"Mom sent me out to get some mushrooms???"
My stereotypical impression of the desert as a place of tan colored sand with drifting dunes exists no longer. Our camping trip into the Western desert provided a wider scope of vision -- there were many large stone structures like these, others that were topped with rows of undulating black columns -- so much more variety than I would have envisioned. And -- as depicted in movies etc. the oasis -- rich with emerald green vegetation from springs -- cold and hot.
Our camping trip began with a bus trip, where we transferred to four wheel drive vehicles to head off road through the desert, over the dunes and across the wide expanses of sand and rock. We set up small tents -- the crew set up cooking tents, tables etc. where they provided wonderful meals.
THE CREW
Toyota shows why they are the #1 vehicle maker. Jeeps can't withstand the punishment these diesel Land Cruisers are put through.
This is the road, and some of the constantly moving dunes we had to climb were 80-100 feet up scary angles at 80+kph. This one is only about 40 ft. We walked the rest of the way. Blaine would love racing here.
Only the truly foolish would drive up and ruin the beauty of the basalt hills. It's BLACK.
It's WHITE.
And a billion years ago it was ocean.
And we're here.
And up there.
We even stopped at some hot springs where
Blaine had some hydrotherapy for his knee.
And then lunch...
...overlooking natural pyramids.
Off we went into the white desert
If you squint really hard, you can see our tent.
It was actually quite luxurious, since it was the only one with air matresses.
Five star all the way.
One last stop on the way home, to thank the hardest worker,
who all too often, is the most abused.
Seems a universal irony...minimum wage,
extensive abuse and worked the hardest.
Both the mule and the human.
