bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Matthew Link

The Hummer rolls over the rugged terrain of California's vast Colorado Desert. My niece and nephew - Kaela, 6, and Brochton, 10 - giggle in the back, swaying with every bump and dip.
William, our tour guide and a student of archaeology, shows us the cactuses and arid plants you can eat in what appears to be the uninhabitable landscape. He points out lizards, snakes, roadrunners, vultures and owls to the children, who squeal with delight at every wild creature. 
William steers the bulky Hummer into the narrow Box Canyon, alongside billion-year-old rocks. The boulders looming overhead wouldn't seem precarious if I am not aware we are inside one of the most notorious earthquake fault lines in the world: the 1,300km San Andreas Fault. From the canyon's floor, I can see we are sandwiched between two land masses, one slightly higher than the other. 
'Most guests ask me, 'So California will really fall off into the sea one day, right?'' jokes William. 'It won't - we'll just eventually have Los Angeles end up by San Francisco.' 
I ask about the chances that the fault will collapse while we're inside it? 'Well, anything can happen. But we wouldn't take visitors here if it was that dangerous,' he says. The children seem disappointed at this news, like we have cheated them out of being in a real disaster movie. They remain mesmerised nonetheless. 
An inside tour of a major earthquake fault is just one of the many unusual family adventures available near Palm Springs, California. This mellow oasis town of 50,000, two hours east of Los Angeles is better known as the glitzy getaway for Hollywood stars since the 1920s. In fact, so many big names had their second homes here over the decades, Palm Springs has become the centre of a holiday home rental market of former celebrity addresses.
Travellers can stay in the former homes of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Elvis' honeymoon house or cowboy legend Gene Autry. Many of the houses are in the 1950s mid-century modern style that Palm Springs is famous for, and even in the 21st century the houses remain impressive. When I walk through the closet of the late Elizabeth Taylor in her 930-square-metre estate, I am dumbfounded to find a cathedral skylight, French windows and a cream chaise lounge large enough to sleep on. Her adjoining bathroom was the size of a New York studio apartment, complete with a fireplace, a wrought-iron chandelier and a marble bathtub. You can rent out this seven-bedroom, 9?bath mansion for a little more than US$1,000 a night. Or for US$1,500 a night you can choose the five-bedroom, Space-Age home where Elvis and Priscilla Presley first lived. It's full of 1967 furniture and decor, just like when 'The King' slept here. 
Many families gravitate to Palm Springs to holiday for the very reason that they can stay in full homes, celebrity or otherwise, for the price of a couple of cramped hotel rooms. But beyond exploring earthquake zones, Palm Springs has adventures to keep all the family occupied. For instance, Kaela and Brochton love being whisked up the face of a 3,300-metre mountain in the world's largest rotating tram car. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway travels through several vertical climate zones before dropping us off at the top of Mount San Jacinto. 
This peak is part of the protected, 110-hectacre Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument that borders Palm Springs. At the summit, the kids run around the cool alpine forest trails, discovering patches of snow to fling at each other. Even in early summer, the mountain can have snow, while the temperatures in the desert valley below remain at toasty poolside sunbathing levels. Another way Kaela and Brochton like to beat the heat is by begging me to take them to Knott's Soak City. Operated by Knott's Berry Farm theme park near Disneyland, this water park found a natural home in Palm Springs when it opened in 2001. 
You can spend days exploring the place, with its 3-million-litre wave pool, seven-storey Tidal Wave Tower waterslide and four-storey interactive Family Funhouse with slides, hose jets, water curtains and a 4,000-litre dropping bucket. 
I hope the children will be finally worn out after a full day sliding, splashing and swimming, but there is no such luck. As the desert sunset sends orange and pink streaks across the sky, I am surprised to hear them beg again: 'Can we please go to the street fair now?' It is a balmy Thursday evening, when Palm Springs' historic downtown closes off its main drag to traffic and turns into a multiblock farmers' market and festival. Called VillageFest, it overflows with local artists, musicians, jewellery makers and craftsmen. Kaela somehow has enough energy left to scale the two-storey rock-climbing wall in a harness, but by the time she stands watching the outdoor magic show, I can see her little eyes beginning to droop and shut. Finally, after hours of fun in the water, sun and streets, her little battery is spent. 
