Category: Explorations

Thailand here I come! First 5 impressions.

Thailand here I come! First 5 impressions.

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I took to the skies Sunday. Underestimated the impact of the construction induced traffic at LAX – brutal. Ken had the clever idea of dropping me at international arrivals instead of departures. It gave me a head start which I needed since I discovered shortly after that United international flights are through their Terminal 7. Has to hustle with my backpack 4 terminals. Luckily, I got the weight down to 15 lbs.

Smooth sailing through security and I made it. Boarded the 787 Dreamliner headed for Bangkok by way of Tokyo.. Roomy plane, lots of headroom, mood lighting economy plus bulkhead seat not bad for the first 12 hours. The additional 6 to Bangkok made this semi-claustrophobic a bit antsy (understatement). Of course, I’d already been up over 24 hours so sleep deprivation factored in too…When are they going to put spin bikes on these things?Dreamliner

Impression 1: All Nippon stewardness – Extremely considerate and attentive Asian porcelain dolls who never stop smiling. They are genuinely interested in helping you. At one point, a stewardness noticed I was getting sun glare from the windows of a couple other passengers. Without me saying a word, she took care of it. And when I say “never stop smiling”,  I mean genuinely smiling for 6 hours straight! Good foreshadowing for the land of smiles. (This in stark contrast to the United American staffed flight from LAX to Tokyo. Should have taken their picture for you.

Impression 2:  So not having slept yet, I was a bit delirious when I ordered my entre. Seafood –on a plane, what was I thinking? Wasn’t really hungry, maybe I’d just inspect it…Guess, what? It was great! Sweet shrimp, crab morsels, a robust round clam thing, mushrooms, squid and some porous veggie.

seafood on plane

Impression 3:  Speaking of considerate, an elderly gentlemen helped me get my bags out of the overhead when we landed. (I wasn’t struggling or looking for help, he simply lent a considerate hand.)

Impression 4: Admist the sea of people in the bustling airport, I noticed a conscientious Thai youth go out of his way to pick up an empty chip bag that was in the middle of the concourse. (Not his.) Wow and bravo.

Impression 5: OUCH!

This is the raised room divider between the bathroom and the bedroom of my hotel room. (Apparently, it’s very common in Asia to have this height anomaly. This is my bruised toe after several run-ins due to sleep deprivation and related cognitive incapacity.

 

Cheers to “Alcoholic Pass” Hike, Anza Borrego, CA

Cheers to “Alcoholic Pass” Hike, Anza Borrego, CA

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Scenery: Desert delight

Distance: You decide – up to 4.8 miles out & back

Difficulty: Moderate

This lovely little hike, was especially magical during the current wildflower super bloom. It entails some switch backs and a moderate climb (approximately 833 feet in .8 mile.) You can sign in at the top and keep going down the other side or turn around.

It was near the top when I captured a video of a bird greeting me with its morning song.

I’ve never experienced the desert quite like this – the morning light waking the shadows on the rocky ridges, the citrus wildflower breeze – oh my! Wish I’d camped at the top, it would have been fantastic to wake up to breathtaking solitude. Instead, I was running around getting wildflower pictures at dawn. (Post to come.)

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Local lore

The Cahuilla Indians originally used this route as a short cut between Coyote Canyon and Clark Valley. Subsequently early settlers also used the trail to cut off the 6 miles it takes to go around Coyote Mountain to get to Clark Valley. Some say it might have gotten it’s name from the drinking habits of the cattlemen and settlers who frequented Borrego Springs’ “watering” holes. Other say it’s just the winding trail that gives it it’s name. All this talk and typing is making me thirsty for a quenching margie and I know just the spot – the Ram’s Head Bar and Grill. (Post to come,)

Getting there: From Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs, drive east on Hwy S-22 and turn left (north) on DiGiorgio Road toward Coyote Canyon. You find the trailhead on the right, 2.4 miles past the paved road on an easily traversed dirt road. Desert Garden is just past Alcoholic’s Pass, you  can take an easy stroll in a concentrated area of cactus and other native plant life if you’re short on time or prefer not to hike up Alcoholic Pass.

Nature Meditation: “Ocotillo forest”, Anza Borrego, CA

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The hike up “Alcoholic’s Pass” begins here in what I’m calling an octillo forest. Ah, the sweet breeze, sprinkles of wildflowers, waving ocotillo, vast mountain vistas and morning light…Truly a magical desert experience – perhaps my most memorable yet. Perhaps even better than the superbloom areas with their boastful beauty. You had to be there. I’ll post more video so you can get a better feel for it in the Alcoholic Pass hike post to come.

Nature Meditation: Super bloom Dawn @Henderson Canyon, Anza Borrego, CA

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I thought these video were worth sharing despite my novice camera skills. Learning as I go, thanks for bearing with me. : ) Super bloom post with some fantastic still photos and more videos to come.

 

And from the moon and mountain’s perspective: