Early start today. Pick up for the tour to Death Valley was 7.30. Thought I really should get something into my tummy so I scouted around and found a place to get some muesli and yoghurt, a bit of decent food for a change.
I was the last pick up on the bus already loaded with one Aussie (a solo woman from Cranbourne would you believe), an America couple from Miami, and a German couple.
Off we went with a nice, hyper-enthusiastic , young woman guide for the 3ish hr drive into California and Death Valley. It was definitely a descent into the Valley, verified by popping ears. The lowest point in the US and the hottest. That low point was a massive salt lake. We stopped to walk out on the lake. It was 46C or 114F.
It isn’t even that the scenery is totally unique, obviously Lake Eyre comes to mind and the area around is like the Painted Desert outside Coober Pedy with great rocky outcrops in amazing colours. But it is the overall feel of the place. Star Wars was filmed here and as we drove in our guide put on the Star Wars music. I swear you could see Darth Vader coming at you.
We walked up to look at views and drove down steep valleys such as Twenty Mule Team to get our fill of the surrounds. It was just SO hot.
On the way back I very tentatively asked if the guide thought that international tourism was down. The Americans immediately asked what I meant, was it because of Trump, they said they thought it was false information. The Guide was very clear that this was a very busy year for her. So…nothing to see here.
I got back to NY-NY and collapsed into my favourite Happy Hour to rehydrate in precisely the wrong way. There I met some lovely people once again. At this rate I’m going to have a lot of visitors coming to Melbourne!!
Nothing planned for tomorrow. Cant even think at this point!!