Backpacker Post 7: Yosemite National Park, California

 

Yosemite, California. LA's polar opposite basically! We had a bit of a calamity getting there, the usually ever so reliable Greyhound bus (AHEM) was late, meaning we got to the nearby town when it was dark and made finding one of the (many, really???) campsites impossible. After a frightening drive down a dark rocky country road we admitted defeat and paid out for the last free hotel room in town (I wasn't complaining...).

   Yosemite National Park is one of America's first parks, it's bloody massive, and is home to the oldest living organism in the world; the giant sequoias. As much as I am NOT a camping person, (don't get me wrong I love the outdoors and I love a good hostel but I dislike tents, bugs, and well...sleeping in the cold....) I really enjoyed Yosemite.We did end up sleeping in the car and there are some ridiculous pictures of me with a night walking light attatched to my head (which I will not be sharing!)  We speant hours parked in our ridiculous gas guzzling jeep sat in front of flower filled meadows watching the sun set waiting for that elusive glimpse of a bear. I swear everyone in the park saw one but us, we did see a hell of a lot of chipmunks...  It was easy to get off the tourist trail, which seems to have been a good thing considering all the craziness that happened after we left with those poor people getting sick! Did some incredible hiking past hidden waterfalls and past some rather dangerous but spectacular drops. I would love to go back when it's colder (and stay in one of the slightly more out of the way places), or to find a good place to catch the salmon run and FINALLY see a bear.

 

 

 

 

Next stop, one of the coolest cities in the world; San Fransisco.