to reflect the bright rays of the sun and become orange and red and yellow.
The ascent continued until the entire orb was fully visible. With this the sunrise was over. I felt its warming rays. It was going to be a warm day. I left amazed and awed, but the fact remained that I did have to get up at4:30, so we decided to go back to our hotel rooms and get some more sleep before going out and further exploring the amazing landform that is the Grand Canyon. We took the bus route back to the hotel parking lot and climbed the steel staircase back up to the second floor so we could get back to the room. I talked briefly about how amazing it all was, but I wanted to get back to sleep. My dad couldn’t go back to sleep. I had no such problem. I went back to my bed and fell back into slumber. Even though I hate getting up, this time it was worth it and I won’t soon forget the amazing, spectacular, humbling sunrise on the Grand Canyon. Nothing can out do nature.