Las Vegas to California
The plan was to stop for
an evening in Las Vegas and then proceed to Death Valley National
Park in California. As we drove in the empty desert an unexpected skyline began to grow on the horizon. A massive
skyline with theme parks, outrageous buildings and helicopters flying
here and there. We had reached Las Vegas- an oasis for those
passionate for gambling, partying and drinking. As we drove through
the main avenue I wasn't sure if I should feel amazed or disgusted. I
guess a bit of both was appropriate. I was disturbed by the fact that
such a wasteful, consuming city existed in the middle of a dry
desert. It doesn't seem to fit. At the same time I was amazed at the
extravagant buildings and ridiculous billboards that hung through the
streets. It seems to me that Las Vegas is in a sense, a theme park
for adults. After the initial impressions we decided to spend a only a few hours rather than a night and then continue to California. We spent the night
in Red Rock Canyon National park located not far from Las Vegas where
we could enjoy silence and gazing up in the deep sky.
Death Valley
Desolate. Hot. Dry. We had
entered Death Valley National Park, a short drive behind the
California state line. We stopped at Badwater Basin, the lowest land
surface in North America. I glanced across the salt flat, through the
glimmering heat waves and studied the towering mountains across the
valley that appeared much closer than they really were. I couldn't
imagine walking through such a place without trees to shelter me from the boiling sun pounding on my shoulders as Robyn Davidson
came into my thoughts, who, in 1977 set out on the 2,735 kilometer
journey across the west Australian desert.
The remainder of the day was spent on smaller hiking trails and taking in the beauty of the desert.
We hiked one trail in flipflops.
We went to the convenience
store to buy a beer, filled up our water bottles and then made the
drive across the park to Darwin Falls- a true oasis of flourishing
plants and flowing water. We parked the car and made the quick hike
to the falls before the sun went down, set up camp and cooked some rice before falling asleep to the gentle sound of flowing
water.
The next morning we were
able to enjoy the falls, take some photos and dip our feet into the
chilly water before other hikers appeared on the trail.
We spent the day rolling down sand dunes, hiking through canyons, drinking
water and standing in awe of the pastel colored rocks that appear as
though an artist took their paint pallet to the stones. Late
afternoon we were headed west towards the mountain town of Lone Pine-
the Sierra Nevada was waiting and we were not about to pass down an
opportunity to climb Mt. Whitney.
Lone Pine to Sequoia National Park
I have a crystal
clear image in my mind of those mountains.
Something stirs inside of me when I glance up to the majestic, colossal
mounds of unmovable rocks. I imagine the monstrous Sequoias on the
other side of the soaring peaks. I think of how it would be to
triumph at the summit and perhaps make the journey even further
through the Sierras. I think of those who have done just that and I
sense their bravery and courage. However this was not my time. There
were no ice hacks to rent in town and since it was early spring, the
journey would be too risky without proper equipment. So after a night
under the stars and the shadow of Mt. Whitney we continued our
journey to Sequoia National Park.
Since there is no road
going across the mountains we had to first drive south to Bakersfield
and then again north to reach the entrance to the park. The drive was
an interesting one as we passed by fruit stands, desolate oil fields
and orchids of oranges as their sweet smelling buds filled the car.
As we got nearer to the park, the landscape became more hilly as we
drove through an area that felt as though we were transported to a
Japanese garden. We stopped at a creek for a break where we climbed
across rocks, bathed in the sun and ate a snack. I enjoyed
watching the tall grass on the other side of the creek which looked
like a dance class as it moved in unison to the wind.
As we entered Sequoia park
and drove up towards the visitors center we began to feel small. Very
very small.
The largest trees on
earth. Monstrous and ancient. I could not help but feel a sense of
awe. I wonder what these beings have seen in their time and the
stories they would share with us if they could. I imagine that these respected
trees were once fragile, insecure saplings reaching for the rays of
the sun beneath the shadow of their ancestors. As I stood in their
shade and laid my hand on their enormous trunks I could sense their
patience, resilience and determination. After a forest fire, they
heal themselves and become stronger. I observed their burnt bark and
reflected on how hardships in our own lives give us an opportunity to heal
and become stronger, just as the Sequoias.
On the summit of Moro
Rock- a trail we did in the late afternoon:
Our next stop was Fresno where we had the chance
to grab some groceries and camping supplies before driving farther
north to Yosemite National Park. We reached the visitors center in
the park just before closing time where we asked for advice on
hiking trails. We cooked some dinner in the park and were sure to
pack the food quickly away before a bear decided to dine with us.
