Seven weeks have gone by and I’m well and truly settled into university life, but at the back of my mind I’m still thinking about my summer and the trip of a lifetime I was lucky enough to embark on back in August.
Having spent the vast majority of my gap year working 9-5, my trip to the west of the USA with TrekAmerica was undeniably the light at the end of a very long tunnel. I’d wanted to make it to California in particular for a long time before I left, but to say the hidden treasures I discovered along the way didn’t make the trip equally special would be an understatement. It’s impossible to share all the ins-and-outs of the holiday in 1000 words, but I hope the details below give you a flavour of what you could expect. I’d encourage anyone thinking of doing something like this to make the call and go for it.
It all started with the 4500-mile journey to Los Angeles. If you’re organised, and pick a good seat far enough in advance, this is something that really isn’t as daunting as it sounds! Having been an avid viewer of American reality TV for many years, Los Angeles was a destination I couldn’t wait to see for myself. I arrived a day in advance of my organised tour to explore the city, but was naïve in thinking I’d be able to see a lot of the city in one day. My day began on Santa Monica Pier – a location much more touristy than I’d anticipated – but the buzzing atmosphere was something right up my street. I then did the 45-minute beach-side walk down to Venice. This should be one of your first ports of call if you visit LA. Every other person you encounter is a boom box-carrying cyclist, a free-style dancer or a skater. The creative culture here is overwhelming; I could have easily spent weeks on end soaking it up.
After joining the nine others in my TrekAmerica group, we set off down the California coast to San Diego. I decided to spend my day here in Balboa Park; an urban park with a whole array of cultural sights. The architecture in the park is spectacular in itself, but I spent my day experiencing the many art galleries, museums and gardens there are to see. Best of all, a large proportion of the activities were free, an added bonus for someone on a tight budget!
After another day exploring the shops, bars and beaches of San Diego, we headed inland to the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas. Somewhere I’ll be heading straight back to following my 21st birthday. The atmosphere of Vegas is something you can’t quite describe on paper. Be it the colossal casino-hotels, buzzing restaurants blasting out music at full volume, or the flashing lights of the superstores, there are so many things to take in when you cruise the Strip. It’s one of the few places that can pull off ‘tacky’. That’s in fact what makes it such a unique and worthwhile place to visit!
Suitably impressed by Vegas, we carried on to none other than the Grand Canyon. When you first see it, the scale is incomprehensible. My tour leader blind-folded us all, led us down some steps and unveiled the sunset. Seeing the canyon is something I think everyone should do at some point in their lifetime, there’s nothing else quite like it. The extreme landscape goes on as far as the eye can see and experiencing it reminds you how small you really are in the grand scheme of things…
Next was my second favourite experience of the trip, Monument Valley. It all started with a Jeep tour given by one of the Navajo (Native American) tour guides. We spent a few hours driving around the valley, taking in the landscape. The quantity of rock formations that resemble symbolic figures is so surreal. I saw uncanny resemblances to an eagle, Abraham Lincoln and the Virgin Mary! It sort of seemed like they’d all been put there deliberately, it’s so hard to comprehend that it’s a naturally formed landscape. This was followed by a meal and entertainment provided by the Navajos, followed by the most spectacular storm I’ve ever seen! Originally intending to sleep under the stars, we found ourselves sheltering the entire night from the rain and lightning. Being in the Valley with sheet rain and fork lightning illuminating the rock formations around you is something you don’t forget in a hurry. It was nothing short of incredible.
The next day – following the most extraordinary sunrise you can imagine – we continued our journey through the gems that are the National Parks of the west. Bryce Canyon, Arches, Zion and Yosemite are essential calling-points if you’re into your hiking. A particular favourite of mine was Yosemite, with its giant Sequoia trees and enormous mountains and waterfalls. The National Parks in general are so well managed; they all provide free shuttle bus services which cover the width of the parks so you’re nearly always guaranteed to reach any specific parts you’d like to see.
Following a fortnight of National Parks, I was ready for city life again. So thankfully the time had come for the highlight destination of my trip, San Francisco. Somewhere I cannot wait to get back to, the city reminded me of a fusion of London and New York. I ended up walking around by myself through the different districts, wandering in and out of unique vintage and thrift stores, even finding myself in a rather intimidating Caribbean neighbourhood! If you’re into your shopping, art scene and nightlife, San Fran should be at the top of your shortlist for places to visit in the USA.
The last stretch of our journey took us down Highway 1 with spectacular views of the Pacific Coast. My expectations of the scenery were pretty high and these were certainly exceeded. Monterey, Big Sur and Santa Barbara were our ports of call with their easy-going people, ridiculously good shops and insanely delicious food; this was everything one imagines California to be and then some.
1000 words really aren’t enough to describe all the details of the trip. I still get a tingly feeling from looking back and remembering all the experiences I had and to be honest, I think I always will! I highly recommend visiting all of the places mentioned above; the west has so much to offer, whatever your interests may be. I urge you to start planning your visit now!
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By Julia Connor