Tourism: Joshua Tree in 20 minutes

This was taken around 2003. I was out at Joshua Tree National Park hiking around "Skull Rock." Out of nowhere this huge tourist bus pulled up on the side of the road, and about 20 people hopped out and started wandering around the immediate area. They took short little walks around the rock, which is one of several geographic "features" of the park, armed with their cameras. This lasted for less than 20 minutes, as people took pictures. I just sat there watching--and couldn't help but take a few photographs of the whole process. And then, just as quickly as they'd arrived, everyone streamed back into the bus, which then fired up and headed down the road and out of sight. It was an amazing example of tourism at work.

Of course, it all looked very strange to me because I had certain ideas about what "proper" tourism was all about. I was, in truth, just another tourist with a camera...I just happened to hang around a little longer in the same place.