Yosemite National Park is the place.

3 nights of camping and our routine is already in place: reach the campsite at dusk, mount the tent in the dark, inflate the mattresses, hide the food in the bear box, find the bathroom area with the head light, brush, go sleep, wake up around 7am, deflate the mattresses, fold the tent, find that there was a shorter way to the bathroom area, brush, be ready to go.

Last night, to spice things up a bit and for a more authentic American outdoors experience, we got some wood, a lighter, and marshmallows! 😋

For the American nature lover, camping is a way to revive the good old cowboy experience. And the cowboys did not have showers!

Well, they didn’t have flush toilets or RVs either, but there has to be some convenience in the US of A.

The point is that showers are nowhere to be found on campgrounds. I don’t know how how other people do it, but after 3 days without a shower we were more than happy to jump into the cold waters of the Merced river.

The next day we decided to follow Abhishek’s advice and go for the Nevada falls trail. A steep, 3200ft elevation, 4 hours hike to the top of a giant waterfall, and the same way down.

Once up there, you seem to be facing the half dome at eye level. And the waterfall drop gives you the shivers !

After fighting some enraged squirrels 🐿 for our food, we decided to take another chill dip on the top part of the river.

Quote:

– Mary: Remi and Cecile would probably have done the round trip in 2 hours?

– Me: yes, walking on their hands!

Ok, but for our little family, it was quite a steep hike!

I mean for them of course, for Mary and Leo! I’m the strong one 💪 I was literally dragging them up and encouraging them: « Come on! One step at a time! You can do it! »

.. by the time we were back down, 8 hours later, they were both perfectly fine, but I was exhausted , with cramps on my legs and blisters on my feet! 🥵