Sunday Wonders - T

T is for Travel.
I'm not a very good traveller - does that make me like a fine wine?  After the latest excursion, I realize that I like the places I get to but I hate the process of getting there.  Which is kind of funny because in most of life's offerings I'm a process person.  The journey is the fun part.  But for travel I've always wanted a time-travel booth so I could be THERE instantly and back home just as fast.

Our tour bus wasn't this rugged but there moments when I was afraid we'd have to call this big guy to haul us out of a flooded wash.

There are delicate moments of rare beauty to be found...

And some quite prickly situations to be sorted through.

A familiar cheeky screech of welcome from the Western scrub jay.  We took greetings home to his cousins - our own Stellar's jay who is just as eager to devour peanuts. 

The land is alien, sometimes, stark and harsh with burned trees jutting up from the desert.  But look at the flowers!

There are times when nothing seems to be happening.  This is actually one of the most action-packed photo sequences yet every one of the five pics looks much the same.  One of our group spotted a covey of scaled quail which speedily sought cover after crossing the road.  We stalked and stalked.  I saw them and gave chase but could never capture the critters. Odd how the absence of the subject in a photo can bring back the best memories.  That was a really fun few minutes.

And then there are those hokey moments when you know that every person with a camera has this shot forever.  At John Ford point in Monument Valley, this horse and rider amble out to provide photo opportunities on a regular schedule.  So many cowboy and western films were shot on location here.

The unexpected popped up constantly.  Here a lizard greets us as we slide out of the bus and head to the picnic table.  The sun is lovely for lizards and  I enjoyed it too after the weird summer we'd had.  I could have just laid down on the stonel like a lizard and basked.  A diet of flies is not my style though.

So, while the getting there is a pain, I enjoyed being there.  It was a breath-taking experience.   I  do confess to one travel pleasure and that is hotel living.  I wouldn't want to do it forever but it's so nice to walk into a clean and tidy space that is all yours.  And I take guilty delight in having clean towels every day. 
I am, however,  happy to be home even without the clean towels.