Alabama Hills - Death Valley - Las Vegas

We stayed overnight in a town called Bishop. Nothing particularly exciting there, though a very nice bakery. We did see some vultures on the way out though!

Next morning we headed south towards Death Valley, stopping at Alabama Hills, an area used in the filming of many westerns and other shows. Very interesting and picturesque geology, and the 'mobius arch'

On into Death Valley, and we got stuck in roadworks for an hour or so. Annoying, but not much anyone can do about that. First stop, some sand dunes, though these are unusual in the valley. Looked rather out of place and I was more interested in the proper/typical desert across the road.

On down to the deepest point in Death Valley, called Bad Water Basin. It's below sea level, they have a sign on the wall to show you where sea level is! The basin itself is a large salt flat with a small amount of water at it from rainfall/runoff, not really drinking water though. They reckon the salt flat has around 400 feet of salt deposits in it! Again, very picturesque. As we are here at the end of season it wasn't ridiculously hot, just 30 degrees or so!

See if you can spot the sea level sigh in on the rock face!

Bad water!

Bird, of some sort!

Marion, a different sort of bird.

Last stop for the day was Zabriskie Point, a view out over even more geological interestingness.

All in all, I'd rename Death Valley to Painted Valley, but that's not a terribly butch name and probably wouldn't encourage the same sort of visitors!  There was also a lot more greenery in the valley than I had expected.  I suppose I'd expected none at all, but nature finds a way!

From the quiet of Death Valley on to our hotel for the night in downtown Las Vagas.  By gum it's horrendous. Like the Carnival at the SECC, but without the fun of the rides! Busy, garish, noisy.

The main street in downtown Vegas (as opposed to 'The Strip', which technically isn't in Las Vegas, for tax reasons!) is roofed with the world's biggest TV screen.  They regularly play light and sound shows.

PS, our hotel has a pool with a giant fish tank with some sharks in, and you can go on a slide through the fishtank!  I haven't yet, but will when we swing back through here in 10 days time!