Pretty unbelievable and fascinating story... Fia, the girl who
found the bottle, was the Second Officer on our trip to Antarctica
earlier this year -- what a small world!!
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Happy Mother's Day
Michelle posted this on Facebook this morning - it made my day!
Shout out to the coolest Mom, who has, among other things, always dressed me with style. But really Mom, thank you for everything that you’ve done for me - for raising me with discipline but also an open mind, for guiding me in the right direction while still letting me find my own way. Thank you for every sacrifice you’ve made for me these past 28 years, which are too many to count. Thank you for constantly being an inspiration and finding your own genuine happiness so that you can teach me how to find mine. Thank you for always sharing your wisdom with me (even when you’re pretty sure I’m not listening). Thank you for taking me everywhere in the world, from Beijing to San Diego to Hawaii to Iceland (soon!). Thank you for your unconditional love, which has always made me feel safe and secure, even (and especially) when everything else in the world feels chaotic.
You are an awesome lady and you show me what it means to have a life well-lived. Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!
Shout out to the coolest Mom, who has, among other things, always dressed me with style. But really Mom, thank you for everything that you’ve done for me - for raising me with discipline but also an open mind, for guiding me in the right direction while still letting me find my own way. Thank you for every sacrifice you’ve made for me these past 28 years, which are too many to count. Thank you for constantly being an inspiration and finding your own genuine happiness so that you can teach me how to find mine. Thank you for always sharing your wisdom with me (even when you’re pretty sure I’m not listening). Thank you for taking me everywhere in the world, from Beijing to San Diego to Hawaii to Iceland (soon!). Thank you for your unconditional love, which has always made me feel safe and secure, even (and especially) when everything else in the world feels chaotic.
You are an awesome lady and you show me what it means to have a life well-lived. Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!
Night at Badwater Basin
Night at Badwater Basin
282 Feet Below Sea Level
The drama started with my assistant telling me that all direct flights going back to Chicago on Friday had been sold out. So, I decided to spend a day at Death Valley.
This time of the year, Death Valley can reach 108F during the day. When I arrived, the burning heat waves greeted me! Walking on the salt flats in the afternoon sun, you can literally see the steaming air rising from the surface of the harshly tortured ground.
I have been to Death Valley many times over the past 6 years. Each time, I try to carefully schedule the time of my visit, as I know this massively open place can also be unforgivably dangerous. All my past visits have been between December and February, when the place offers soothing, warm winter sun and tremendous serenity.
Well, I can say that Death Valley showed me her violent side this time. Not only did the heat waves burn my skin to remind me how dangerous the desert could turn into, but the sandstorms were equally scary and unforgiving. I have never seen Death Valley being covered by a sea of yellow. All of a sudden, the mountains around you disappeared - you found yourself surrounded by sands with extremely low visibility, just like driving through lake effect snow under complete whiteout conditions... except that, this time, you’re driving through sands and they violently beat the body and windows of your innocent little car!
Even with the strong winds, I decided to go to Badwater Basin to take a star track picture at night, and that led to the high point of the drama on this trip.
I arrived at Badwater before sunset. Following Rudi's advice, I locked my parking spot on my iPhone. I then walked and walked -- deep into the salt flats where in front of me, behind me and all around me is covered by evenly patterned salt flats. On my way in, I frequently looked back trying to remember how to get back to my car... When I settled in at my shooting spot before dark, I could still see from far away the path that would take me back to the parking lot. I even tried very hard to remember the shape of the mountains. I was quite sure that there would be no problem to get back. Boy was I wrong - people get into trouble when they over estimate themselves or underestimate their surroundings.
Not sure if I need to continue telling the rest of the story...
On my LONG journey back in the TOTAL DARKNESS, many thoughts went through my head. I thought that I might get lucky to find the way -- because I have never been unlucky in my life; I also thought about the possibility that I might have to spend the night in the dark to wait for the morning light to guide me back... I couldn’t look up to the mountains too often because they were so TALL and so DARK!! With my shaking hands, I turned on my iPhone, pulled up the location I saved 4+ hours ago and tried to walk toward that direction... What I can tell you is: unless you have a hiking GPS map, the usual Google Map in this type of situations can only offer very limited directional guidance -- you’re pretty much on your own! And the problem with massive open space at night is that everything around you looks the same in all directions.
