Kids Travels November 2008 - Gold Country Families E-Magazine

Trip to Tahoe

My family and I were going to go to South Lake Tahoe for a few days. I was busy running around the house getting my clothes and electronics packed. My mom was packing snacks for us and my sister was getting her stuff together too. My dad got our boat cleaned and ready for our trip. Then he hooked the boat up to our car. My dog was running all through the house barking her head off. When we finally got on the road, we dropped our dog off at the vet because we could not take her with us. Then, we headed to Tahoe.

When we got to Tahoe, it was really late, so we went straight to bed. The next day, we went boating on Lake Tahoe. There were a lot of cool boats in the marina and I saw one that was three stories high and looked like a house. When we started to go fast, it felt so good with the wind blowing in my face. We went to Emerald Bay. In the bay was an island with a small fort on the top of it. My dad and I climbed to the top of the island and there was such an awesome view of the entire bay. After we left the bay, I went inner tubing. That was a lot of fun because I was bouncing around with water flying in my face. When we were done boating, we ate at the Marina’s restaurant and then we went back to our hotel.

The next day, we were going to ride the gondola. The gondola is like a ski lift, but you are in a small, glass compartment with bench seats on each side that hangs from a cable. The compartment takes you up Heavenly Mountain. When we got to the first stop, there was a huge observation deck. Standing on the edge, I could see the entire lake and surrounding mountains and the town below. We got back on the gondola and it took us up to the second stop. When we got off, there was a large, open area that included a restaurant. I went on the zip line ride that is a seat suspended from a wire and you speed down the wire cable very fast. It was super fun going so fast that I wanted to do it again, but it was a lot of money. They also had a rock climbing wall and I went on that also. I got really tired because it was a very high wall, but it was still fun. We rode back down the gondola and went back to the hotel and went to bed.

The last thing we did was hike several times in the South Lake Tahoe area. We hiked down to the Vikingsholm Castle. It is a huge house built right on the beach at Emerald Bay. There was a tour that was pretty interesting. After the tour was done, we hiked back up the hill and I was really tired. What motivated me when I was tired was acting like there was a rope to help pull me up. We also hiked when we were at the top of Heavenly Mountain. There were a lot of trails, but we went on the one that was the hardest and the longest. It took a long time, but it was fun and tiring.

Tahoe is a very fun place to vacation at. I would also like to go in the winter, because you can go on the ski slopes. Fun things to do in Tahoe are hiking and riding the gondola. At the lake, you can boat, kayak, swim, and parasail. In the winter, you can ski, snowboard, and snowmobile. I learned to bring running shoes for the hiking and a walking stick is also very helpful. I also learned that it was important to get a lot of sleep because it was a tiring trip. Overall, Tahoe is a very good place to have a lot of fun.

--- Will, 13

The Soccer Wipeout in Summer

It was a hot sunny summer day, but it had rained the other day before. The grass was lushes, wet, and super muddy. We were in Maryland for the last final game in soccer, it was against the champs. This game was the final game that told us if we were in the champions or not. It felt like the heat and the pressure was going to melt me and my teammates.

I was goalie along with my friend K. We both were great at the post so the other team had a tough time scoring the goals. The score so far was a tie- five to five. Anyway the opponents had the ball so I and K had to get ready. The ball was coming closer and closer. The other team shot the ball at medium speed when I jumped up, with my super shoes and caught the ball. Our team cheered.

I threw the ball toward my teammates and they started rushing. One of my teammates got it and shoots the ball right toward the goal box when he was like fifty feet away. I crossed my fingers really hard and the ball went straight into the goal box. The referee shouted "GOAL!!!!"

He also blew his whistle to let us know it was half time and we could get our strawberry Gatorades. YUM!

