A Stifling Heat

In the morning, we packed up the car and continued our journey north. We set our sights on Death Valley, where the heat turned out to be much more intense than we had anticipated. We made sure to fill up the gas tank so we wouldn’t end up stranded in the middle of Death Valley with the vultures. The landscape became increasingly sparse as we got closer to Death Valley. Along the way, there are viewpoints that offer the most breathtaking views of the valley, but be warned—the heat is unbearable, and just walking a few hundred meters can be exhausting. The temperature was nearing 50 degrees Celsius, making it incredibly uncomfortable to breathe in the nearly boiling air. Still, it’s worth stepping outside the car a couple of times, as the views are simply stunning. The rock formations are absolutely beautiful. We often found ourselves thinking we saw water just a little further ahead, but it turned out to be nothing more than a mirage. It’s not hard to imagine how thirsty people who have gotten lost might wander even further in the wrong direction because of their hallucinations about water. The only water in Death Valley is Bad Water, but judging by the name, it can’t be spring water flowing through this part of the valley. When you reach the heart of the valley, it’s recommended to turn off the air conditioning to prevent the car from overheating. This means the next few hours are spent in a blazing hot car, where opening the windows only lets in more hot air. So, you just have to endure the heat and feel the sweat pouring off you. We made it through Death Valley in one piece, albeit very hot, and decided to spend the night in a small town called Bishop, which was on the other side of the valley. We found a really nice and affordable hotel, Starlite, to stay at. Once again, it was a pure delight to jump into a cool pool after a long, hot, and sweaty day.