The plane left from LAX. The winter of 2004 was particularly rainy in Southern California, which made March in the Anza-Borrego Desert east of San Diego have the most explosive display of wildflowers in living memory.

A walk in a tiny canyon featured a wide variety of small groups of wildflowers.

There were also some dramatic individual flowers. This one is Mohavea confertiflora, the Ghost Flower.

A little barrel cactus.

Sand Verbena (Abronia villosa) and Prickly Poppy (Argemone munita).

Desert Dandelions (Malacothrix glabrata).

An ocotillo in bloom.

Dozens of cars were parked along Henderson Avenue to see the desert sunflowers.

The desert sunflowers occupied a valley of many square miles, extending all the way to the foothills.

Desert sunflowers close up.

We went on a little walk to see some petroglyphs drawn on a boulder.

The walk ended in a dramatic view of the valley below.

This area had been used for grinding grain in the rock.

Chollas illuminated by the setting sun.

On to Fiji