Our days in Yosemite were
spent hiking, evenings playing card games in the lodge and eating
overly priced pizza. On one of our hikes, we were quite certain to
have heard the rumblings of a bear in the thick bush!
We stopped in Hetch Hetchy
which is another valley in the park known for its waterfalls and a reservoir that was built in 1934 which provides water for the city of
San Francisco. After a walk around the reservoir, we continued
further west towards San Francisco.
Strawberry picking along the way! We only paid 10$ for this case.
First stop: the Golden Gate bridge, the symbol of San Francisco and one of the worlds
longest suspension bridges. We went out for a bite to eat at an
Pakistan restaurant and then were on our way to our nudist
couchsurfing host, Saturn who lived in the heart of the city. We
shared our travel stories with Saturn and he showed us the music that
he writes and was sure to answer all our questions regarding his nudist lifestyle.
The next morning we were
up early and decided to head to the famous Pier 39. We watched the
seals in their sunbathing bliss piss each other off and make the
funny sounds that seals make. We did some window shopping and I met a
proud hog farmer from Nebraska who was not happy with my dietary
decisions. I am not even sure how I met the gentleman or how our
heated conversation began, but I hope I was able to shed some light
on the subjects of sustainable eating and animal cruelty for him. It
was difficult, however I managed to be patient and calm and hear him
out as he grew upset and stammered that I was ill informed. It
made me sad to be reminded that many people are in the dark about these
subjects, especially those who are on the front line. But after
another laugh with the seals I realized that, although small,
perhaps, just perhaps the words I said triggered a second thought in
the farmers mind.
We visited the famous places and did the things
one does in a city like San Fran. By the late
afternoon, we headed back to Saturns place before going out for
dinner and an evening stroll.
With rainy overcast skies
and a cool breeze we headed south along the coast. We passed through
beachside towns with plenty of surfers and fishers to cheer on as
they tested their luck in the cold Atlantic waters. Christoph was not particularily enthusiastic about the weather but I must admit it did not
bother me a bit. Of course, it's not the image most have of the sunny
Californian coast but I viewed the weather as pure and honest.
As I sit on the beach I
dig my feet into the cool wet sand, breath in the salty air and appreciate the breeze on my skin. I watch the waves crash over a pile
of rocks and sense the flow of the ocean. I carry a blanket and tea with me and explore the almost
empty beach where the seagulls rule their shoreline kingdom. Yes,
these are moments that will stay in my memory, moments which I am
truly grateful for.
We had spent the night somewhere in Monterey Bay and the next morning Christoph woke me up in a rush to present a video of an otter that was
relaxing a few meters from the car. It was nice to wake up to a
cute Otter video and not to a pounding alarm clock.
After improvising
breakfast and spending a few moments on the windy beach watching the
surfers dance along the waves, we found ourselves in the city of
Monterey.
Where we slept
The weather was clearing
as we explored the pier and considered going on a whale watching
tour. Instead, we drove to Point Lobos National Reserve for an
afternoon hike, where there were plenty of whales to watch on the
horizon. I was astonishment and in awe as I witnessed them throw
their fat dense bodies into the air and splash into the
water like ungraceful gymnasts.
When we reached Big Sur we
asked around for camping prices and could only laugh when we found
that the cheapest around would cost us around 75$. So we made our own
camping spot in the bush along the highway next to a creek.
In California it became
quite clear that the state or rather the whole of the United States
is not exactly a student friendly travel destination. An important
part of travelling is meeting locals and creating memories with other
travellers along the way and it was discouraging to encounter few
backpackers or hitchhikers. Gas, hotels and even camping spots are
extremely over priced which was frustrating and disheartening. In
contrast to the Algarve in Portugal, the Californian coast is lined
with fences and private property and almost all beaches have a fee of
at least 10$. Parking lots have signs forbidding 'habitation
within vehicles' and we began to have the feeling that things were privatized, anonymous and centralized around making money from
the pockets of tourists. Unfortunately with this attitude we
continued our journey along the overrated coast.
Before we reached Los Angeles, we spent another day and evening beach hopping and enjoying the sunshine.
A short walk on Hollywood
Boulevard and a peak at the famous 'Hollywood' sign and we were gone
as quickly as we came.
General feelings towards LA
We arrived in San Diego
mid morning, walked around the main city center and grabbed a bite
to eat. Then we started beach hopping, watched the waves and made
friends with the local seals. We ended up on Ocean Beach, a beach
known for its young scene and laid back atmosphere.
As I watched the sunset I was laying on the hard sand curled up with a blanket and Christoph
was off taking pictures and chatting with some other beach goers. I
remember this sunset in particular.
