Death Valley National Park, California

Rejuvenated after a luxurious few nights in Vegas, we were on the road again, headed for some more national park action - this time in Death Valley, California. This area is a land of extremes - holding the US records for hottest temperature (57 deg C), lowest point (Badwater, 282ft below sea level) and largest national park outside Alaska (over 5000 square miles).

Zabriskie Point - golden badlands eroded into waves and gullies.
MC at Zabriskie Point.
Down the road from here on Dante's Peak you can simultaneously see the highest (Mt Whitney, 14,505ft) and lowest (Badwater) points in the USA.
Sun setting over Zabriskie Point.
Pretty skies over our campsite in Death Valley. The lovely warm weather meant this was our most comfortable night camping (in fact most of the facilities are closed in summer due to the scorching climate), despite being woken around 1am by scary howling coyotes!
Unfortunately our tent poles are still at this campsite after John (I MEAN, we) left them there. This was mostly due to the fact that we had to pack up in a hurry early in the morning after our tent blew over in hurricane-style winds!
Badwater, the lowest point in the USA.
John on the crinkly salt flats at Badwater.
The salt up close.
The salt crust forms hexagonal shapes.
Badwater again.
Natural Bridge.
John exploring in the canyons around Natural Bridge.
Badwater in the distance from Natural Bridge.
Multicoloured cliffs at Artists Palette.
Mesquite Flat sand dunes.





It's hot and dry here!
John in Mosaic Canyon.
A Zebra-tailed lizard we spotted hiding in Mosaic Canyon.
MC at Mosaic Canyon.
The rock at Mosaic Canyon is as smooth as marble.
Us at Mosaic Canyon.
Joshua tree.

After a fun day in Death Valley we stayed the night in Lone Pine, on the way to our next stop, Lake Tahoe.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Sitting on the Arizona-Nevada border on the road to Las Vegas is the Hoover Dam so we stopped off to have a look.



The bridge in the background is the Hoover Dam bypass which opened just a few days before we drove over it.
Viva Las Vegas! MC has a flutter on the pokies.
The insides of the hotels/casinos in Vegas have to be seen to be believed - however cheesy they are pretty amazing! This is inside the Venetian, complete with canals, gondola rides and...
... St Mark's Square.
We saw a few interesting brides...

It's the Eiffel Tower...
... and the Arc de Triomphe right here in the USA!
Our hotel complex on the Strip was only opened last year so we enjoyed a few nights of luxury in Vegas.
Caesars Palace by night.
The impressive choreographed dancing fountains at the Bellagio.
The ceiling in the Bellagio - handblown glass flowers.
Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in the hotel lobby.
New York New York - with Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State and Chrysler Buildings and roller coaster right through the hotel!
World famous in Las Vegas?
Relaxing by the pool at our hotel.
The view from our hotel room.
Fremont Street Experience - a pedestrian mall topped by an arched steel canopy filled with computer-controlled lights and music.
The Little White Wedding Chapel...
...complete with drive thru!
Gracelands Wedding Chapel. Don't worry Mum and Dad - we stayed outside!

Next up on the itinerary we are crossing into California to explore Death Valley National Park.