Last few hours in San Fran. I have met up with my gay friend, Hans and I will be travelling with him to Hollywood. We will travel on the ever fateful greyhound bus. We travel tonight at 11pm and arrive in Hollywood at 7.30am. (It saves paying a night at a hostel). My trip to Yosemite was fantasic... My only wish would to have stayed there longer. Yosemite Trip 9-11th Aug. (2 days and two nights). Wed, 11th Aug. Picked up at my hostel in San Fran and was joined by a group of 6 Irish girls and boys. (Bernie, Aileen, Rob, Tracy, Kevin and Mahon). We all got on like a house on wild fire. It took four hours to get to our hostel. After our lunch we went out to the local swim hole. Rob and I went mountain biking. We were taken up 3500ft and cycled down to 1800ft in 12-15 minutes. It blasted the cobwebs away and shook every bone in my body. I loved every second of it. After the bike ride, I went swimming in the river and jumped off a 15ft rock. (not very high for some people but high enough for me...). I was the only female to do it. The water was beautiful to swim in. During the evening we had our dinner and joined the `tum tum`session. (Bongo drums). I had a go on the drums and the maraccus. Bernie joined in with a few seconds on my tin whistle....... A good session was enjoyed by all as we sat around the bonfire. Thursday, 10th Aug. 7 am start, we were on the road for 8am. We drove through the south enterance and stopped at the Mariposa Grove of Gaint Sequoias. The sequoias trees are perhaps the largest trees in the world, the oldest dating back over 1500 years. My pictures do not capture the magnitude of these trees. The first nations called the giant sequoias, `wawona` meaning the sound of the call of the owl. (The guardian of the big trees). I took a few pictures of the root systems of fallen trees. I loved the wired and wonderful shapes. We saw a mule deer and lots of large ground squrrills. I was shocked to hear that they were only that large because people feed them! I didn`t find it a comfortable sight so I shouted at anybody who were feeding them. It was remarked that I was harsher than the park`s employees and I was happy to resemble that remark. We then made our way to Sentinel Dome. The views were spectacular, everywhere you looked was a scene from a picture postcard. I could see Half Dome, El Capitan, Catherdral Rock, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point. Half Dome is Yosemite`s most distinctive monument. It dominates most valley views and rises to an elevation of 8842ft. El Capitan is the largest single monolith in the world. It stands 3,593ft tall. Yosemite falls cascade over 2425 ft. Its quite amazing how I can remember all these facts and figures..... I`m turning into a nerd. After lunch we went down into the valley, stopping off for a swim on one of the river shores. It was so hot, 88 degrees. I had forgotten to bring my swimwear, but I jumped in and swam in the water anyway. My clothes dried quickly in the sun. We then taken to Vernal Falls. Most of my group oonly made it to the bridge. Rob and I went further up so we could get some better pictures of the falls. Vernal Falls were worth the climb. On our return to the hostel, we drove by a landslide which happened earlier this year. 800m of the road and part of the river has been engulfed by rock. It will take over 18months to clear. It was amazing to see. During the evening we had our last supper and spent hours laughing about our stories growing up as good, wholesome catholics. We particularly liked how one cute alter boy kept refering to the alter as the stage... Friday. 11th Aug. We left our hostel at 10am. Some of us had hangovers but not me. Hehe..... I was sad to leave Yosemite. One day, I shall return and spent more time there.