Desert Day 4 - Joshua Tree

A break from jewellery updates with my next desert post! This was one of the best days ever! With the upcoming One of a Kind Show, you will see how much this trip inspired me.

We have all heard of Joshua Tree... and call me an idiot, but I didn't know much about it. When I think desert, I think vast endless vision of hot sand and maybe a couple trees. I think children's books and shows had long planted these stereotypical ideas in my head. Being at Joshua Tree National Park was like being on Mars to me. So many Joshua trees, trees, trees like I had never seen before. Boulders and mounds that looked so unbelievable to me that I felt like they were made somewhere and brought there. I'm having trouble expressing what I am thinking, but the whole place was unreal in the most majestic and awe inspiring way.

Several months later, as I write this and revisit these photos, I still cant believe this scene.

We spent the day driving around and going on mini hikes. It was beautiful. (And only someone who is always cold like me would need a jacket in the desert. It was windy, ok!)

Once in a while you would spot a hit of insanely vibrant colour and find the most amazing blooms in the dry dry desert.

This colour was so incredible in real life. This photo doesn't do it justice!

This was an old dead tree with the most beautiful texture -- dried, weathered with human markings made over many years.

I know, I took a lot of photos! It couldn't seem to pare it down!

This is the view overlooking Coachella Valley. 

Skull Rock was definitely a cool sight!

Each spot we stopped at in this massive national park had its own special feature. This is the Cholla Cactus Garden. Located at the meeting of the upper Mohave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert, this garden is filled with a maze of hundreds of beautiful jumping cholla cacti. Clumps are known to blow or jump off the main plant and attach themselves to passersby, so we were extra careful.

I was glad K had cautioned us. As we wound our way through the stunning garden, I saw a woman turn to look for the rest of her group. As she spotted them, she flipped back forwards and turned directly into a tall cactus. I couldn't warn her fast enough and she was left with many of the spiny pricks embedded in her arm and bare legs. We checked to see if she was ok, but as her friends had now connected with her, we figured she was in good hands. She was plucking each spine out as we left her.

What a great experience. Cannot wait to go back and explore more!

The evening was spent in huge contrast to our natural wonder day. We enjoyed a lovely dinner in the town of Palm Springs to get off our feet and to discuss the incredible views we had seen that day.

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