Yosemite
I am not quite running out of patience for my travel lust. It has made me more excited to post. But I do wonder if they will mean anything later. Hmmm, more writing, less content.
| Mon, Apr 26 from Milwaukee | |||||
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| Tues, May 04 from San Francisco | |||||
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| Passenger(s) | Adult |
| Base Fare | $178.60 |
| MKE - SFO – Fare Basis | |
| SFO - MSP – Fare Basis | |
| MSP - MKE – Fare Basis | |
| TAX: U.S. Domestic Percentage – 7.5% | $13.40 |
| Subtotal | $192.00 |
| Passenger Facility Charge | $12.00 |
| Segment Tax | $14.40 |
| U.S. Security Fee | $7.50 |
| Total Per Passenger | $225.90 |
| Number of Passengers | 5 |
| Total Fare Amount | $1129.50 |
Seeing a friend’s FB post on a recent trip to Yosemite made me remember how much I love Yosemite. And it would be fantastic to take the kids there.
Wow, I have wanted to take all of the trips Ive written about this week…wow, this one really makes me want to go.
So fly out April 26th, a Monday. See the sea lions, as usual. Then head west to stay at a hotel on I-580 toward Yosemite. Say the Hawthorn Suites in Livermore.
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Livermore Wine Country
1700 North Livermore Avenue
Livermore, CA 94551 US2 Queen Beds Suite
Non Smoking Studio With 2 Queen Beds /Full Kitchen/Free Internet/Iron/ Complimentary Full Hot Bkfst
Occupancy: 5 people max
Mon. 04/26/10 USD 97.75
Taxes: USD 8.82
* Total: USD 106.57
And then, off to Yosemite!
out last visit
The Wawona Hotel…I was expecting to say the Ahwahnee. But the price is just too high for even my imaginary trip.
“Housed in six buildings, our rooms are furnished in period pieces and antiques. Fifty of the rooms have private baths, while the rest share central baths. Most of our rooms without bath connect to rooms with bath, making this an ideal accommodation for families. All rooms offer daily maid service. There are no telephones or televisions, allowing guests to completely escape and relax while on vacation. “ (from the website)
Complimentary Breakfast Buffet is included with all rooms at Wawona Hotel.
Arrival: 4/27/2010 – Tuesday
Departure: 04/30/2010 – Friday
Adults: 2
Children: 3Room Type: Yosemite – Wawona Room W/Bathroom
Per night Average: $201.97
Total: $605.90Wawona Hotel Make History Package for rooms with a shared bath
Room Type: Yosemite – Wawona Room W/O Bath
Per night Average: $130.63
Total: $391.90
I would reserve 2 rooms (remember the family of 5 problem of past rantings). One with a bathroom, 1 without. They adjoin. Maybe. I hope.
In Yosemite, I think we’d take at least 1 or 2 tours.
Valley Floor bus tour looks nice. 2 adults + 3 children $77 ($15.40 ea)
Or Big Trees Tour (2 Adult @$25.50 each plus 2 children @ $18 plus a free toddler = $87
Then I saw the Moonlight tour. Ooh. And the tour is offered the 4 days aroudn the full moona d the dates I picked are during the full moon. Fate?
“Yosemite Valley Moonlight Tour
If you thought Yosemite by daylight was inspiring, see the Valley in an entirely new and magical light during the Moonlight Tour. Following the same route as the Valley Floor Tour, participants ride in an open-air “green dragon” tram under the glow of a full moon. These two-hour, late night Yosemite tours take place on full-moon nights from May through October, conditions permitting.”Duration: 2 hours
2 adults + 3 children $77 ($15.40 ea)
But when I quickly add that in my head, maybe the Grand tour would be worth it:
“The full-day Yosemite Grand Tour combines the Valley Floor Tour, Big Trees Tram and Glacier Point Tours into one. Bring your camera and lots of film for some breathtaking views as you explore the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and Glacier Point.
Duration: All day.
Departure Time & Place: Departs at 8:45am, meet in front of the lobby of Yosemite Lodge at the Falls.
You Will See: Yosemite Valley sights, plus Tunnel View, Glacier Point, Wawona, Big Trees and more.”
Tour + Lunch for 2 adults @ $92 each + 2 children @ $56 each + 1 free toddler = $296
So 3 nights in Yosemite. Then 2 nights in the Bay Area with friends. Then an extremely early flight out on Tuesday, so we’d book a hotel near SFO.
Howard Johnson San Bruno Ca
Two Queens Non Smoking-Advance Purchase
Includes: Continental Breakfast, Free High-Speed Internet, Free Airport Shuttle
Mon May-3-2010 to Tue May-4-2010
Availability request: 1 room $59
Two queen beds. Direct TV with free HBO. Free local calls. Complimentary wireless Internet access. Microwave, refrigerator. Phone with voice mail. Coffeemaker, hair dryer, clock radio. Iron/ironing board. Nonsmoking.
And then we fly home.
Preliminary price for air and hotel = $2295
A minivan from Dollar is over $700. Wow. Rental cars were the after thoughts of my travel planning for years…not anymore.
why do we travel? Or like the song goes “does anybody know what we are looking for”?? Why do we consider travel a basic desire nowadays? I especially like how George Santayana puts it in The Philosophy of Travel: “We need sometimes to escape into open solitudes, into aimlessness, into the moral holiday of running some pure hazard, in order to sharpen the edge of life, to taste hardship, and to be compelled to work desperately for a moment at no matter what.” Do we travel to lose ourselves or to find ourselves? In order to find the WHERE, WHEN or HOW to travel, we need to rediscover the pure pleasure of travels and the meaning of our own inner journey and rediscovery.