Favorite Trip # 2

We drove through the Mojave Desert a few times, seen it from the freeway only, now is the time to check it out. Joshua Tree National Park is a must see attraction on the north side of the valley and only 30 minutes from Indio. When we hear desert we think of endless sand but this desert is different. There are so many plants and animals that beat the unforgiving climate and survive the 110 F summer with no water. The Joshua tree is actually not a tree but a yucca, can grow up to 40’ tall, and has cream colored flowers in January. Even after it dies the dead tree is home to a lot of small animals. Inside the park there are 9 campgrounds, it is better to stay a day or two because there is so much to see and the park is huge. Being in the Palm Springs area next must see is the Aerial Tramway. It goes up 2.5 miles over the city into Mt. San Jacinto State Park and if you are not afraid of height, need a bit of adrenaline rush the cars are rotating while going up or down. The top of the hill reminds us of home, cold and snow; we don’t miss that and hurry back down to the desert. Little time left to visit a couple of casinos (seems to be more than palm trees in the area), stop at the Dinosaur Theme Park in Morongo and we have to go home. North of Los Angeles the weather turns ugly and doesn’t change for the next 3 months. One more reason to make it home in 2 days again. Are you asking: was it worth driving 4 days to spend 5 days in the desert? Absolutely, wouldn’t hesitate to do it again next winter it’s going to be my next favorite road trip.


Lots of convoys are meeting here before headed further south to Mexico.


Sometimes they spend a few days at the casinos while waiting for members of the convoy to arrive.


Shop at the entrance of Joshua Tree National Park.


Ocotillo cactus grows so tall in the desert.


One of the nice campgrounds inside the park.

Favorite Trip (published in a local paper)

Somebody asked me: what was your favorite road trip? Always the most recent one with an exemption: the next one. I have been to 38 countries so far but planning the next trip is still exiting. And then sometimes it just hits you: you got to go! Last year we moved out of town and then winter came with 2-3 feet of fresh snow. It’s beautiful but not if you live on a dead end road in the middle of the bush. We have been warned on the radio: have 2-3 days of supplies at home because you probably won’t be able to get out. We have been waiting six days for the first snow plow, did not lose power, and had everything from food to booze but getting more and more desperate for a little bit of SUN. Missed a few days of work, a new training has been cancelled, all of a sudden another few unexpected days off. I use to be in California in 2 days when I was driving for a living, why wouldn’t we give it a try? Very tempting when you look out of the window and see nothing but snow. We had to dig out the motor home from the snow, pack it and ready for take off. The Runway still had a lot of snow but the major highways were bare and exactly 46 hours later the thermometer on the motor home showed 27 C in the California desert. Easy to understand why lots of people spend the winter in the Palm Springs area.


We had to do some digging before we could leave, our first winter in the bush.


Enjoying the sunshine and the orange fields 46 hrs later south of Indio, California.


Even the Wal Mart parking lot is full of palm trees.


Date sampling just south of Indio in a famous shop.


Wife is just relaxing on January 6th in the parking lot of the casino in Coachella, California. Nothing but snow at home and here we do not have enough T shirts. More next week.

Last days on Hispanola.

It just doesn’t matter how many times you have seen it the beaches are incredibly beautiful. We decided to spend a couple of more days there before we have to leave.(Just enough for a sunburn)


Nephew’s wife is a local beauty.


The Airport is far away from the city but local transport gets you everywhere.


Travel Agencies and the tourism industry can afford the newest equipment. Mercedes Sprinter bus at the Airport.


Everything was great but we had to say Good Bye and 8 hrs later we are back in the Canadian winter.

Travel & Transport the Dominican way # 2

We drove around as much as we could; we even tried public transport. Rush hour traffic is just like anywhere else but much louder and more smoke. Trucks are loaded far over the limit and there is a lot of freight to be moved. They have big modern shopping centers that could be anywhere else in the world and they are full of goods. The vehicles moving those goods are not exactly state of the art but they do the job.


Environment is definitely not an issue in trucking.


Big shopping centers full of goods...


....and those goods have to be delivered.


Back to getting around: next step after the scooters; taxi. You have to negotiate the fare before you get in; it saves some headache. If you share the ride it’s even cheaper.


It is really cheap travel with mini buses. You have to hail a bus, it will maybe stop or just slow down. You pay the guy in the door and hold on tight because it will move in the next second. They come every 2-3 minutes and we’ve never seen one that could not squeeze in one more passenger.


Before you think I see just the negative side: yes, there are the latest model intercity buses; tourism is the biggest industry of the island and they take good care of the customers. It only takes a couple of days to find out how to travel on the island or in big cities and you will see a whole lot more from the country, meet locals and have a lot more fun then just staying in a resort.

Travel & Transport the Dominican way

Before we left I've read a few things about driving in the Dominican Rep. Quote from the Brochure: (almost) all drivers are using the right side of the road; that is about the only habit familiar to our driving. Everything that moves should haul freight as well. If it's designed to haul 100 lbs it will still move with 200 just a bit slower but you just turned it into a real money maker. All the trucks, buses, cabs we saw seemed to be big money makers; they were overloaded only 2-300%. The cheapest way of transportation: You buy or even just lease a scooter and you can haul people.


Here every vehicle is for hire at the corner.


You need just one more wheel and you can haul freight.


The really lucky ones can haul people and freight at the same time. It must be a fun ride behind the picture.


You think you have seen it all? How about a family of 5 on 2 wheels?


The only ferry is between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. I'm sure there would be a lot more tourists if they had another ferry to Florida. Next time more pictures about getting around in Hispanola.

Santo Domingo up close.

The wall around historic downtown Santo Domingo. Yes, you really feel history in every stone and every step around it.


...and there are guards all over the place. Serious business; serious guards.


Obvious Spanish influence wherever you go. And once again: history in every stone.


Our favorite spot in the whole historic downtown area: this big tree; probably a few hundred years old. In the midday heat the shade under the tree filled with locals is so peaceful, you just have to sit down, watch them, have a break and appreciate life.



Looking at this picture is hard to believe the experience what we had driving to Santo Domingo. Wait 'till you see the next post, it will be about getting around in the Dominican Republic.

Dominica 2007...Leaving the resort.

Yes, life is good inside the resort but it’s boring after a while. It should rather be called a Reservation where locals can watch visitors from far away getting drunk, fat and sunburn. You see nothing from the country, nothing from the locals so we decided to leave the resort and go to Alex’s place in Santo Domingo. The 4.5 hrs trip with the bus cost about 40$ and for 50/day you can rent a nice little car with unlimited mileage. We rented one rather then the bus ride and headed for the capitol. Out in the country the drive was nice and quiet between sugarcane plantations but when we got to the first big city ( La Romana ) I was shocked and asked Alex: the light is red how comes nobody stops? -You better get used to it: those lights are just a show off for tourists; locals don’t really care-Alex said. Same thing with the Drivers License. Probably half of the drivers never had one and you need one only if you want to show off to your visitors from those funny countries with traffic lights and driver’s license. We also had a downpour on the trip and I badly needed a drink when we finally arrived in Santo Domingo. He even offered me to take over the wheel; I said maybe in a few days. But…..that’s why we are here! We want to see the city and come home with a lot of pictures. Here are some….


Life is good inside the resort....for a while.


The resort is so big it takes a 45 minute train ride if you want to see everything.


We rented a little Suzuki but were better off with a 4X4.


Our Dominican plate.


We finally made it to downtown the next day. History at every corner. Columbus used to live in this house. More pictures next week.