Driving through Yellowstone National Park felt like I had transcended into another world. I know that sounds cliched but coming from the UK I’d never been in nature like this. My photos don’t do it justice. The National Park is massive, driving round I come to realise we have nothing like this in the UK. Plus it’s so cold, yeah it gets chilly in the UK but this was only October. With the combination of the thermal pools and what the park sits on top off. This allowed it to create an almost magical world.
It is $30 to enter the park but when we drove in we met no one in the booth.
We had arrived late the night before just as the evening was drawing in. We drove in looking for a place to pull up large enough for the car and camper van in tow. The dark pine trees loomed in from above, dormant and still. I could feel the chill seeping in through the windows. It wasn’t going to snow but it was close. We arrived in a car park and pulled up in a coach bay. No coaches would be arriving at this time of night. Having a quick pee in the outhouse I wandered back to the camper van. Looking up I saw just how clear the sky was. It was unbelievably stelliferous, stars everywhere, the milky way strewn casually up there. My steps slowed to a crawl and then I stopped forgetting how cold it was out here to marvel at the world beyond our own. An elk called out somewhere in the trees resulting in another to respond equally hidden in the depth. Eventually, I found myself back in the camper van. I unrolled my sleeping bag and piled half dozen blankets on top. So quiet I fell asleep with ease.
Hearing the sounds of artificial noise I sat up instantly. I wanted to see the National Park before others ventured inside. I hear the motors of cars and coaches already inside. I tossed clothes on, Handy looked up confused from his sleeping bag. I flung myself out the camper door and in search of anything in this wondrous place. People were already present but if I hurried there would still be a few patches without humans.
They were but only just, the hordes were soon coming and I was one of them. Camera ready I walked along the sparkling planks of the walk way as it lead me around. Pockets of heat hit me every so often as I moved. Circular pools of water steamed and hissed gently. A lake appeared and due to the misty crowed the surface the other side was unseen.
We drove on and saw bison wandering freely and without a care as the larger motorised animals sped by. Then we came across a lodge which was huge and made entirely of wood. I was so impressed - my photos don't do it justice so I won't ask any but I'm still in awe. Then we waited beside Old Faithful which is that regular you can set your watch by it.
