Death Valley is one of mine and my wife's favorite places. Going there really feels like a trip to another planet and the sheer number of stars you can see at night is mindblowing.

There are places like that in the West of Ireland, I remember being out in Sligo for a joint 21st/18th in a cottage out in the middle of nowhere a few years ago. We were lucky enough to be there at the same time as a meteor shower, the view was absolutely stunning. We spent about an hour lying in the middle of a road/dirt track looking at them fall, even without the shooting ones there were enough stars to make it an hour well spent, I've never seen the milky way so clearly either!

That was my experience in Death Valley as well, the Milky Way was very, very distinct. There's no horizon glow there to speak of and no cell phone reception or radio stations available either.

Now that I think of it, I guess it would be appropriate for me to post some of my Death Valley photos. They're a couple years old but it was a vacation I took so it's in keeping with this thread.

The Devil's Golf Course
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...golfcourse.jpg

Ubehebe Crater (a volcano that destroyed itself thousands of years ago)
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...ebe_crater.jpg

Bad Water Basin. All that white stuff is salt packed down by people walking on it, the brown stuff to the sides is salt too though it hasn't been packed down. It's also interesting to note that it was about 110 degrees Fahrenheit down in the valley when I took this photo and yet, as you can see, it was still cold enough up in the mountains for there to be snow on the ground.
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...water_path.jpg

Zabriskie Point
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...iski_point.jpg

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude!

They look wonderful. There's something so alluring about a place in which there is virtually no life. There's an interesting book about the allure of that territory called Moon Palace, by Paul Auster. Ever since I read his descriptions of what being in such a place, surrounded by everything that isn't "civilisation", can do to you.

It really is an amazing place, so alien. And it's huge. The whole national park, which is basically the valley and surrounding hills is 5,270 sq mi (13,649 km2).

Jans, isn't it amazing that Bad Water Basin is one of the lowest points on this planet at ~280 feet below sea level, and then you look up to the mountains which are only about 80 miles away? Mount Whitney, one of the tallest peaks on the Earth, is in that part of the mountain range, standing at 14,500 feet.

It is amazing. And it's even more amazing that they have a footrace every year where people run from Bad Water Basin to Mount Whitney.

I don't think Mount Whitney is one of the tallest peaks in the world though. Still, it's pretty big.

I love holidays! Traveling is my main love in life. I'm going to New Zealand in July, and hopefully London in September/October if all goes well (and if I'm not tempted to stay in New Zealand...)