Regardless, breakfast geared us up for an amazing day at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Even the drive out there is beautiful. We passed over the Tucson Mountains on the West side of the city to get to the remarkable museum/zoo. Everything you see at this place is native, in native habitat. We saw everything from coyotes, to fish, to birds of prey, to javelinas. Javelinas became Kelly's personal obsession -- she had to see one before we left Tucson. Javelinas look a lot like a cross between a rat and a pig, but they are known as peccaries. Similar, yet different. They are very cute, but they can smell a little skunk-like. Always a plus, right? ;-)
So, not only were the animals and plants very cool to see, but so were the friggin' landscape views from the museum grounds.
Coyote statue
Heeey, Javelinas! I see two, do you?
In the evening, when we arrived back at the Westward Look Resort, the work week began with workshop registration and an evening reception. The rest of my co-workers arrived somewhere between Sunday afternoon and Monday afternoon. Thus began 4 days of discussing how U.S. Fish & Wildlife and NOAA Fisheries Service could better serve endangered and threatened species through the tools and partnerships available. There were many ups and downs during the week, with some portions of the week more informative than others. It all illustrated what a bureaucracy I work for, but also what amazingly passionate people work for our federal conservation agencies, as well. There are many good people out there, doing good work for our shared natural resources.
On Friday, Kelly and I had one last meal in the Gold Room of the Westward Look Resort, before grabbing the shuttle to the airport for our afternoon flight. I finally experienced the relaxing comfort of the uber-massage chair available in the resort lobby. The thing pounds all your body's muscles into submission -- including the ones in your booty -- and it feels so good!!
Too bad the relaxation did not get us home. At our intended departure time, the gate agent for American Airlines informed us that our plane was broken. We would not be going home Friday. Fortunately, our rooms at The Holiday Inn Palo Verde were comped by the airline, and we were given $10 vouchers for food. C'est la vie, non? Kelly, fellow co-worker Kyle, and I passed a rather enjoyable evening at the bar in the hotel, including a conversation with a gem dealer in town for the largest gem show. He had a body guard because he was carrying some rather valuable raw black opal. He also was hyping tungsten, bionic bands (for strength and balance), and Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior (JCOLAS). His jewelry designs are all based on JSOLAS -- very beautiful, but maybe not in need of so much explanation through preaching and scripture from the designer/salesman. He tried to get Kelly to buy into his bionic band pyramid scheme, as well. Interesting night...that led to a thankfully anticlimactic morning at the Tucson Airport. Our flight took off on time and without a hitch. I even got moved from the last row in the last seat (right next to the jet engine) to a window seat forward of the wing. Thank goodness for small blessings. And thank goodness I am home. It was time to get back to my own bed and familiar haunts.
No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel
until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.
~Lin Yutang
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