It’s been nearly two months since I’ve returned from my 6 month adventure in California. It’s been nearly two months and it’s starting to feel like California was a dream. I’ve decided to start blogging about some of my adventures that I find my mind drifting back to when working. I was so immersed in my experience of studying abroad that my blog has been neglected a small bit. Anyway, one of my favourite places that I’ve ever been to is Yosemite. 

Karen, Laura, Martin, and I took off on a Friday evening excited for our weekend away. We left at 6pm which was earlier than intended, and the car was full of snacks; it was a good start to our trip. I took the role of the navigator and radio station changer whilst martin drove. A 5 hour journey to our motel in Fresno awaited us. No matter how well trips are planned, they never go as expected.

2 hours into our long drive, the car started making a funny noise and we had to pull off the motorway onto a dark exit. We were alone with a flat tire in what looked like the creepiest isolated road. It felt like the perfect beginning to a horror movie and we spent the next 15 minutes discussing who would be the first to go missing or die, and I knew all eyes were probably on me… but I was reassured that the blonde sometimes makes it to the end of the movie. We searched for phone signal and got through to the car insurance company who told us it would be 30 minutes until someone came to our rescue. This meant 30 minutes of ghost stories. While waiting for help, the stars shone so bright and we soon noticed blue and red lights in the reer view mirror. We then talked about the movie Zodiac and the possibility of the police man being a killer in disguise. After staring at the tire for 10 minutes, the police officer soon realised what we already knew; he couldn’t help us.

After our rescue finally arrived an hour later, we got a spare tire and were soon on the road to a petrol station where lots of coffee was consumed. We laughed our situation off and even though we got to our motel A LOT later than planned, we were happy to actually get there.

Yosemite was breathtakingly beautiful from the moment we entered the park. We kept stopping on the drive in to take pictures but after realising the views only get better and better we soon accepted there’s only so many pictures you can take. The sun beamed through the car windows and we inhaled the cold fresh air of Yosemite. I hadn’t seen so much green since Ireland. I was in heaven.

After our late night of driving, we had an early start in the morning so we would get to Yosemite in plenty of time for some fun filled hiking. Despite our terrible sense of direction when hiking, we went on some lovely trails by a mirroring lake and getting our socks soaked in muddy trails. The wind breezed through the grass and it was a wonderful sunny day. On our drive back that evening we saw upclose a mother bear play with her cubs. We ate some pizza and had a nice rest before our next big day.

We decided to do an intensive 4 hour hike around by the waterfalls on our second day. I was so happy that I remembered my rain jacket and could enjoy the wonderful views. My legs were in pain after the many steps we climbed but a rainbow was shining over the waterfall so it was worth it.

This was the most amazing hike I have ever done. My body was aching but as I looked at the view around me it made it worth every tingle and cramp worth it. Standing at the top of a mountain is the best feeling. This was my favourite part of the trip and one of the best moments of my time in California.

“I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.”