I’d never travelled on my own before my trip to Northern California.

I figured if I wanted to go it alone, America would be the easiest way to do it, since it’s an English speaking country, and I was fairly familiar with the way it worked as I’d been several times before. I’m glad I was right. Right through from hiring a car at the San Francisco airport, to road tripping it around the state, checking into hotels, and filling up with petrol (gas, for my fellow Americans) nothing could have been easier. My absolute favourite thing to do is road trip around America. The roads are a pleasure to drive on, fellow road drivers stick to the speed limits and are courteous (the states I’ve been to anyway), and it’s very rare to drive along a road that doesn’t offer some sort of scenic beauty. Nothing I like better than putting on a little country music (hello Jason Aldean) and get my road trip on! It makes it fairly easy too when you have views like this:

Yosemite National Park was by far my favourite part of my Northern California journey. San Francisco and Napa Valley were incredible, but Yosemite exceeded my expectations. Unfortunately it was during a drought period that I visited so there was no waterfall (sad face) but this didn’t detract from the incredible beauty I found myself surrounded by from all angles. It takes about three hours to drive into the actual park (it’s a national park so speed limits need to be adhered to, plus it takes some time to drive down to the start of all the hiking trails) but it’s so spectacularly breathtaking that three hours (2-2.5 if it’s out of season) becomes a pleasure more than a hindrance. I mean, you guys. LOOK at this scenery:

Heading towards Yosemite Falls

El Capitan. Up front and centre!

I’m surrounded by beauty. Literally.

I’m surrounded by beauty. Literally.

Into the unknown.

Abandoned building in Yosemite.

So OK, I have to admit it. Getting to take this photo is probably one of the main reasons I wanted to visit Yosemite. I came across this picture a couple of years ago and vowed that I would one day snap the very same pic. And whaddaya know? Yosemite Chapel also happens to be Yosemite’s oldest building. Pretty cool huh?