My First Official Cruise With My Crazy Family

So there I was, sitting in the car looking out over the beautiful Los Angeles area, barely containing my excitement for the next day that was coming my way. I had never been on a cruise before and neither have I ever been out of the United States, so this was pretty big for me. We came to L.A. a day early so we could go and checkout Hollywood and when I first got there I was amazed at how many people were there, I mean there were a ton! Also there were a lot of people dressed up as different characters from movies like Avatar and Batman. And there was just so much things to look at my mind was spinning. Then it was soon time for us to start heading back to our hotel and we happened to be staying in a Motel Six and it was kind of scary sleeping there that one night because the neighborhood was weird! But the next day I woke up bright and early and ready for our trip. So my family got some IHop and then crammened in the car and we were on our way to be soon docked onto the cruise ship. Once there, we met up with the rest of our family and friends and that's when things got crazy! We didn't know where to go half the time and everyone was all mixed up, but finally everyone understood where to go and then poof, we were on our way to our first stop, Catalina Island, California. My first day on the ship I thought I was going to get lost, and I did a couple of times and I had to ask for directions, I told myself I bettere get use to being on this ship, I will be on here for a week. So when dinner time came around I as told my my parents that you have to dress nice every dinner so I did and when I stareted making my way down to where they serve dinner I run into my brother who I still dressed from the day and asking, "Where do we go to get  a bite around here?" I had to explain to that crazy tall brother of mine that he better hurry and change and come down to where food was at. Then it was dinner time, the kids had their own table and the adults had theirs. We had about the coolest waiter ever who was very sweet and very funny and he kept giving complints to everyone and showing us magic tricks! That man was my favorite out of all the workers on the cruise ship. Then we all went back to our rooms to get a good night sleep. I woke up with a start and look out my window to see beautiful Catalina Island. The hills of the island were a gold color that swayed back and forth from the wind that blowed. Once we anchored the ship, people were allowed off to check out the island but they had to be back before dark so we could head to our second destination. My parents let me and my brother and sister go around and look at all the stores just as long as we had our phones by us, and we had a blast! We got some delicious ice cream from this little creamery and my brother bought awesome shades and my cousin got a straw hat. Then our parents wanted to meet up and rent golf cars because thats what everyone drove on Catalina. So once those were rented we checked out the rest of the small island and got to see some people zipline and see the insane view of the entire island. We all soon had to start heading back because we didn't want the ship to leave us! So once back onto the ship everyone went to dinner and after bed time was peoples main goal. As soon as my head hit that pillow made of cloud, I was out like a light,knowing now we were on our way to Ensenada, Mexico. The two days we got to have on the ship were so much fun because you never got bored. Me and my brother and sister and cousins all went night swimming, dancing, played video games, pinponged, golfed, ordered room service, met new people, ate lots of food, and just had so much fun! One day on the cruise, I walk into my brothers room who he was sharing with my other two boy cousins, and my cousin, Jerith, had ordered 26 pillows and they had the pillows stacked everywhere and they had made a bed out of them and then a fort and when they were done they stuffed it into their closet.That was about the funniest thing that happened those two days! And the weather the whole time was just so perfect! Our family decided to get some shut eye before the big day to Mexico tomorrow. So there i was again, not getting much sleep because I was so darn excited! Then when i finally fell asleep, I felt like i had closed my eyes for second before i was being woken up by my sister saying, "Look we are here!" So I get dressed, put sunscreen on my face, grab a visior and head out to meet my family for breakfast before the big day. Once everyone had finished and were out of the boat and stepping on the Mexico turf I was surprised. Everything looked pretty from were i was standing, buildings that were super tall and clear blue skies what more could I ask for. So my father rented quads for us to drive around Mexico with. My mother and sister and grandma all went down and saw the blow hole while the rest of my huge family went to the beach and rode quads there. On the way there though i was hitten by sadness, there were many stray dogs and trash littering the ground and the houses that I saw some kids come out of were just boards that had been taped together. I was thankful for what I had very much at that time and then on. Before finding the beach though, we came to a open area that looked perfect for quads, it had jumps and a track but it was gated and the guy at the gate was speaking spanish but no one understood him so we had to ask my big brother, the only one that took some sort of Spanish in high school because I had taken french, what he was saying and we soon found out it was closed for the day. So we searched for another and found a perfect spor. Once we got to the beach everyone was having a great time flipping the quads and taking them off jumps and going fast. That was about the best part of that entire trip, except for the part where these police guys holding huge guns came over and said to stay only on this side of the beach. And we did! And then after everyone got tired of doing that and my mother had called up to ask us to meet her at a bar, we left and everyone meet up main town and the parents had a few margeritas and the kids had virgin ones. Then we went shopping and I had gotten braclets and a backpack, but while we were shopping I was bombarted by a bunch of children asking if I would buy whatever they were trying to sell. It broke my heart to say no, because I know every penny counts fot their family. Then it was time to go back to the ship and have a nice dinner then pictures and bed. Then we were on our way home to California. I was a little sad that i was leaving this paradise of a ship and going home, but i missed my friends and knew that it would happen again. Once off the ship, evreryone looked so tanned and happy we all said our goodbyes and left to go home. On the car ride home I really got to think about the trip and how much fun I had and the things i learned and the people i met and i was just so thankful for everything I had in my life.