The Cactus Trip Diaries

Yes, I’m off again!

This is not planned to be an intensive cactus & succulent plant trip, such as last year’s trips to Mexico, but a mixture of talks at nine Cactus & Succulent Societies, an excellent opportunity to experience how people in California and Nevada experience the hobby in February, a time when in the UK my plants are in deep rest, locked into the conservatory; hopefully a look at some member collections and formal parks and gardens and an opportunity for some sightseeing. Driving from one Society to the next provides opportunities for some nature stops on the way where I’ll be keen to point my camera at plants of interest and the environments where they grow.

Today was a travelling day – 3 hours waiting at Heathrow’s Terminal 2 then 10:30 hours in flight, this time trying out Air New Zealand on a direct flight to LAX. It all went without incident and Eunice Thompson was at the exit to meet me.  I had taken off at 16:00 hrs and landed at 19:oo hrs – the different time zones accounted for the the remaining time in the air.

As we were over Reykavik, Iceland there was a beautiful sunset in progress. As we were flying south west, we seemed to travel at roughly the same speed as the sunset – if anything catching up with it. I remember attending a promenade concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall of a work which had this ‘never ending sunset’ as its theme (and title?) The name of the composer escapes me for now.

I had the window seat and an elderly lady blocked my way to the isle that would enable me to get to the rucksack with my camera. Sleep set in before I managed it. Better luck next time.