I peered out the plane’s small window as the wheels hit the ground with a thud. Palm trees scattered the area, and a warm tropical glow stretched across the runway. This was a big difference from the cold, snow-sprinkled airport of Philadelphia. I anxiously ripped off my winter coat, and dug a pair of sunglasses out of my bag. This was going to be a great vacation.
After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, my sister and I jumped out of our seats, grabbed our luggage, and ran up the small isle of the plane. The suitcase moaned behind me, a tell tale sign that I was going too fast. My feet slowed their rapid pace, and soon allowed me to hold a steady walk. Once the rest of my family caught up with us, we headed out of the airport to begin our vacation.
Soon after we arrived at my grandfather’s apartment building and unloading everything, we mapped out our plans for the week. There were so many different brochures to choose from that they were hanging off the edges of the table. After much arguing and screaming, us kids decided that we would visit the Mote Marine Aquarium, Sarasota Jungle Gardens, and an outdoor waterpark. We also decided to hangout at our private beach, the pool, participate in a kayak tour, and make a couple stops to the local ice cream shop. With that in mind, we drew up the plans and went to bed that night with anxious thoughts about the days to come.
After that, time flew and before we knew it our vacation was almost over. On our last day, my family spent the entire time on the beach. We even ate our pizza lunch right there in the sand. It was very heartbreaking to say goodbye to the salty breeze and palm trees, and go back to the reality of cold, blustery weather. As the airplane took off, I watched out the window until the ground below was nothing but tiny patches of color. I could still hear the ringing of seagulls and the feel of the misty ocean foam crawl over my toes.
When stepping out of the plane, I lunged for my luggage and pulled out my coat. Suddenly my designer denim shorts and pink and blue stitched tank top didn’t seem so weather-friendly. Everyone shivered as we headed for our car. We all hopped in and buckled our seatbelts with a groan. At first, I was loathing the return home. But suddenly, I couldn’t wait to get there. Despite the warm breeze, waving palm trees, Tropical animals, and beautiful beaches of Florida, there’s really no place like home.