Hello Everyone ,

Well of the trip so far this was the hardest sleep to get up from as I was so comfy, snug and warm in my HOTEL bed (not had a chance to say that much this trip). We felt like royalty being able to get up, shower in the same room as we slept in and able to pack my bag without a tent trying to eat our heads. So we were up and loaded, trailer hitched and on the road leaving the city of sin behind us and heading for Death Valley.

This drive of 4 hours was especially quiet with some people only getting in to the hotel in the early hours and some in worse states than others, therefore 99% of the bus were asleep. We drove off and through the desert before entering death valley natural park and stopping for our first photo opportunity at the entrance sign where we all played dead for the photo, cheesy but good. A little down the road we stopped at a pull in overlooking the petrified sand dunes. James explained how rain does fall here but it is so hot it evaporates before it can touch the ground! Anything and everything with any moisture was rock hard and had been for years. We then continued down the road to a rest stop for lunch where we were joined by a Ranger called Joe Snow. If I am honest, Joe had spent too long in the desert and needed to get out fast. He told us everything about the area we were in, animals that were here, no rain for years and even explained how there were underground rivers people in Las Vegas were trying to steal water from. After our talk and lunch we headed back into the desert to devils golf course, not a course itself but if the devil played golf he would play it here. The sand, rocks and salt had crystallised to leave behind razor sharp rock formations that could cut through shoes. It was mad, it you slipped over on the rock's you were being air-lifted to hospital!

Down the road again we stopped to visit the salt flats at badwater. It was incredibly hot with the sun beating down and reflecting of the sand/salt surface but still an amazing sight. We drove on out the valley via the road they call the car breaker. A 12mile stretch of road which new cars are tested on for brakes and cooling ability. At the start we had to turn the air con off so not to over -heat the van. The road inclined 5k feet in 12miles with lots of crested hills and valley turns and with a little encouragement the van made it easily. After this we headed for the camp site and stopped for dinner at Carl's Jnr burger house. Wow the size of these burgers were a challenge let alone the choice you had to make from the menu! We both when for the steakhouse special with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, onion rings and swiss cheese, obviously I had to double up the burger as it was rude not to. So now happily full we headed to the camp site to set up for the night. Once tents were up and unloaded we were told to get into our swimming gear grab a towel and meet in the van with a torch at 8pm. We drove to a field in the middle of a farm and were told to get out. James lead us to a small pool next to the path, a hot spring. The water was amazing, just under bath temperature and crystal clear, steam was rising from the pool into the cold night air. We all jumped into the knee high water and submerged ourselves, it was bliss. After 10min we found a pipe entering the pool which one of the lads crawled through to another deeper pool further up the road. Obviously the girls all ran round the road and jumped in from the side but the lads all climbed through causing a few cuts here and there. This pool was smaller but deeper, waist height surrounded my bushes and illuminated perfectly by the full moon. We stayed in there for about an hour and a half talking and playing games before we were all wrinkled and ready for bed. A quick 10min wet, cold drive and we were back and the camp site. The camp fire gave heat to dry towels and warm cold bodies but in 30minutes of sitting around the whole group were in there sleeping bags trying to sleep wishing they were still in the hotel from the night before.

From Sierra Nevada with Love

Nikki and Ben xx