This year, for our annual family reunion, we traveled to Virginia Beach to meet our family that lives there. The plan was for all of my dad's side of the family to meet. However, due to family feuding, it was just my dad and his brother’s families because my dad's sister and my grandpa had backed out. We decided that, since we had been planning since last year when we had held the reunion at my house, we would go despite the last-minute bailing of half the family.
The ride down from Massachusetts should have taken twelve hours, but with rest stops it took thirteen, from 7:30 AM to 8:30 PM. On the trip there, we took interstate 13. It seemed to go on forever, and never turned. We watched as Dunkin’ Donuts turned into Hardee’s and as Market Basket became Food Lion. Throughout most of 13, corn farms and trailer parks lined the street, which was quite a dramatic change from what I was used to.
When we arrived at my uncles house, there was the usual greeting that happens when you haven’t seen someone for a year. The rest of that day was uneventful catch-up chatter. The next day, we went to a museum and saw huge planes hanging from the ceiling, and even a part of one of the Apollo missions. I played the interactive games with my cousins, enjoying the game and the family time.
The day after that, we took a trip to the beach. When we arrived, everyone was leaving. The lifeguards had heard thunder and declared the whole beach off limits. We decided to wait it out, so we walked up and down the boardwalk. Eventually the storm blew over and we were allowed on the beach. Let me explain, in New England, the ocean is freezing cold, usually I end up standing blue-lipped on the sand after five minutes of the water. However, Virginia is very different. The water was cool, but not cold, and this was quite an odd experience for me, because I’d always assumed the whole ocean in every part of the world was as cold as New England’s.
The waves in Virginia Beach are also very different. I was often lifted completely off my feet. This does happen in New England beaches, but not as much, and not as close to shore. It was fun to be tossed around by the waves and for hours, that’s exactly what I did. I would also sit by the shore and let the waves crash on me, gripping the sand and trying not to be washed away.
Before we went home that day, we spent a while at a beach front stage, listening to some local band play covers of old songs. I played soccer with my cousins in the field nearby while the adults sat watching the show. The ocean breeze swept across us as we passed back and forth.
The next day it was raining, so we went to watch Brave. First we went on a brief walk, looked at some of a local artists paintings, and went to a chocolate shop. We spent too much time at the chocolate shop, and had to run the block or two over to the theater. When we left the theater it was raining again, so we went home and I played NFS on the Wii against my cousins.
The last day of my trip, we went back to the beach. Afterwards we had some ice cream, visited my aunts parents, and left the next morning.
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