Comparison Of Vacations

Summer and vacations are synonymous, especially with my family. Does Chevy Chase and summer vacation ring a bell? With a family of six, anything is possible. There are two types of excursions that we take every year. I refer to one as my family vacation and the other as my family trip. My family vacation to the beach is an annual event, but my family trip destination is always different. This past summer my family and I went to Colorado. Both experiences were the highlights of my summer but for very different reasons.

We begin packing for our beach trip shortly after my grandmother arrives from Arizona. My dad's twenty-five-year-old surfboard is securely tied on top, and we are stuffed like sardines into the car with the week's groceries packed in every nook and cranny. My dad always insists that we take everything with us; it would be a sin to spend good beach time at the grocery store. The trip down is uneventful, and we make our traditional one and only stop at the Subway for lunch and gas. I was taught early on that there are limited drinks on travel day because bathroom breaks are unheard of. After an early start we arrive to find our three-bedroom, three-bath condo just as we remember it. We especially enjoy having a VCR in each bedroom. After unpacking the car, my family and I head for the beach. The familiar smell of the salty air, the rhythm of the ocean waves, and the gentle breeze across my face are like long-lost friends. The beach routine begins.

Just as we do on the day we leave for the beach, my family and I wake up early to prepare to leave for Colorado. My dad says that getting my family of six ready to go is like launching the space shuttle. For this trip, luggage is limited to what we can each carry. We all convince my dad that there will be grocery stores in Colorado. After a quick trip to the airport, we board a jet to Salt Lake City and take a connecting flight to Denver. The highlight of our plane trip is the long-awaited lunch, which is a real disappointment. My mom and dad nap, while my sisters and I watch a movie. We arrive on time at the Denver airport, where our rental car is waiting. I notice how bleak and dry the land looks, and I can not see a mountain anywhere. We begin our adventure not knowing what to expect. We arrive at our cozy little cabin that stands in the dry dessert only to realize that there is only one bathroom. Now that may not seem like a big deal to you, but if you have your own bathroom at home and are suddenly sharing one with five other people, life can be traumatic.

Beach days always begin the same way. Around nine o'clock, the two tents are set up front and center as close to the water as possible, spending twelve hours on the beach each day, shade is a must for all of us. The coolers, packed with drinks and snacks, are carefully set under the tents. Next come the chairs, shovels, books, surfboard, and of course the daily newspaper. My dad travels untold miles each morning to make sure that he has his favorite reading material. With the adults under one tent and the children under the other, we begin a daily regimen of reading, sleeping, eating, and maybe a game of cards. Exercise might include a slow walk on the beach, a swim in the clear blue water, or digging a hole. For some strange reason, we always dig a hole so deep that we think we might reach China. We all gather at the end of each day to watch the sunset over the ocean, and so it goes for seven slow, lazy, relaxing days.

Unlike our lazy mornings at the beach, mornings in Colorado begin at the crack of dawn. There is so much to see and do that my parents want to take advantage of our time. This trip