ROAD TRIP ADVENTURES...DEATH VALLEY

on the last day in vegas we picked up our rental car and went to walmart. our first ever trip to walmart since being in america. i was so excited, like a kid in a candy store. i wanted to stock up on everything  because it was so cheap in comparison to nyc prices, but fortunately for nick we only had one suitcase!

next stop was into the desert to death valley, which we nearly drove straight past! there were a few shenanigans on the way including nick causing a ruckus at a tiny gas station in the middle of nowhere. turns out small towns aren't charmed by the british accent like the cities. to be honest we didn't really know much about death valley and so was super under prepared for what was in store.... 

death valley is apparently the hottest place on earth, with the highest recorded temperature of 57C. the day we drove through it was 54C, hotter than the sun! even with the air conditioning full blast it was too hot. 

i did not handle the heat well at all that day. nick kept stopping along the way in death valley to get out the car and admire the view. i refused to get out the car because of how hot it was! nick was telling me that i should get out and enjoy my surroundings and feel the heat, so i rolled down the window to feel the heat. thats as far as i would go!

nick had to wrestle me away from the air conditioning to get me out the car. and then he made me walk to some sand dunes!

nick got excited and decided to run to the sand dunes and jump down the sand, forgetting that the sand was scorching hot!

around this time in the journey we were told to turn off our air conditioning for 20 miles incase the car overheated. we only managed 10 miles, they were the longest and worst 10 miles of my life. we were so drenched in sweat that it looked like we had just showered. there was a steady stream of sweat running from nick's elbow.  

once we were just out of death valley and the heat had subsided we hit a sand storm. 

at the time i didn't enjoy death valley, i just wanted to drive through it as quickly as possible. but looking back now, in the comfort of my air conditioned apartment, it was an amazing place. so silent and peaceful with incredible scenery. would i go back? right now i think i'm still tormented by the memories of the heat, but who knows what i'll feel in the chilling cold of winter!

NICK ADDS
lizzie practically shaved all my hair off using clippers before the start of the trip - this was the only day i was glad to have short hair...