The rest of the way was filled with more darkness, stronger winds and the sound of my steps in wet salt flats. Hearing the wet steps and seeing some spots with water made me worry, because I was obviously in an area that was unfamiliar to me from all the areas I covered earlier in the afternoon when I could see everything.
I would be lying to you if I told you that I wasn't nervous. But I was more determined to find the way back, and that became my #1 priority. When I finally made it back to the parking lot, the 40-mile drive back to the hotel did not seem long at all. I locked my doors, turned on the music, and for the first time in the entire day, the calmness seemed immense ... Comparing to the darkness at Badwater Basin at 282 feet below sea level, the nightly roads in Death Valley were soothingly beautiful.
Here is the one and only photo I got. The star trails are not as smooth as I'd have liked because my little tripod could hardly withstand the strong winds...
Death Valley, California
May 12, 2018
282 Feet Below Sea Level
The drama started with my assistant telling me that all direct flights going back to Chicago on Friday had been sold out. So, I decided to spend a day at Death Valley.
This time of the year, Death Valley can reach 108F during the day. When I arrived, the burning heat waves greeted me! Walking on the salt flats in the afternoon sun, you can literally see the steaming air rising from the surface of the harshly tortured ground.
I have been to Death Valley many times over the past 6 years. Each time, I try to carefully schedule the time of my visit, as I know this massively open place can also be unforgivably dangerous. All my past visits have been between December and February, when the place offers soothing, warm winter sun and tremendous serenity.
Well, I can say that Death Valley showed me her violent side this time. Not only did the heat waves burn my skin to remind me how dangerous the desert could turn into, but the sandstorms were equally scary and unforgiving. I have never seen Death Valley being covered by a sea of yellow. All of a sudden, the mountains around you disappeared - you found yourself surrounded by sands with extremely low visibility, just like driving through lake effect snow under complete whiteout conditions... except that, this time, you’re driving through sands and they violently beat the body and windows of your innocent little car!
Even with the strong winds, I decided to go to Badwater Basin to take a star track picture at night, and that led to the high point of the drama on this trip.
I arrived at Badwater before sunset. Following Rudi's advice, I locked my parking spot on my iPhone. I then walked and walked -- deep into the salt flats where in front of me, behind me and all around me is covered by evenly patterned salt flats. On my way in, I frequently looked back trying to remember how to get back to my car... When I settled in at my shooting spot before dark, I could still see from far away the path that would take me back to the parking lot. I even tried very hard to remember the shape of the mountains. I was quite sure that there would be no problem to get back. Boy was I wrong - people get into trouble when they over estimate themselves or underestimate their surroundings.
Not sure if I need to continue telling the rest of the story...
On my LONG journey back in the TOTAL DARKNESS, many thoughts went through my head. I thought that I might get lucky to find the way -- because I have never been unlucky in my life; I also thought about the possibility that I might have to spend the night in the dark to wait for the morning light to guide me back... I couldn’t look up to the mountains too often because they were so TALL and so DARK!! With my shaking hands, I turned on my iPhone, pulled up the location I saved 4+ hours ago and tried to walk toward that direction... What I can tell you is: unless you have a hiking GPS map, the usual Google Map in this type of situations can only offer very limited directional guidance -- you’re pretty much on your own! And the problem with massive open space at night is that everything around you looks the same in all directions.
The rest of the way was filled with more darkness, stronger winds and the sound of my steps in wet salt flats. Hearing the wet steps and seeing some spots with water made me worry, because I was obviously in an area that was unfamiliar to me from all the areas I covered earlier in the afternoon when I could see everything.
I would be lying to you if I told you that I wasn't nervous. But I was more determined to find the way back, and that became my #1 priority. When I finally made it back to the parking lot, the 40-mile drive back to the hotel did not seem long at all. I locked my doors, turned on the music, and for the first time in the entire day, the calmness seemed immense ... Comparing to the darkness at Badwater Basin at 282 feet below sea level, the nightly roads in Death Valley were soothingly beautiful.
Here is the one and only photo I got. The star trails are not as smooth as I'd have liked because my little tripod could hardly withstand the strong winds...
Death Valley, California
May 12, 2018
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