Phoenix: The Good and the Bad

When I moved to the Phoenix area from Michigan, I essentially knew what I was getting myself into. I would be deprived of grass, trees, and shade for my three year stint. My only other knowledge of the desert southwest came from a family vacation to the more scenic parts of Arizona - in other words, not Phoenix - when I was ten. I vaguely remember wandering through Sky Harbor airport and seeing a palm tree or two on the way out of town. That's it. Now, after almost a year in the Phoenix area, my reviews are mixed. As I approach a grueling summer, I wonder why anyone would voluntarily live in an oven.

Viewed as a welcome reprieve from winter gloom in the Midwest, the sun reinvents itself in Phoenix. It becomes an angry, burning sphere that relentlessly beats down on pedestrians. Even during the winter months, when the temperatures are pleasant, the sun does not hibernate as it does in the Midwest; it is a fulltime worker here. Sun screen, sunglasses, and water bottles are a must.

Drive down most residential streets in the Phoenix area and you'll find yourself asking the same question: where's the grass? Grass is a status symbol here. If your yard looks unnaturally lush, you've made something of yourself. If your yard consists of gravel and you want it to be green, then you'll have to be creative and persistent. Vegetation usually includes an assortment of cacti, bringing a little desert ambiance to the populated urban areas.

Palm trees are the trees of choice. While they look nice in the context of an ocean setting, they lose there luster when the nearest body of water is a murky river wedged between construction sites and highways. Also problematic is that palm trees are ineffective shields against the aforementioned angry sun. These trees provide no shade, and so the best source of relief is often a suspect swimming pool at your local apartment complex.

With its burgeoning growth and light rail plans, the Phoenix area is a non-stop construction zone. Anything involving construction means more people, and anything involving rapid population growth means traffic, pollution, litter, and poor air quality. Most weather forecasts even include daily air quality reports. It is not uncommon to see a green haze, perhaps with a bit of umber mixed in, above the horizon. Weather is usually predictable, but with the occasional wildcard thrown in for good measure. Dust storms kick up even more debris into the air, and summer monsoons bring an unexpected guest: rain.

Yes, yes, the Phoenix area is booming with new housing and businesses, a sign of the area's progress and confidence. And, yes, there are pluses to Phoenix. The city is laid out on a grid, which is perfect for the directionally impaired. And there's an Ikea for all of your furnishing needs. Phoenix's position is also convenient to other travel destinations. It is within a few hours of cooler locales, such as Sedona or Flagstaff, and approximately five hours from those much coveted ocean breezes. Phoenix is not all bad - it's just a little toasty.