The next day, I decide to give the kids' suntanned skin some shade. We make it an indoor museum day. Brochton loves planes, so I know he'll flip out at the Palm Springs Air Museum, home to the world's largest collection of flyable second world war aircraft. Upon entering the enormous air conditioned hangars next to the Palm Springs International Airport, a young man approaches us. 
'Would you like me to show you around?' We soon find that our boy-guide knows everything about the second world war and its planes, from the rivets to the pilots. The kids are hypnotised by his endless encyclopedic knowledge.
 I finally ask him: 'How old are you?' 'Thirteen,' is the reply. The kids look at each other in amazement. 'See, you guys could be tour guides in a few years if you learned all this,' I tell them. Kaela and Brochton immediately go to work searching the museum, climbing aboard actual bombers, training on flight-simulation programmes, and joining in a museum scavenger hunt. When they begin to lecture me on details about all the aircraft, I smile to myself. 
We next head to the world-class, four-storey Palm Springs Art Museum. 
It's home to art of the American West, as well as cutting-edge installations alongside masters such as Picasso, Monet and Warhol. I time it so the children can join in on one of the museum's art classes. 
They sit down at a long table with other children, and under the watchful eye of the instructor work on watercolours that emphasise the surrounding desert hues and textures. 
The masterpieces still hang on my refrigerator. Admission to the museum and the classes are free for kids 12 and under.
On my last day with the kids in Palm Springs, we head to The Living Desert, a 486-hectacre wildlife and botanical park in the nearby town of Palm Desert. 
This outdoor zoo is the only one in the United States solely dedicated to the flora and fauna of the world's deserts. We get there just in time for the kids to feed the African giraffes a breakfast of leaves. Fearless Kaela doesn't recoil once, even as the creatures' sandpaper-like tongues scrape against her open palms. 
We spend hours gazing upon the park's collections of hedgehogs, foxes, frogs, snakes, sand cats, gazelles, warthogs, camels, zebras and even the strange hissing cockroach. 
Endangered local desert species, such as the Mexican wolf and Peninsula Bighorn sheep, also make The Living Desert their home. At the park's onsite animal hospital, we peer through large windows at coyotes getting their annual medical check-up.
'People think of the desert as a wasteland,' one of the park's workers, Kimberley, explains to the kids. 'But there is a lot of life here. The desert can be pretty magical.'
ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR
Knott's Soak City is open throughout the summer from 10am to 6pm and is extended to 7pm at weekends during July and the first weekend of August. 
Slides and attractions are rated low, medium, high and aggressive thrills. Food and drink is available. Save US$7 on tickets when buying online. 
Address: 1500 S Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, California. 
www.knotts.com/soak-city-water-parks 
Palm Springs Air Museum is home to one of the world's largest collections of second world war aircraft. 
Opening times: Daily 10am to 5pm
Address: 745 N Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, California. 
Tel: +1 (760) 778 6262, www.palmspringsairmuseum.org 
Palm Springs Art Museum 
Closed Mondays and public holidays. Opening times: 10am to 5pm; Thursdays: noon to 8pm
Address: 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs, California. 
Tel: +1 (760) 325 4490 
www.psmuseum.org 
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Opening times: Cars depart at least every half hour; Monday-Friday first tram up 10am; Saturday, Sunday and holidays first tram up 8am; last tram up 8pm and last tram down 9.45pm.
Address: One Tram Way, Palm Springs, California. 
www.pstramway.com/ 
VillageFest 
There are more than 100 arts, crafts and food vendors weekly. Enjoy the Farmers' Market and live music. Local shops and restaurants stay open late too.
Opening Times: 7 to 10pm
Address: Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California. 
www.palmcanyondrive.org 
The Living Desert
Shuttle buses are available to take you around the park with information about each exhibit. Staff are on hand to answer questions.
Summer opening hours: 8am to 1.30pm; last admission at 1pm
Address: 47900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert, California. Tel: +1 (760) 346 5694
www.livingdesert.org 
Celebrity holiday homes
To find out more about renting celebrity homes, go to: www.sinatrahouse.com, www.vacationpalmsprings.com, www.theparkerpalmsprings.com. 
For more information on Palm Springs, including free things to do, go to: www.visitpalmsprings.com



MAGIC IN the desert