Bon Voyage ✈ The PC Travel Club

[Wobbu]

For those of you who want to go to California, I wouldn't advise staying here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salton_City,_California

But it's definitely a cool place to visit. If you want to know what it's like to live on a post-apocalyptic Earth, Salton City is your place. Most beaches have sand but Salton City has crushed fish bones o_O

 

[Hiatus]

That sounds pretty... interesting. Also, those pictures at the Wikipedia page--wow. x_x" Anyway, what causes these fish to turn out like that?

 

[Wobbu]

Salton Sea, the lake adjacent to Salton City, suffers high salinity levels that annually increase from its inflows. Runoffs from local farms add toxins from pesticides which doesn't help the ecosystem either :\ The lake has no outflow so everything basically chills in the lake and dries out all of the surrounded land. The only fish in the Salton Sea that can survive the high salinity levels are the tilapia.

 

[Meganium]

I live near Salton Sea, and it's a bummer that there hasn't been any progress in terms of improvement. I'm still in shock that even though the water is dirty and the scenery is really awful, people still live there...mainly retirees. I've been there before and it was just a brief visit. There were dead fish everywhere, but back then I didn't understand why. I now know that the Salton Sea has super duper high salinity rate plus the water is manmade dirty, that even the seagulls can't fish because the water is just...ew. The only thing that attracts the tourists is the Bird Festival that's held there every year (I think it's in March? I need to double check). And the place gets a good deal of people, the rest of the year it's just dead and not much else.

on the bright side, the variety of birds out there and the animals is one reason you should visit, as Wobbu mentioned.

 

[Wobbu]

I live near Salton Sea, and it's a bummer that there hasn't been any progress in terms of improvement. I'm still in shock that even though the water is dirty and the scenery is really awful, people still live there...mainly retirees.

There was some type of landscaping occurring parallel to the highway but I don't know what for. My memory is failing me right now but at least one of these things was happening: tunnels were being dug under the side-roads and/or a trench was being dug alongside the highway.

The weird thing was that it didn't seem like anyone lived there. There were cars but not a single person in sight. Some people were fishing a mile down the highway and there was also a boat in the middle of the lake but that was it. Speaking of being shocked about people living there, I was shocked about the whole entirety of Slab City (which is located in the desert not too far from the lake). It was like its own country. People lived in trailers with no water or electricity, the closest town was a few miles away, and the only form of entertainment was shows performed on a poorly built stage.

 

[Meganium]

When did you visited there, if you don't mind me asking? :3

I believe the last time I stopped by there was actually a month ago when I went to fill up gas for my car. I was going to Ontario, CA at the time with my dad. Comparing to the first time I visited Salton City and the time I just...stopped by, I noticed a boom in businesses and residents around. Thanks to the new Red Earth Casino that opened a few years ago, many tourists and many people started to move there just because. There's restaurants like Subway, a small supermarket, and lots were on sale. I think the city is trying to regain some redemption for their city by getting their people back, but they still haven't done anything to clean up what the city is named after. :/

& in the meantime, I wanted to ask everyone a general traveling question: How do you prepare for your trip? Do you prepare your clothing and/or buy your items a few days/weeks in advance or at the last minute?

 

[Wobbu]

It was during the middle of June 2012. I think there was a plan of reconstruction that just began or was soon to begin during that time? I remember seeing a lively town on the other side of the lake but I didn't pass through it. Even though it's not good, I kind of like how the Salton City vicinity looks. It would be weird to drive through it again with it looking like Coachella or something similar lol

How do you prepare for your trip? Do you prepare your clothing and/or buy your items a few days/weeks in advance or at the last minute?

Last minute :D
I'll pack my clothes a day or two before I leave but everything else is packed the day of or the night before. It's worked out fairly well, I rarely have to buy forgotten supplies at the airport.

 

[Flushed]

The whole Salton City situation sounds vaguely familiar, like I know a similar place, but I can't put my finger on it.

How do you prepare for your trip? Do you prepare your clothing and/or buy your items a few days/weeks in advance or at the last minute?

To be honest, and this is terrible, but I leave all the organization details to my parents. They arrange the travel, what we're going to do, what we need etc. So beforehand I'll usually get a list of how much clothes to pack and what else to bring, and I'll usually pack everything the day of.

 

[Tsutarja]

How do you prepare for your trip? Do you prepare your clothing and/or buy your items a few days/weeks in advance or at the last minute?

Usually we (as in me and my parents) buy things ahead of time (such as food and drinks about 3-4 weeks in advance), but clothing is packed at the last minute (about 3-4 days in advance).

 

[Venitardus]

How do you prepare for your trip? Do you prepare your clothing and/or buy your items a few days/weeks in advance or at the last minute?

I tend to put together my items a few days before I leave, except for shampoo/soup, deodorant, ect. Until last minute.

 

[Meganium]

Most of you guys are saying last minute. I usually prepare at least a week in advance. xD Especially in week-long trips, I separate what I plan to wear to the trip and what I plan to wear during the duration of the week. It's mostly old clothing but I can live with that. Then I can just buy a new outfit to fill in the days of the week that I'm missing. Toiletries, and any accessories I need can wait till 1-2 days before taking off.

