Yosemite National Park

The four hour drive from San Francisco to get to the park was well worth the visit. It's just an incredibly beautiful and breathtaking part of the world. The vegetation and rock formations are of the grandest scale and the huge granite cliffs rise epically before you. It makes a visitor feel very small and insignificant.

Wandering through the park conjured up thoughts of Yogi Bear and Milo and Otis. It's just what you'd imagine typical North American scenery to be like.

It's fortunate for us that it was designated an area of national significance in the late 1800s, because tourism was just taking off in the area and rampant construction was threatening to spoil the wilderness. It was a landmark decision, because at that time, the idea of preserving land purely because of its natural and picturesque qualities was unheard of.

In parts, it would seem as though a giant has just smashed his fist into the side of the cliff face and sent boulders as large as houses tumbling down the mountain. To imagine the geological force behind the formation of the Yosemite Valley is incredible.