Palm Springs Bound

Getting up at 3:30 AM is a huge downer for beginning a vacation trip, but relaxing into the plane’s seat and heading toward Atlanta is wonderful. That express flight took less than an hour, we barely had time to chug our complimentary drink! 

Flight from Atlanta to Palm Springs was uneventful and easy. I snagged a shot of Area 51, Roswell, New Mexico…according to the pilot:

Then as we banked to land at Palm Springs, I took a picture I thought was of the Gulf of California. Sadly for my day dreams of scuba diving among the whales and mantas of the Sea of Cortez, I later discovered that body of water in the distance is actually the Salton Sea and the land mass is a portion of the Joshua Tree National Park…an area Barbara and I were set to explore in two days.

Once I was on the ground, Palm Springs Airport a surprise. I have never been in an open air airport, it reminded me of a Greek marketplace. I have never walked out of doors to get to Baggage Claim. It was a clear notice that I was in a vacation environment.

Met up with Barbara, got the rental car, Mitsubishi Outlander, and into our villa at the Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, CA. Very nice accommodation. My room has its own entrance, a kitchenette, soaker tub, big shower, walled patio and VERY comfortable bed. Barbara’s part is the central focus room and huge patio with great views of JW Resort across the fairway and mountains to the south.

Tired of traveling, we made a quick breakfast for the next day grocery run, then went to bed.