Top 3 Spots to Visit in Yosemite

Last October I decided to travel to Yosemite for the first time. Yosemite had been on my travel bucket list for some time now. It's a national park that is extremely popular and has some of the best views I have seen. I had no idea how gigantic and massive Yosemite is. I gathered a list of the Top 3 Spots to Visit in Yosemite for new visitors.

Glacier Point

I would point new visitors to start their Yosemite trip to Glacier Point. The Glacier Point overlook sits upon the highest peak of Yosemite. From the overlook, you can see amazing views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls. Also, the road leading to Glacier Point is among one of the most scenic roads I have driven upon.

Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Valley is the next spot I'd recommend and fortunately, it's not hard to miss. You'll notice the lines of cars and tour buses along the main road, each parking to take in the Valley's surrounding. Yosemite Valley is what most people think of about Yosemite. You probably have seen sites like Bridal falls and Half Dome on people's Instagram.

Tioga Pass Road

Tioga Pass Road is the perfect spot in Yosemite to get away from the touristy crowded areas. This road is a long drive but you do have various stops along the way. From alpine lakes, granite peaks, and vast meadows. Among some of the areas to check out are Olmsted Point and the gorgeous Tenaya Lake.

Top 3 Spots to Visit in Yosemite: Conclusion

In summary, Yosemite is a massive majestic park. I would recommend finding lodging as close to possible near the park. You can stay at a campsite or find lodgings nearby but make sure to reserve in advance. You will never run out of sites to check out in the park. Pack a good camera, some coffee, and enjoy a great time in Yosemite.

Taking Great Vacation Photos

Taking Great Vacation Photos On Holiday

Shivani Vora of the New York Times recently wrote an article on how to taking great vacation photos. Suggestions included in the article recommended to take photos at sunrise and sunset. Sunrise and sunset shots have less crowds and provide less stress when trying to get the perfect shot. Strangers walking into your line of site are less of a concern while taking a great vacation photos.

Which Camera to Bring?

I also agree that you don't need a fancy camera to take great vacation photos. However, I also recommend not relying solely on using the camera on your mobile phone. I looked back recently at some of the photos I took of my first trip to Vancouver. I used a small DSLR, a Nikon D50, for me trip to Vancouver. For photos that were taken in 2011, they still hold up pretty well compared to my old IPhone. A mobile phone is convenient because it is a camera that you carry all the time.

Compact Solution

If you're traveling to a unique destination and want to create lasting memories without carry a DSLR several options exist. My recomendations are the Sony RX100 line of cameras. A camera such as the Sony RX100 V is compact and fits in your pocket. You could also choose a mirrorless camera. Mirrorless cameras are smaller and not as and bulky as DSLRS. Above all else, have fun while you're on vacation.Source: How to Take Great Vacation Photos

Yomiwa App: Translation for Price of a Coffee

One of the hurdles in traveling is the language barrier in foreign countries. Japanese to me can be intimidating to learn, especially because you have to learn because of the style of writing and pronunciation. I traveled to Japan back in 2013 and although I knew some words to get by I was stuck when it came to written Kanji characters. I am slightly intimidated to travel back to Japan because it has been awhile since I studied it. The app, Yomiwa has several features but what makes the app useful is that it has both camera and image recognition. This is helpful when you need to translate text written in Kanji such as signs or items in a store. I have had the chance to test Yomiwa on single kanji characters and it has been pretty accurate. Multiple kanji characters pose a problem for the app so I'm hoping in the future there are some updates to the software to translate full sentences. But for now I'll use it as a study tool when I plan to visit Japan again. The Yomiwa app is available for both IOS and Android devices.

Alex Cornell's Iceland Travel Guide

I have not been to Iceland, but if I was to visit I would use Alex Cornell's Iceland Travel Guide. In the last several years, Iceland has been a hot destination to visit. Alex Cornell's guide Is very detailed especially when covering:

• The Best Times to Go
• Sample Itineraries
• Sights to See
• Where to Stay

Alex Cornell's Iceland Travel Guide

In conclusion, I wish most travel guides were as detailed. The creator of this guide is Alex Cornell, a Designer at Facebook and an amazing photographer. You can view Alex Cornell's Iceland Travel Guide through the following link.