phil hawkins
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 p.2 #6 · Monument Valley & Slot Canyons | |
I just cannot believe what I'm reading on this post! Negative, negative, negative!! Geez-Louise! Does anyone here have the slightest inkling that MV is basically in a foreign country? The Navajo Indian Reservation is the largest in the country, both geographically and as measured by population. They have been there for thousands of years and have their own culture. I could go on about the poverty here, etc., but you know the story. As for the "money-hungry" attitude, I don't begrudge them that at all. I'm not wild about dilapidated mobile homes right up in the shadow of the mittens, or the cheap Indian jewelry displays everywhere you turn, but it's their turf. Don't expect the place to be run like Yellowstone or (God forbid) Yosemite, with the NPS running everything because it's not the same. Trust me, if NPS was running things, the prices would be triple and access would be about half what it is now.
My experience was much different than you guys; I went to Mystery Valley with a guide name of Marcella who took me all around for 3 hours, and only charged me $15. (I suspect she just wanted to be out of the kiosk for a while...). She could not have been nicer, showed me everything in Mystery Valley, and we parted friends. The Navajo I encountered were friendly, helpful and doing their best to etch out a living. If anything, they don't charge enough. $5 a person to enter the park?? Are you kidding me? That's dirt cheap! And I told them so. $165 for an all-day trip (6 hours) on horseback around the Monument Valley sights? That's absurdly cheap. No question, if they pull the bait-and-switch on you, you can accept or bail. Don't get angry, just make a decision and get over it. The sooner you make a decision to be happy and take what comes in that frame of mind, you will have a much more rewarding experience. And check your own attitude; are you smiling, patient, happy, conversational, outgoing and respectful, or do you approach with a sour-puss face, silent, questioning, suspicious, and intolerant?
BTW, one of my pet peeves is people whose driving life force is to complain about every little thing that doesn't meet their personal expectations when on vacation. It makes me wonder why people even bother to leave home. If you're going to be that rigid, inflexible, opinionated, and basically unhappy, just stay home where you have control over everything. I agree that bait-and-switch is irritating, but that's how the Navajo negotiate; everything is up for re-negotiation at any time depending on their judgment of what they can get AND on what they want to give you. If they like you, you can negotiate a GREAT deal! If they DON'T like you, just bend over and prepare for the hosing you're going to get. Understand that, and life will be that much easier (This is true in life no matter where you are or what you're doing). Best thing to do is, at the beginning of the day, decide what attitude you're going to project and then LIVE WITH IT and DON'T COMPLAIN!
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