I watch the intense orange of
the sky turn into a faded pastel. Surfers coasted the wave crests and
there is a sail boat kissing the horizon as it floats across my mind. Time seems to stand still and I feel no need to move. I feel only the need to remain where I am. A sort of medidative trance.
In this moment I feel a strong sense of euphoria that I imagine one
would feel on drugs. The sun sinks into the belly of the ocean and I reflect on the otherside of the globe where it begins to greet the sky and bring the hope of a new day.
I am not sure why it was that particular moment
that is so strong in my memory but perhaps it is better not to ask
why and instead to simply be grateful for the experience.
Cooking eggs on our stove
balanced on the trunk.
The next day we did a bit
more sightseeing in town and made the decision to walk to Tijuana the
next morning. We parked the car and slept in San Ysidro, the last
town before the border with Mexico. The next morning we walked about
15 minutes to the border where, after a short wait, we crossed by
foot. Then we made our way to the center of Tijuana, which is also a
short walk from the border with the US. We spent time in the center,
ate some street food and then watched a IMAX film in the famous
Tijuana Cultural Center for only $1,50!
A friend of mine, who is
from Tijuana, set us up with a host and contacts to show us around
and spend time with. We met up with Isaac and
later Alex also joined us. They introduced us to the night life in TJ
and told us a bit about the citys' history and the attitude of the
population. We drove along the border by night and I gazed up at the
tall fences with intimidating lights that divide the US from Mexico.
We grabbed a bite to eat on the beach and then took a short walk to
the Friendship Park. We explored the area and debated the possibility
of swimming to the US.
The next day it was
already time to head back to the US. After sleeping in and taking a
quick shower, we grabbed our things, said goodbye to Isaac's
chihuahua and turtles and made our way to the border crossing. We
waited quite a long time before getting scowled at by a US border
crossing agent for presenting the wrong passport (I have two and I'm never really sure which one to show). And with that we knew we
were back in the good ol' Southwest USA.
Most Americans that we
spoke with about our short adventure to Tijuana believed that we
wanted to have our brains shot out or wanted in on the drug trade. We
sensed an overwhelming attitude of fear and dread towards the border
when speaking with Americans. There was one man who even claimed he would 'be killed if I crossed the border to Mexico! Stay away!'
However almost all that we spoke with had never crossed the border
themselves and thus have absolutely no idea that it can be a
completely normal border experience.
Since we were quite in
love with San Diego we decided to stay another night and go surfing
the next day. A long relaxing day on the beach, testing out our non
existent surfing abilities in our awkward wet suites and we were
headed back to Phoenix for the long journey home.
A fresh view, opened mind,
energized ideas and a zest for life. A widened understanding and love
for nature. A heightened appreciation and desire to learn more about
the cultures of indigenous peoples. A motivation to read books and
educate myself. These are some of the things I have taken away from my travels in the southwest of America.
Since I forgot my
phone back in Germany, for the duration of the trip we had one device
which contained music to connect to the car radio which was
Christoph’s phone. But Christoph’s phone has only two albums of
music: The Campfire Headphase from Boards of Canada and Antidotes
from Foals. Driving each day for hours on end, one gets a bit tired
of listening to the same music over and over and over again. Looking back though, I
find myself grateful that we only had these two albums to play music.
If I play either of those albums now I am reminded of the strong
relationship between music and memory. It is truely close feeling. I close my eyes
and I am there. I am in the passenger seat of the Jetta with my hand
out of the window catching the sun and enjoying the view. I see
everything: the highway outside of Moab with the setting sun on the
way to Canyonlands, the bridge over the dam in Page, the oil fields
in California, our snowy encounter with Colorado. I am sitting on a
hill in Sante Fe playing cards and drinking a beer watching the
nightlife in the city begin I feel the cool wind of Sequoia and the
warm sun in Utah. I see the road signs and the intersections on the
way to Ojo Caliente in New Mexico. I smell my unwashed hair and my
smoky sleeping bag. I see the overbearing rocks in Zion national
park. I feel the pain in my legs from hiking the Grand Canyon. I feel
the hot sun on the back in San Diego. I am there again and I must
say it is so beautiful. I am amazed at how detailed I remember this
trip. There was something about this experience that went deep and
stuck with me. I have never experienced such a thing. I speculate
perhaps that I remembered things so clearly this time around because
this trip was a trip mostly spent in nature: hiking, walking,
observing and being. Perhaps I learned to slow down and take in what
I see. Either way, this
trip took me back to nature. Reminded me how beautiful the earth is.
How precious life is and how grateful I am so be here and be alive.
