16th day - 26.02.2022

The day starts with a breakfast burrito. Even though the room was very practical, I still love these spacious motel rooms here where you have space. Bani tells me about the problems she has with the new rules of the Biden administration. Many of her guests were workers in the oil business. That has noticeably decreased now. She has difficulties filling up the rooms. And if it should not only be practical but also a bit comfortable, she is facing massive competition here. In that sense, she is probably a Trump supporter.

Since I don't want to drive to the well-known cave nearby, because I can't stand caves anymore, I alternatively visit the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, which is only 15 minutes away. Here, on a large area, you can learn everything about the plants and animal life of New Mexico. And with a five dollar entrance fee, it's still really cheap.

The two hours here are just beautiful. Especially the plants fascinate me in the bright sunshine. The many varieties of cacti and other desert plants. And I learn how many different varieties of rattlesnakes actually exist. In nature, I have never seen them, only heard them.

With the view of the large desert area here, I eat a donut and continue to enjoy the sun, which now noticeably raises the temperature. Last night it was a bit too cold with -4°. But during the day, with a clear sky, it is super bearable even with low temperatures.

Around noon, I continue my way towards the east. The landscape is flat and without rocks or mountains in the background. Occasionally, you can see oil drilling machines again, otherwise this area is absolutely sparsely populated and looks barren. Driving on a straight road is not as fun as the last few days.

I arrive in Hobbs and decide to have a coffee. This is the last major place in New Mexico and then I will cross the Texas border. And immediately the landscape changes. The flat land remains, but now it is cultivated with huge fields. I have never seen fields this big before. Some fields stretch to the horizon. In Texas, everything seems to be bigger. Even the color of the soil changes. What was sandy yellow before is now orange brown. In contrast to the clear blue sky, this is a wonderful sight. I also see the first wind turbines. I hadn't seen any before.

Just when I thought the flat landscape would never end, rocky formations appear again. The traffic is almost not noticeable. Only occasionally do I come across a car and the roads are empty for minutes. There is also no larger city here at all. Even my destination Snyder only has 11,000 inhabitants. And it seems huge here.

My accommodation is the best so far. Absolutely top in layout and comfort. The room is large, clean, and well thought out. A complete contrast to my last dwelling. And located a bit outside, there is no traffic noise. I am already looking forward to breakfast tomorrow morning and I actually expect the best so far. I get sushi from a restaurant here and I am not completely satisfied. The quality is good but the portion is relatively small and relatively expensive. A few months ago in Canada, I had a significantly better offer there.