Note to self: there is such a thing as too excited.

On our way to one of the most beautiful places on the planet, we stopped in a Starbucks for the second breakfast of the day. No, we are not hobbits. Yes, we did need a second breakfast.

It was my parents’ first time ever to even see Starbucks, let alone getting something to eat and drink there. My father, an ever so avid avoider and enemy of any kind of fast foods, didn’t seem to be very excited at first. That was until I gave him his coffee and sandwich.

Let me just say that it wasn’t our last stop at Starbucks during that trip.

My mom went crazy in the back seat when the sun started to come up, shining right into my eyes. Let me explain; she bought a new cell phone for this trip, one with a very good camera – and she was sure as hell going to get pictures of everything. It went so far that she reached to the front and put my shade up so that she could get the best shot. I couldn’t see anything while going 65 miles per hour. Great idea, mom.

I think that at this point, it’s not necessary to say that the trip was going to be a fun one, with my parents acting like children of between 5 and 15 years of age.

We entered the Sierras, made our way through Groveland, entered Yosemite National Park,… all that while my parents couldn’t stop gaping at whatever was currently surrounding the car, be it the orchards of Central Valley or the tall dark green conifers of the Sierras. I wondered; what was their reaction going to be when we made it to the valley?

However, I didn’t have to wonder for too long, as somewhere in the middle of our descent on Big Oak Flat Road, when the Half Dome came into view for a few moments and the granite cliffs seemingly started to rise of both sides of our car, the ooohs and aaahs turned into complete silence. We entered the Valley and my parents didn’t have anything to say. By the time we arrived at our first stop – Bridalveil Falls, I think my father has shed a tear or two.

And a tear or two when we made the short walk to the falls and saw the morning light seemingly falling down with the water.

I think it was there and then, as the day just started to come into Yosemite Valley, that my parents fell for this place like so many before them did. I think it was there and then, as the droplets of water and light caressed their faces that they, at least for a few seconds, realized, how much it all mattered.

---

Thank you for choosing to spend your time by joining us on the road. The previous post is right HERE. The next post from this road trip will be is HERE as soon as it gets got published!

You can connect with me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

(And if you feel like it, you can follow this blog so you won’t miss the future posts from the road trip.)

Have a day full of wonder! 🙂