16 Concord students and 3 staff members thoroughly enjoyed spending the week of half-term in the USA, exploring the enormous and varied landscapes of Nevada, Arizona and California. The group departed on Friday 25^th October commencing in Las Vegas, for the geography-focused trip. After setting off from the bright lights of Las Vegas the following day, the group travelled to Flagstaff, and stayed in a hotel on the famous Route 66. Said Form 5 student Kenneth: “It was an amazing trip – and we experienced so much more than physical geography. For example, we travelled the famous Route 66 and learnt about American culture and history. “I initially thought we would only be learning about rocks and climates, but it was delightful to travel around three states and we saw many majestic landscapes.” Kenneth added: “The trip also enabled students to bond and make new friends.” Other highlights included a visit to Hoover Dam, the ‘mind-blowing views’ of the Grand Canyon National Park and ‘the dramatic scenery’ of Death Valley and Yosemite, all providing ‘beautiful views’ according to Concord’s Assistant Principal (Enrichment & Examinations), Dr Phil Outram. Said Dr Outram: “In particular, whilst I knew it was hot valley with a salt lake below, I was not expecting the beautiful other-worldly rock formations we saw. “The highlight for me was a walk up ‘golden canyon’ surrounded by multicoloured rock formations. “We then visited some sand dunes that featured near the start of the original Star Wars movie!” The group also visited Silicon Valley, before their final destination, San Francisco – a large contrast from the desolate landscapes. Said Concord Geography teacher, Mr Steven Cale: “Our trip to Silicon Valley enabled students to learn about why so many of the world's IT giants originate from one place. Intel and Apple HQ were insightful, and students enjoyed finding Concord on a mega-sized Google map interface too. “Our last evening was an amazing trip of discovery. We learnt about downtown San Francisco and the city's history of tectonic turmoil. “We also visited Pier 39, a tourist redevelopment across from Alcatraz.” View the USA photo gallery by clicking here.