We rise early to head to Yosemite. Get breakfast in Lee Vining first before taking the winding route up and down the mountains to the park entrance.

Today the plan is to explore the northside of the park. The main spots being Olmsted point from which you can see a rear shot of the world famous stunning Half Dome. To the east of Half Dome lies Clouds Rest with a 10000 ft peak. The view is amazing. A ranger tells me at that moment hikers were climbing up the side of Half Dome. I then choose to climb to the top of a small peak behind us to get a different view. From up here I could see a great shot of the Tenaya Lake surrounding by trees and clifftops. The other side I could see Half Dome. Probably the most cardio I had done for months I was out of breath at the top big time! But it was worth it.

Then west of the park is the Toulumne Grove, where giant sequoias grow. We parked up and headed down the mile long trail. The first site of a giant sequoia is spectacular, the base is huge and as you tilt your head back the tree rises with you. It's covered in green moss on oneside which adds to it's impressive visual show. We also see a fallen sequoia and from this horizontal view, you can really appreciate it's length and diameter.

We go for lunch at Curry Village within the Yosemite Valley Visitor Centre. This section of the park has hundreds of families and students. There's lots to do and see. The Merced river runs through it and El Capitan and the Sentinel Falls stoop over it.

After finding many more great spots to view the park from we decide to head out of the park and find a place to sleep. As you leave the centre of the park and head east the Merced River escorts you all the way. It's fast flowing clear water looks awesome as it divides the mountains either side of it. I would love to canoe down it sometime.

As the river followed us kindly the luck of finding a hotel didn't. When we got to Mariposa to find out all 6 hotels were full we decided on a change of plan and headed to Sonora. From there we would head to Murphys the next day, an old mining town with some character. But we still left the chance of going to Yosemite open on the morning of the last day....