It was during the middle of June 2012. I think there was a plan of reconstruction that just began or was soon to begin during that time? I remember seeing a lively town on the other side of the lake but I didn't pass through it. Even though it's not good, I kind of like how the Salton City vicinity looks. It would be weird to drive through it again with it looking like Coachella or something similar lol

Yeah, most of what I just mentioned didn't exist at the time. It's like a small town in the making, but I think the casino is taking most of the credit for bringing a lot of people in.

 

[Wobbu]

What about your preparations for excursions and whatnot? Do any of you wait until last second to book things like me / wait until you arrive to find things to do? Or do you research ahead of time and make reservations well in advance?

 

[Hiatus]

How do you prepare for your trip? Do you prepare your clothing and/or buy your items a few days/weeks in advance or at the last minute?
If we're visiting relatives, then we usually buy things (mostly clothes) for them a week beforehand, and put 'em in a separate luggage. If not, then, well, there's really nothing else for us to do, really--we just pack up our stuff, and we're all set. We never worry about food or anything, because whenever we're hungry, we could always purchase some at the airport.

 

[Urugamosu]

I'm Urugamosu, and I'm from Perth, Australia! I actually just got back to Australia from a trip to Dubai for 3 months, beautiful country, just an eye-opening experience.
I've also been to London and Paris in the past, and I hope to go to the States one day!

 

[Meganium]

Ali! <3 Welcome to the club, buddy! Glad to hear Dubai was a wonderful and eye-opening experience for you. I've seen pictures of it on the internet and it all seems breathtaking and unbelievable. It's one of those places I'd like to visit one day, I really love how it's both touristy and friendly to residents.

What about your preparations for excursions and whatnot? Do any of you wait until last second to book things like me / wait until you arrive to find things to do? Or do you research ahead of time and make reservations well in advance?

I always research in advance. For example: going to a theme park. You gotta know what rides are open or closed, so that way you don't get spoiled. Funny story: I went to Knotts Berry Farm last year, and the one ride I was looking forward to is the Timber Mountain Log Ride, which is like Splash Mountain in Disneyland, only less scarier and less steep. I kept checking if it was open two weeks before going, and it was. But on the day I went there, it was CLOSED. I'm like "wow tough luck indeed :|". All in all, it's always best to check for alerts, events, as well as anything else that might happen on the day or week of the trip.

 

[Arma]

Arma here, I'd like sign up! As you all can probably tell from my location-thingy, I'm from The Hague, a city in the Netherlands.

Haven't seen a lot from a the world, yet. But I am fairly proud of all the trips I made so far.

My most unique experience would definitely by my last trip to Suriname. went there for 3 weeks last November. For those of you who haven't heard of Suriname, it is a small country north of Brasil. It's also a former colony from the Netherlands, and the country both of my parents were born.

 

[Urugamosu]

Ali! <3 Welcome to the club, buddy! Glad to hear Dubai was a wonderful and eye-opening experience for you. I've seen pictures of it on the internet and it all seems breathtaking and unbelievable. It's one of those places I'd like to visit one day, I really love how it's both touristy and friendly to residents.

Thanks! <3 It's definitely a remarkable country I''d recommend to anybody, and according to my family it's going to be a regular thing now! My aunt recently moved there, so I can stay with her (that means no paying for accommodation yay) and just bask in that beautiful arabian country.

The architecture of that country I have to say is just phenomenal, like honestly. I've never seen such a city like this.

The fact that this is about less than 1 percent of this planet, just leaves me excited for new places to go, and things to see.

Spoiler:

 

[Arma]

Thanks! <3 It's definitely a remarkable country I''d recommend to anybody, and according to my family it's going to be a regular thing now! My aunt recently moved there, so I can stay with her (that means no paying for accommodation yay) and just bask in that beautiful arabian country.

The architecture of that country I have to say is just phenomenal, like honestly. I've never seen such a city like this.

The fact that this is about less than 1 percent of this planet, just leaves me excited for new places to go, and things to see.

Spoiler:

Paid a little to much attention to the images of the aquarium and carnival at first, and I was all like "whut?!? that doesn't look much like Dubai.." and then I noticed the others. XD Must've been an epic trip, I want to go there too some time (though it's not high on my list of places I want to visit atm).

You're also really lucky to have relatives there, I don't think I could afford to go there right now...

 

[Meganium]

Agreed!! I'm more interested in exploring the underwater life that Dubai has, which is why I'm fascinated in aquariums and life at sea. Also AMUSEMENT PARK. How much more epic can that country be? :D

 

[SS01]

Hey everyone. I'm SS01. I'm from Ottawa, Canada - yay boring city! I've been to loads of places across Canada - I don't exactly love it here but there is some interesting stuff. What stood out the most to me was probably Québec City, the Rocky Mountains, and the East Coast + Newfoundland. Not a ton to see here in Ontario. Also been to Paris, France, Barbados (it's -17 here as I type this, I could go back there ;P) and will be going to either the Czech Republic or Romania in June for a meeting, not sure which country yet though. I'm pretty sure I'm banned from the United States (Cuban travel) but I've never tried to visit so I can't say for sure.