We went toward the couch and found out we were still going to play the same posts. I was pretty sure we were going to win. Now the referee blew his whistle to let us know the game was starting. We rushed to our posts and got ready. We ran and got the ball first but the other team was running just as fast and was right behind us. The all of a sudden the other team stole the ball like super-stars, but now they had to face against the best goalies in the world, K and I. The ball came at us seventy miles per hour. I was ready as well as a little frightened when the ball was coming right toward me, but K right at the end of the moment ran right in front of me and tried to catch the ball. The ball going seventy miles per hour, went right through her hand into her face. When the ball dropped something red also started dropping. The next thing we knew K was bleeding right from her nose. We immediately sent her to the nurse. We found out she was going straight to the doctors, so we had to forfeit because we did not have enough players. I was so furious and upset, I kicked the ball as hard as I could and it went soaring.

The next day, K came to school with a cast on her nose. I was really mad at her for making us have to forfeit but I kind of felt sorry for her. I asked her how long she would have to wear the cast and she said "I am going to have to wear the cast for at least three weeks." After three weeks, her nose was as black as a black hole. From all of this I learned not to try to catch a ball going seventy-five miles per hour without any protection.

--- Krushna, Age: 13

Rafting on Waves

As our family sat, waiting, houses - and the city – zoomed past, the tree line thickened and the number of houses steadily decreased. Our own anxiousness filled the car and nobody spoke. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out, as if my excitement had drowned out my words. The vehicle came to an abrupt halt and I helped ready our raft for the harshness of the water it was about to endure. After the raft was prepared, I looked on to the shore. There were no clouds in the sky and the water was nearly perfectly still, reflecting the bright sun that was high above our heads. I was ready!

On the slow trudge to the water, I looked around, appreciating the fresh air and plentiful trees. As our family walked through the rocky shore – nearing the water, I realized that we weren't alone. Many others were already slowly paddling across the, river. After everyone was ready, we launched our raft into the liquid sunshine (water). A half hour later, we were all exhausted and my family decided to stop on the shore and rest awhile. I, however, rested no more than five minutes before decaying from boredom and diving in the water to go for a swim. As the wondrous iciness of the water flowed past me, I heard my name and headed back for the raft.

After another twenty minutes of paddling, I found myself thinking as I lay on the raft. I looked up as birds flew overhead in the cloudless sky. Trees surrounded us, left and right; the water was, again, still like a mirror, reflecting the peaceful scene. Water lapped gently at the shore, almost a soft, rhythmic melody. I bolted up and sat straight, realizing something: life was everywhere – surrounding me, above me, inside of me; life is short, and every moment of it should be spent with meaning…

My thoughts were suddenly disturbed by a loud, gushing sound. Roaring rapids were directly ahead, foaming as it rushed over rocks and boulders alike. My stomach suddenly churned, like the harsh waters ahead; my fear did not last long, though, as my fear was suddenly replaced with excitement. The look of fear in my eyes was suddenly drowned by adrenaline when the raft raced down into the water. It plunged down over an over and over; wave after wave of water splashed on my face as I was gasping for air. Though I was fighting for a breath, I was enjoying the whole ride.

Afterwards when we were back in calm, still water, I decided to go on my own and find something to do. I realized that, near the shore, there were low-hanging branches that I could grab on to and easily swing from branch to branch, keeping up with the raft the whole time. When we reached the end of the trip, I helped deflate the raft and we headed back for the car.

This little adventure taught me something, though. Life is too short to waste so our time should be spent wisely, but we should also take some time to help the environment and others.

--- David, Age: 13

Six Places in Two Weeks

Every summer my family and I go on a long vacation. In the summer of 2007, we all decided to go on one two weeks long. During those two weeks we went to about 6 different places.

One of the most memorable times was when we went to Yellowstone national park in Wyoming. One day my dad and I were outside, he left for a minute and a heard of buffalo ran about 15 feet if front of me and one looked directly at me. I was trying so hard not to scream because I knew that if I did it would start coming toward me. My mom heard the stomping and came outside of the motor home to make sure I was okay while my dad was telling my brother to get the camera!

