A Day In The Desert
During my time in Palm Springs, I was fortunate enough to visit Joshua Tree aka the Disneyland of deserts. It was absolutely incredible and the views were unlike anything I have ever seen before. We drove for miles on end with nothing but the desert's rock formations, endless Joshua trees and blue skies (also, crazy wind!) in sight. It's safe to say I felt as if I entered another dimension. At Joshua Tree, there are a variety of things you can do. There are hikes, popular stops such as Skull Rock and Cholla Cactus Gardens, incredible sight seeing at Keys Views, and random areas where you can do your own thing. Because of the beauty of the desert, I had to include a photoshoot as part of our itinerary in Joshua Tree. With the weather as incredible as it was, there was no chance I was gonna pass up a photo op. And, since festival season is upon us and Coachella will be here before we know it, I figured this could serve as a dose of inspo for all you ladies getting ready to slay the music scene. After attending Coachella last year (and yes, I went sober), I figured I'd also provide a few tips and tricks that will help you have a blast (See Below).
After thinking about all the things I wish I knew before going to Coachella or the things I'm glad I did when I went to Coachella, these are it:
THE SQUAD: Go with the right people. Very blessed to say that the friends that I went with were such a joy to travel with and take on a new experience with. Don't go with negative people who will just complain all day. Go with people who will go with the flow, enjoy their time, look at for you, and act responsibly.
SCHEDULE: Don't spend all day at the festival. Create a schedule of all the artists you and your group of friends want to see each day, and only go for that time. You will be exhausted and won't last all day. The heat will get to you. When I went with my friends, we spent the mornings sleeping in and getting ready for all the artists we wanted to see in the afternoon.
BACKUP SHOES: Bring a pair of light and comfy sneaks that you can change into in case the shoes you are wearing get uncomfy (also, do yourself a favor and break your cute shoes in before you go). You can keep these in your little backpack or in a locker. ALSO, getting a locker may seem a bit extra but trust me it's so worth it. You have it for the whole entire festival and can leave anything you want in there (i.e. shoes, extra change of clothes, etc).
MONEY: Keep 40-60$ in cash with you for each day for food and drinks. I was shocked at how good the food at Coachella is. Seriously. So. Good. 40-60$ should last you the few hours you're there for lunch, snacks, and dinner. I know Afters Ice Cream will be there this year, so make sure you EAT IT EVERY DAY.
SUNSCREEN AND WATER AND REPEAT: These are your holy grail. Do not mess around. Coachella doesn't let you take water in, but you can take an empty bottle or patch and fill it in when you get inside.
CHAFING CREAM: My fellow thick girls, this is going to be your best friend. But, no matter what your body type, chafing cream will come in handy as you will be spending many hours sweating and dancing in the sun.
MOST OF ALL: Enjoy yourself. Seriously. The music is incredible and everyone there (hopefully) loves the music just like you. Enjoy the environment of vibing around everyone to the good music. It was my favorite part. Try not to have your phone out during performances so much so that you can be present it take it all in.
Photography by Yasmeen S.