Packed and ready to leave Yosemite

Now sitting in the lounge at San Francisco International Airport with about 45 minutes to go before boarding.

An uneventful trip down from Yosemite, about 5 hours allowing for stops. We left at 9.00 and were checked in and in the lounge by 3.00pm. We chose the right route by the sound of it as the other possible route was closed by a traffic accident and queues build up for miles around. As we were sitting in the lounge a passenger was rushed to the gate just as the previous flight to Heathrow was about to depart. He made it by the skin of his teeth.

The Central Californian Valley was just as hot, dry and dusty as last week. Harvesting was in full swing with many trucks moving backwards and forwards in the fields and along the highways.

Yosemite seems so far away now, and so high up. We're sitting here in brilliant sunshine but away to the west the hills are wearing a blanket of low cloud and fog which has been there ever since we arrived at the airport. Our plane is in, being prepared for the flight back. Won't be long till boarding. It's been a great adventure but grateful that all has gone well so far. So much to live on in our memory and to return to over the coming years.