our first 10 days in america

We arrived in San Fran safe and well. the only thing we forget was robins boots which were left at Paulinas. Yvonne, sorry, Jim pinched your deodorant! Robin enjoyed the plane journey and played games and watched films the whole way.

Our car was upgraded for free at san fran which was a good start. San fran itself is quite a busy vibrant place. Fishermans Wharf was great as was Lombard street and the crazy ride down. We walked all the way accross the Golden Gate Bridge and when we were 1/2 way back robin challenged jim to a race, so i held the bag while they raced! robin won!! surprise poor Jim was out of breath but did put a brave spurt on at the end when robin was getting a bit brave about winning. I have lost my notes for the 3 days spent in San Fran but as soon as I find I will update. While we were there it was our anniversary and Jim woke me specially in the middle of the night (he obviously couldnt sleep) to wish me happy anniversary, I still havent worked out if he was being romantic, wanted to be the one who remembered or just couldnt sleep.

On Wed 3rd Sept we went to the Japenese Tea Gardens and got in for free, it was very tranquil, beautiful and enlightening. We visited the DeYoung museum and learned a little history of american art, we then went to the bison enclosure after walking around the American Footie Pitch in Golden Gate Park. Robin chased all the ducks and birds, we saw the terripins in the lake, then we caught a bus to a well dodgy area which we had 15min walk out of! We rode a tram which was great past some very beautiful buildings, their opera house is particularly stunning. That night we awoke when the police arrived to chase a man through our motel, they never caught him but they all made loads of noise. Hadnt realised the hotel was dodgy till then. the no soliciting sign should have warned us i suppose but we enjoyed ourselves especially being the only ones in the swimming pool each evening.

We spent and hour trying to get right road out of san fran and had a long drive to Yosemite. We stopped in Oakdale a lovely small town with a rodeo museum. At Yosemite we went to the visitor center and had a hike around curry village and along the John Muir trail, and bridalveil falls. Couldnt find a bed in Yosemite so had to drive 1 1/2 hours back to Bucks Meadow for the night but it was a nice hotel and decided to stay for 3 nights and drive into the park every day.

On Friday 5th Sept we spent the whole day at Yosemite, we started and the indian village and museum (feel we have to educate Robin!) and then had a hike up to vernal falls then to the top of nevada falls, the views were spectacular though the hike was strenuous with all the steep steps but we bathed our feet in a pool at the top of the mountain and the natural spring pools are icy cold or we may have had a swim. We then walked around the lake to the stables. At the end of this day i felt that our trip was wasted on us cause it shouldve been taken by a poet or an artist who could convey to others the outstanding beauty of all that we had seen so far. Its all so awe inspiring and somehow a bit spiritual.

Sat 6th. After our long trek yesterday Jim and Robin had a good sleep (even all my noise wasnt waking them)! and we didnt leave till around 9am for Yosemite. We got a bit lost first thing but eventually made it to Glacier Point where once again i wish i was a poet or writer cause the views were vast i now also wish i could take good photos but even those cannot show the true beauty of everything. We also went on a trek though easier than yesterday, Jim and Robin got withing 6ft of 3 young muledeer and we also saw lizards, birds and loads of chipmunks and squirrels. We also had a trek to mirror lake but didnt quite make it cause it was getting lake but Attenborough Jim who way explain scat and stuff found deer scat, coyote scat and reguergated stuff that owls spit out or cough up. Jim obviously learned loads in Yellowstone before.

Robin and I soaked our feet in the Merced River on the way home. Jim is really tired and asked if he could have a day off soon. Had fun in the pool and hot tub this evening but robins is not eager to do his homework. We have also started learning spanish as we have time in the car, i dont suppose we will learn very quickly but i will keep you posted as to our progress. Will be sorry to leave Yosemite tomorrow but there is so much more we want to fit in.

Sunday 7th Sept Into Yosemite for our last visit. We went stright to Wawona and it was a very relaxing area. The hotel there looked lovely and they have a western village where they have taken all the old cabins from Yosemite vally and rebuilt them as they were before in Wawona. The had Western folk telling stories and dressed in old fashioned western gear. They were very helpful and enlightening. We went of the last stagecoach ride of the season from the Wells Fargo building. Have got photos but it was all amazing.

We then went to Mariposa Grove and went on a tour of the big Giant Sequoia trees. The drive itself was very bumpy and shook us to bits but the trees were awsome. The tour was educational and enjoyable and its nice to see conservation in action. Some of these trees were growing before Jesus was born or before the Egyptians were a civilation. Cannot get the whole trees in one photo but you can imagine getting a neck ache looking up and for 16 to 20 people to stand across the girth of the tree is not unusual. The really are big Giants.

Here I must mention Park toilets, they deserve a mention as the most awful ever.

After leaving the park we went through some lovely but sometimes strange places until we found a place called Sanger where we have a room for the night. Jim is made up as the hotel is only 60 dollers and robin is made up cause we had chinese and jim was very happy cause the chinese only cost 15.50dollers. The weather here has been in the 100s since we arrived.

I must mention the trees again they were so magnificent, you could drive a stagecoach through two of them, their colour, granduer size and firth cannot be put into words. Some of the trees had names like Old Grizzly and the faithfull coulple which were 2 trees grown togeter. One tree had no middle and you could see all the way up to the sky through its center but it was still alive and growning. Fire does not kill them, they either fall over or men pull them over.

Sorry if i am going on but am going to write so we remember all our trips next year and in years to come. Please e mail me if you have messages or want to chat.