Another one was when we went to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. My family and I went on a tour thru the Caverns there was a 750 foot descending path to get to the bottom of the caverns once we got to the bottom we were breath taken. We saw selagtights and selagmights and random things like the bottomless pit and the hall of giants.

Finally one of the best ones was when we went horseback riding in Montana around Lake McDonald. At the beginning of the ride my horse decided to lie down in the middle of the path and wouldn’t get up. We went over an old wooden bridge one of the horses tripped and its hoop made a sound like a gun was being fired. My dad’s horse almost bucked him off. Were lucky that nobody got hurt.

To sum it all up, wherever we go on vacation, whether it’s in a cave, among buffalo herds, or on the back of a horse, we all have fun and are so grateful that we took the opportunity to experience something new.

--- Nickie, 13 years old

Los Angeles

I could feel the anticipation rising as our ten hour drive ended. We arrived in the parking lot of my grandparents’ house around 10:30 pm. All six of my family members, weary and sore, stepped out of the car and were immediately greeted by my grandma. As we walked inside the warm, inviting home we were eager to go to bed. After all, the week ahead of us was going to be a blast!

The sound of cereal hitting a bowl woke me up. I quickly got out of bed and started to get ready. Today was the day we were going to Knott’s Berry Farm! Once all eleven of us were ready we headed to the thrilling amusement park. As I arrived I was mobbed by what seemed like hundreds of family members and we split into groups. Me, my sister, step-brother, and cousins were swiftly on our way to ride the bigger roller-coasters as my younger step-sister and other cousins went with the adults.. The amazing thrill of the first coaster was a little overwhelming, but I was ready for the next crazy ride. In the end, I had ridden over fourteen heart-wrenching rides and I was exhausted! So, we were on our way home and I was still pretty dizzy during the drive.

A few days later was the day everybody was pumped for, the fourth of July! The 4th in L.A. is one of my favorite holidays because everybody on my grandpa’s side of the family comes to visit. While my aunt and I prepared snacks for the party my grandpa started the chili. The kitchen was crazy and filled with the smell of chili and as soon as I got one second to sit down the doorbell rang. I opened the door and family members flowed in with hugs and kisses. As the afternoon went on we had about two-hundred water balloons, a slip n’ slide, the fattest barbeque, and amazing company. It was over 100 degrees outside but nobody seemed to mind. When the afternoon turned into late evening we grabbed our desserts, pulled up a chair, and watched the fireworks over the lake. With every burst of light and crashing “BOOM” the little boy next to me would jump but whenever he turned his head you could see the amusement in his eyes and smile. After the show ended we all said our good-byes and hoped we would see each other at the next holiday.

As the week in Las Angeles wrapped up I began to dread the car ride home. The six people in my family had to load up in one car a drive back home for ten hours! This was going to be terrible. My sister and I sat in the back seat and listened to our iPods but I was not looking forward to when my iPod died. When the clock turned to three we decided to stop and get some food. Taco Bell was the nearest fast food restaurant (and it is my favorite). Once we finished our not so healthy meal, we all piled back into the car for the remainder of the trip. By this time my iPod was dead so I was bored out of my mind. I tried to sleep but the rattling of the car wasn’t very comfortable. So I “borrowed” my sister’s iPod and slowly drifted off to sleep.

While I unloaded my stuff from the car I thought about the fun I just had with my grandparents. It was the first time I had seen them since Christmas so we made it count. Even though it took up a week of my summer vacation I learned I could have some fun with my family too. Overall, I had a fantastic trip and I can’t wait to go back next year. Hopefully we will fly though.

--- Sierra, Age 13

Las Vegas

I hate the airport. But, I also love it. I hate it because to me it resembles a big stress ball (gates, terminals, baggage claim…) it’s even worse when you fly with family. I love the airport because it usually means that you’re going somewhere exciting. And that to me it worth $1,000,000. In my case I was in both situations, I went to Viva Las Vegas but IU went with my step-dad’s family for four days.

