Heading out of Phoenix towards California with our new tent we were unsure of how the next leg would pan out. We’ve not really camped with the kids before and we weren’t sure how they would take to it. We appreciate our sleep, every precious moment of it and despite our farming background we are not particularly inclined to getting up before about 7am. Without the ability to block early morning light in a tent we were concerned our “lie ins” may be severely compromised.

Our tent in the desert

We were also nervous about bears and other wildlife but to our relief there are no bears in Joshua Tree National Park. Just lots of snakes, scorpions, killer spiders and coyotes. As well as stunning geological features and mind boggling flora. The Joshua Trees themselves are wonderfully knarly and strange looking, although in an already alien looking landscape they fit in perfectly.

Wonderfully weird Joshua Trees

It couldn’t have gone better really. The camp site was stunning, clean and convenient. The kids slept in well past 7am having spent hours climbing rocks and we got to witness a rare total luna eclipse from one of the remotest places we’ve ever been! We didn’t even know about it before hand but over heard a conversation in Mexican restaurant and googled it. Even more lucky it started just as we were going to bed and we stayed up to watch it instead of getting up with our alarms at the time suggested online… by which point the whole spectacular event was over!

Not quite full yet. The Luna eclipse turned the whole full moon to a deep red colour… such a strange effect to witness out in the wilderness.

We only stayed one night and moved North to Sequoia National Park the next day… we’re a bit deserted out now so needed a bit of green and some cooler temperatures.