Yes, well ...

"I would really like to see it with my own eyes 😊"

... if you are ever given that opportunity and knowing a bit about your time in the mountains there and hiking around, remember your American acquaintance provided you this little tip:

"Don't lose your footing and fall down!" 😂

When we first moved there, being an outdoorsman and loving to go out hiking, we learned this lesson very quickly.

Just about every plant there is spiky / thorny (some of which are barbed at the tip). And eventually these plants die and fall to the ground ... Decomposition there is very slow and it is remarkable, if inspected closely, how seems the spiky / thorny bits are the last to go. Concealed down in the dirt / gravel, on which you are walking ...

God help you, if you fall down, as you will painfully get back to your feet and then begin the process of extracting all that has now become uhhh ... "attached" 😉

Seriously, for you and your loved ones there, I hope that opportunity does present itself at some point in your future! If so, try especially to arrive in the Spring. In spite of the heat and lack of moisture, every year there is still the process of the renewal of life. The desert blooms with all sorts of flowers and with the spectacular sunsets as a backdrop, you will be left with a lifetime impression.