Outside The Red Planet Diner, in the high desert town of Sedona, the model of a flying saucer hovered at an awkward angle, its battered body forever anchored to the asphalt. Scanning the restaurant floor, I found a table with a view of the towering red mountains beyond the car park – a backdrop worthy of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Joining me for dinner that evening was Melinda Leslie, manager of the nearby Centre For The New Age. I had signed up for Melinda’s UFO-spotting tour, which employs military goggles to scan the night sky. As our food arrived, she recounted a few of her otherworldly experiences.

“My first abduction was in San Bernardino, California, in 1993,” she said, very matter of factly.

“We were taken into a low-lit room and undressed, then put through a series of examinations. They took some eggs from me, then they attempted to extract sperm from my friend, Mike.”  She paused to take a delicate bite of mashed potato. “Unfortunately, he had a vasectomy – so they had some trouble with that...”

Smiling weakly, I tried not to choke on my Space Burger.

Sedona used to be a wonderful place before it was turned into a New Age flake tourist trap. To read more, click here.