chasing rabbits stateside

After four days in San Francisco the 'traveller' part of my brain kicked in - it started to wonder why I wasn't on a bus to my next destination ! I've moved around so much that it didn't feel right to stay in one place for so long. As a result - I HAD TO GET OUT !!!!!!! My second week in SF was therefore replaced with more time in California's spectacular wilderness. On Sunday 12th I travelled to the Yosemite Bug Hostel and booked myself in for 3 nights.

I thought that Cathedral Rocks, Sedona, was as good as it got, then I went to Yosemite ! Monday I decided to hike up the Misty Trail to Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. Waiting for the shuttle bus from the Valley Visitor Centre to the start of the trail was like waiting for a first date that you're pretty confident about !! You're sure it will go well, you have plenty in common, you're attracted to one another, but there is still a part of you that is nervous that it won't go to plan and you'll be disappointed in some way. I know I sound crazy but I was like a 16 year old who couldn't wait to go but was holding back a bit incase the reality dashed the dreams !....... The date went great ! The views were spectacular, the sun shone, literally dozens of rainbows appeared all the way up the falls. I was soaked to the skin at Vernall Falls and the terrain changed regularly as I continued on my way up to Nevada Fall constantly surprising me with more flowers, more challenges underfoot(how people can get to that point and not continue to Nevada Fall I'll never know, actually the 'American waistline' might have something to do with it!). Finally at the top and ready for lunch I had the kind of view to accompany my meal break that would make cardboard taste good. Cheeky squirrels ran, bounced and skittered (I made that word up - I think - but it sounds appropriate !) across the huge flat rocks that people sun bathed on. Two scampered around me and ran off - they looked like cartoon characters and I could imagine them chunnering to one another "huh, nothing worth nicking there, processed cheese, pah, where's the organic stuff...lets try this lot" (we have posh squirrels in Derbyshire!). I reluctantly made my way down , I took the John Muir Trailon the basis that I perfer to work a circular route instead of repeating my footsteps. It was easier and much less interesting, but the views continued to be worthy of dozens of photos.

Yosemite Bug Hostel is clean, fun. the food excellent and not you're usual Hostel fayre (steak/salmon/gooey chocolate cake etc etc). My room mates were chatty and friendly. My only complaint is that some of the staff didn't seem to know their 'arse from their elbow', but the chirpy kitchen staff more than made up for it.

posted by KP @ 4:20 AM