Ideal Vacation My family had always looked forward to leaving the valley during the torrid summer months. You see I never really had an actual vacation, since my father had been gone for eight long, dreadful years. He was sent away to a prison thousands of miles away, In Florida, when I was only six years old. My loving mother talked about ancient vacations we took, but I was too young to remember. My father was back home and he was as healthy as a young doctor. It was now summer of 2010, and I was ready for a family vacation. A ride to ROI Fri. River is like a flight too Caribbean getaway.
Our plan was to stay in this meager town called Useable. As we drove through city after city, it became apparent that the world around us was changing. As each city brought new surroundings, our anticipation builds, and our dream vacation seemed closer and closer. Arriving into San Antonio we begun to notice changes. The trees appeared to be touchable, offering soft, plush leaves which swayed in the breeze. The grass actually invited us to share its place rather than scare us away with mounds of Intruding fire ants. We were now out of San Antonio and entering a rural area.
A weary, faded, green sign on the side of the road read “Useable, 20 miles”. Leaving the valley, where we only have flatlands, and entering an area where we are suddenly surrounded by hills of green and blue are by far the most awakening moments. This rural area offered amazing scenery with majestic hills and checkerboard farmlands. As we descended through the curves and winds of the middle region of Texas, our get-away “island” was very close. After a long, tiring drive, we were almost there. We arrived to this wooden store on the side of the road.
It was minted white and there were bulky, bright green letters on top of the entrance door, which read “ROI Fri. Lodging”. We waited in our white suburban while my parents walked inside to rent us a cabin. On the side of the building was this gated cage. It looked old and weary, with most of it being rusty. It was about twenty by twenty feet and ten feet tall. Inside, was full of black, dusty tubes filled with air. The tubes were stacked up reaching the top of the cage. Our parents walked out of the store ten minutes later. “We have a cabin, and It leads right down to the river”, my father said.
We drove a block down the narrow road and turned eastward into this gravel road. There within fifty feet of the road were 2 cabins about 15 feet apart. Unlike the store, they had a beautiful burnt brown color. We were staying in the north side cabin. It had a cozy, special look from the outside, and it felt like we belonged there. As I opened the door, it had a creaking noise and it felt like I was walking into a spooky haunted house. Inside it was warm and relaxing. To the right was a small kitchen table and an old, white oven. With every step there was a creak from the old floor roads.
Past the kitchen was a door that led to a bedroom with two beds and a restroom. Across the kitchen was the living room. There was two morocco brown leather sofas. The lengthier one fitted three people and the other was a love sofa. The television was on the wall and right under It was a fireplace. We put our bags away and put our swimsuits on. My dad went back to the store to rent tubes for the river. My brothers and I decided to walk and check out the river. We followed the The road started to decline and it was very steep now. There were metal barriers on he side for vehicle that pass by.
I walked towards the stateside barrier and it was about a twenty foot drop. I didn’t notice it at first due to all the trees and grass. We continued to walk down the road and it spiraled eastward and turned us around one- hundred and eighty degrees. We were at the end of the road now and the scene was magical. We can see the river straight ahead but first we needed to walk through sandy volleyball courts and mobile trailer houses. I can hear the sound of laughter and families playing in the distant. We walked through the side of this magical laggardly.
Stepping through the soft grass, it felt like a feather was gently tickling my toes. Butterflies grew in my stomach as we got closer to the river. The sun was at the highest point in the sky, shining brighter than ever. Its rays were streaming through the leaves of trees, and reflecting off the water of the river. I could hear birds chirping and the splashing sounds of kids playing and Jumping into the river. The river was a clear blue color. The water was so clean you can see the tiny fish swimming at the bottom. The river was filled with stones and rocks that felt smooth s you walked on them.
The river was calm and peaceful but about a hundred feet west it turned into rapids. Big trees provided shade from the flaming hot and burning sun. We were brave enough to ride the rapids in our tubes and once the river calmed down it became a lot wider and deeper. We found the cliffs and took turns Jumping off them. Then we came upon a colossal tree with a rope tied to it. I quickly ran to it and wanted to be the first to swing into the water. The rope was old and turning gray in color. I stepped onto some rocks to get a better leverage. I impede off and held on as tight as I could.
At the highest point I let go and in midair I looked back at my family. They were so happy and Joyful. I was in paradise that day and it felt so relaxing to be there with my family. That vacation meant so much and I will never forget it. One day I will have a family and I will take them on exciting vacations every summer and every chance I get. Even though we were hundreds of miles away from our house, I felt like I was home. I appreciate every moment I get to spend with my family and am thankful I will have plenty more vacations to come.