Going through the airport was a breeze. It was the flight that wasn’t so great. Turbulence is all I have to say about that. After that we went to baggage claim and we received our bags (all 11 suitcases) while we waited for my step-father (B, as I call him) and his sister (my Aunt K) and her husband (my Uncle M). We waited. And we waited. And we waited some more. For the duration of that time all I could think about was how hot it was. Feeling the hot sweat rolling down my neck and further down my back. “How hot is it?” I finally asked my mother.

“115 degrees,” she replied but before I could nod my head she continued,” it’s just as hot here as it is in Sacramento”.

What was that just beyond the horizon?! It was B with the car—and more importantly—the AC. We were as fast as lightening when we were loading up the luggage all thanks to my mother carefully orchestrated plan. We were at most 25 seconds. We sat in the car with golden silence. We twiddled our thumbs until my four year young sister said, “Daddy I’m hungry,” and check in wasn’t until four o’clock. So, we pulled over to the nearest restaurant which happened to be the Hofbrauhaus. It was like nothing I’ve ever eaten before. It was so good I could have eaten two more bowls of their soup, but I of coarse I ate other people’s food as well. After dinner, was dessert! We ordered the following: an apple tart with whipped cream all over it; five or six giant scoops of ice cream with Raspberry sauce drizzled all over it plus fresh fruit on top of it all. Of course, I didn’t eat all of that. We shared it by passing it around. One bite pass it was the general rule of it.

When we finally reached the hotel we checked in, unpacked, and went swimming. It was the dirtiest water I’ve ever seen none the less swam in. The water smelled like a truck full of yellow chlorine spilled everywhere. I got out and went to floor 15, and immediately showered. When I got out I realized something. There were two Queen Size beds and four girls. It was a long night. The next day, I drew the curtains to wake everyone up. I look hard and rub my eyes to make sure I wasn’t delusional. No use. Right in front of our window there was a billboard with a swimsuit/lingerie model. I guess that’s what happens when you stay in Vegas.

After breakfast we hit the casinos! Most of the first day was a blur, but I can remember two things (1) I had a blast; (2) I thought I was going deaf from the constant complaint of my cousins.

On day two we had a problem. B and his family wanted to go to the Hoover Dam but, my mother and my sisters wanted to see more of the strip. We made a compromise, they did what they wanted to do and we did what we wanted to do. The first thing that we did was go eat lunch at Cravings in the Mirage, the eighth best buffet in town (but first in my book). There we stuffed our selves with such a variety of foods. Sushi, soup, Panini, gyros, fish, and so much more food if I listed it all it would take up the whole page. We were probably there for one-and-a –half hours. Next, we went to the dolphin/white tiger/ white lion exhibit. It was pricey but seeing the smile on Lola’s face made it all worth while.

When we eventually came back, we badgered my step-dad and his family about the Hoover Dam. They all shook their heads and said it was fine but I knew otherwise (he told us on the plane that all they would do was complain about nothing).

On the third and final full day of our trip, my sister fulfilled her dream of riding the roller coaster at New York, New York. Hurray for her. But my cousins were tiered of Las Vegas by day three. The next casino/hotel/shopping center/arcade that we went to was Mandela Bay. We went to the aquarium there and it was so exciting seeing all of the colors and all of the varieties of fish and the touch pool with the stingrays and seeing the feared macho shark and the peaceful sea turtles.

By the time we got back, it was 8 pm. We had to pack up our stuff. The rest of the night was in silence with the occasional zipping of a suitcase or the drip dropping of a shower.

Sleep.

The final day of our trip we ate at the MGM buffet for breakfast. There was enough food there to feed an army. They had every and any sort of breakfast food there. When we left the MGM, we drove ten minutes to go back to the airport.

If I learned anything from this trip it would be never take family on vacation. I only say this for the following reasons: they complain, you get sick of each other, it’s expensive, and other family members get jealous. Even though we had a few bumps in the road it was a lot of fun.

--- Morgan, Age 13