Residence Inn By Marriott Palm Desert

... God. Apparently they were up there experiencing his wonder and stuff – which is fine by me but I could probably have used the time on actually looking at said wonder. I cunningly directed them the big trees at Humbolt – as they are wonderful – and made my excuses.

The scenic lookout was swamped by more people from the same group and as they were mid sermon I couldn’t really push ...

... getting it sorted that I decided to give it a go. I made it 5 miles on the freeway before my back was screaming and my neck was crooked from trying to read the dials (which were totally obscured by the steering wheel). It was no good – I had to go back. After agreeing to pony up another eight or nine hundred quid I was upgraded to a newer (16380 on the clock) and bigger model. I now had a Pontiac G6. I thought of a few rude ...

... chile verde tamales, enchildas, fideo, salad and Spanish rice, all made from scratch! Seriously the best Spanish food I've ever had! Today Jo, grandpa mondo and I went to fantasy springs casino about 1-2 hr away from our villa. Won about $30. Played the slots for about 3 hours. Super fun! Now Jo and I are in bed waiting for the parentals to get back to go out to dinner with crazy uncle Bobby and fiancé! Haha.

... Peak at 10,834 feet. The sunrise has no sign of coming and the waning quarter moon is casting its silver light upon a slope of granite boulders. Mars is on the horizon adding an celestial element to the desert's potent stillness.
-So far this morning we shared the trail with three women hikers who started out ahead of us. We passed them (of course) because they were slow chatty ladies, but they passed us because we were men and got lost by taking a wrong ...

... The added feature of the whole Hallowed-Fest experience was the first ever all acoustic set. Needless to say the music was amazing.

The promoters built this giant castle-snake-overlook in the middle of the firelds. You could walk all the way around and be at a rotunda at the top and look out to see the whole venue. A very cool feature. Highlight was the glowstick battles on either side with the people on top ...

... or river or some form of natural source of water. However, an RV Park is best described as a large parking lot, with electric and water points, and public facilities. RV Parks are quite popular in the US, and hence the facilities can be very modern. For example, this particular RV Park has a golf course, an indoor swimming pool, spa ...

... of our farm-fresh goodies. While we waited for everything to be ready we showered (much needed) and snacked on hummus, Kern goat cheese and bagel crisps. MMmmmMMmmmmmMMMmmmmmmmm.  When stuffed to the brim we fell asleep quickly and woke early to get ourselves TV ready (very difficult after 2 weeks on a farm without shaving, covered in bruises and poison-sumac) and after our usual 2 hour delay, coffee and farewells we headed off into the depths of LA to the Price is Right.  

... animals
running onto the street. We took the palm springs aerial tram up onto
the mountains. The 10 minute ride gives you amazing vies of the
mountains. It is a very pretty place to see and our last stop. I loved
our time here in California and there are many memories we will take
back with us.

... a few days there and start traveling, probably by bus - a first time for me on a bus in Thailand - north visiting some islands along the way and to Krabi. We will probably spend a few days on Phi Phi Island and then to Phuket for a few days of beaching and then back to Bangkok for four days and home on May 10, 2007. I wish it were longer but I have demands at home that limit my travel. Will be leaving on April 16 at 1 am in the morning. arggggg

We are slowly moving South and West and have spent the last three days at White Tank Campground in Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree at 800,000 acres is smaller than both Death Valley and Mojave but appears much more surreal. The higher elevations we visited within the Park are alternately covered with piles of precariously stacked massive light brown boulders and forests of its namesake Joshua Trees. Joshua Tree is a ...