Kings Beach

March 31, 2014 No Comments

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Lake Tahoe, California

After a lazy morning at a sharehouse on the hill with bonus puppy (cutely named bear), we descended to a more conveniently located hostel at Kings Beach. I’ll let you visit tomorrow, but until then welcome to Lake Tahoe. This is the holiday we didn’t even know we needed until we arrived. Oh how much I had missed water! Spring bulbs were slicing green blades through the earth and early daffodils glowed in the gorgeous sunlight.

We were there due to a offhand comment that could have passed me by, I’m glad it didn’t. One of the twins in New Mexico had said this would be my perfect town, when I had mentioned my dualing desire to live in the forest and by the beach. Water that meets the mountains, that is so clear you can see to the bottom. It was just how he mentioned and it had a new organic grocery, that became out go to in an instant for fresh juice and deliciously naughty treats like chocolate brownies and palm sized cookies.

Dylan kicked his legs on the pier while I strolled, drinking it in. Two kids were busy digging to china, so proud of their 2 hour deep hole they demanded their mother take a photo, she lacking the imagination of youth she refused. Pine trees incongruously grew out of the sand, pinecones littered the beach and bobbed lazily at the shore. Dogs ruled the beach, more than one had a pinecones in the mouth to the delight to all passersby.

We returned to the hostel, Dylan exhausted, but I wasn’t ready to call it a night. I felt the call of the water again and for perhaps the first time in our trip I ventured out alone. I walked for hours, people watching. I was waiting for sunset, uncertain of staying, but I was glad I did. Oh the endless sky and the colours on the water. This was a magical place.

Travel

in the forest

March 30, 2014 No Comments

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Lake Tahoe, California

A long train trip behind us and an even longer one stretching into our future, a few days at a mountain lake paradise were called for. Sitting on a rock in the sun my cold began to slowly fade, scent of pine needles a Christmasy cure-all.

Rejuvenated, I wandered in that magical light that only cones to a forest at dusk. Objects spotlighted by an unseen director: a pinecone on a rotten stump, a twisted branch on the forest floor, moss in a bubbling brook. Long deep breaths.

sunlit-tree

Travel

newspaper rock

March 29, 2014 1 Comment

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Utah to California

Asore throat became a sniffle became a full blown cold, unfortunate, but as timing goes pretty good. If you’re going to be sick, it might as well be when you’re stuck on a train and can’t do anything anyway, sometimes the body just demands a rest. So train + sickness = four blurry photos out of a train window. Do you have any cold remedy secrets? I’ve been resting, drinking loads of water and sniffing eucalyptus oil (but that may be giving me good Aussie vibes).

Luckily we stopped at the Newspaper Rock on route from Canyonlands to Grand Junction, so there is some bonus amazing history. So incredible how old these rock drawings are and so fascinating to see what was important in the ancient world of the Native Americans.

Anyway, I promise something extra pretty for tomorrow to make up for this half-hearted attempt at a post. And no more canyons for a while too!

Travel

needles district

March 29, 2014 No Comments

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canyonlands, utah

Perched on a giant rock overlooking a desert sunset, all red and purples and blues, I realised how content I was. Content might sound a dull word, but how many can claim it? Happy happens in a burst and burns out, but content is the smile that plays across your face for days. Living simply, drifting where the wind takes us, a tent, a backpack and someone to share it with, it’s amazing how little we need and how the accumulation of stuff drags us down into dissatisfaction. When you carry your life on your back you cut out the clutter and are able to enjoy the journey.

We’d walked over 20 miles that day down into Elephant Canyon, challenged our fears passing through a cave that was more a fissure in a rock that kept on going down, stuffed with wobbly logs to prevent us slipping down and getting stuck and had some great conversations with hikers we’d met on the path. Despite the hike, recovery was much more swift than the exhaustion of a desk job, spirits were high. Campfire risotto and rosemary damper filled out bellies until bursting and the nights were getting milder.

Tomorrow the road again, off to Grand Junction to catch the train to California, goodbye desert and hello spring.