Death Valley

The trip to Death Valley (http://www.nps.gov/deva/) runs without major highlights, as parched desert landscape we now know already. Once supplied with 24 bottles of mineral water and some food we arrive at 14.00 clock in the Furnace Creek Ranch. The rooms are not ready, we could either wait or call every half hour - within the next two hours they might be ready. We have already experienced better service here.

Never mind, it is so cozy with 48 degrees Celsius in the shade - who would want to have a shower. So we make a short trip, because in the interior of the car the air conditioning creates temperatures around 35 degrees. We drive to the Artist's Drive with different colored rocks (or should I say more delicate shades of color?) And then the more impressive Devil's Golf Course with rugged rock flakes that are still stained with the salt of the former lake. Mordor must be just around the corner and Mia is looking out for Frodo and Sam to be able to donate some refreshment.

But insted of that we go back to the hotel, check in and find out that there is a pool. If the water is already scarce, it must be used at least for something useful. We use the luxury and refresh with cool 30-32 degrees water temperature. The charge of the waste water is relative, because a sign pointing me out with the spent pool water the golf course is irrigated. Well then.

We start early to look at the sunset from Dante's View. The family is snapped, I will start already at 17.30 clock, but the topography seems to me something to help and in the 1600 meter altitude of Dante's View, temperature is only 32 degrees. The view of almost the entire valley is worthwhile in any case and gives a completely different picture with giant glittering salt flats.

Despite a comfortable temperature we do not wait until 19.45 clock, but try to catch Sunset at Zabriskie Point. Even severe speeding by some 100 percent does not help and we come about a minute too late, but the warm light on the higher rocks is still impressive.

Back in the room, given the usual National Park prices we eat from what we brought from the supermarket, but thanks to a bottle of Mondavi and fresh vegetables it tastes quite well (apart from the typical American sweet spiced dried meat) and the evening sounds of cute and funny. The children say goodbye to see Star Trek on TV. I wonder why: Here it all looks like on another planet.