Roadtrip to Friendship - My Family Travels

Roadtrip to Friendship

Article By: Starr Morgan, Quarter Finalist

On June 30 of 2016, I left my home in Washington State to go on a two-week adventure with my grandparents. For me, the main goal of the trip was to meet my best friend in person, for the first time ever. She lived a mere 2,139 miles away from me in San Antonio, Texas. After four years of friendship, we were finally going to break that distance. I was more than excited, and I consider this to be the best birthday present I could have been given.

As I mentioned, the trip was going to be two weeks long. After nine long hours on the road, we made it to our first stop, Twin Falls in Idaho. The first day, my excitement was still through the roof. I was constantly thinking of the journey yet to come, and the moment I would get to meet my best friend Hannah. We got to our hotel for the night, and simply rested. Outside, the sky was a dark shade of purple. It was thunder storming, windy, and pouring down rain – what a lovely first night of the trip. The next morning, post-storm, we woke up and got ourselves ready for another big day of driving. Seven and a half hours through Nevada, all the way to our destination of Las Vegas.

They may say, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” but I am going to tell you just what happened. We stayed at the MGM for two nights. Everything felt so fancy and luxurious. I loved being in Vegas – everything was fast-paced and fun. We ate dinner at nice restaurants, and shopped at high-end stores. We relaxed for hours at the pool, and soaked in the hot July heat of Nevada. On the second day, we attended a mind-blowing David Copperfield show. Vegas with my grandparents was definitely an experience I will remember forever.

After two enjoyable days in Vegas, we loaded the car again and got ready to set off on our next adventure – Carlsbad Caverns. It was July 4, so I got ready in my American flag leggings, and we set off. Outside, it was 103 degrees; down in the caves, it was a cool 57 degrees. Carlsbad Caverns was truly breathtaking. This National Park showed me truly how wonderful our planet is – and how beautiful and fascinating some of its treasures are.

Finally, it was July 5, the day I was going to meet my best friend. The car ride to San Antonio seemed endless, in the backseat I was texting Hannah my location at all times. The hours until I met her turned to minutes, and the minutes turned to seconds. My heart was racing faster than I thought possible as we pulled onto her street. I sent her the simple text “I’m here,” and waited for her to walk outside. The second I saw her, I ran out of the car and gave her the biggest humanly possible hug. After four years of friendship online, I finally was able to meet her. She was a real person!

My four days in San Antonio were amazing. Hannah seemed so excited to show me around her city. We went to the Witte Museum, where I was able to learn all about the history of San Antonio. On July 6, we went to a Twenty One Pilots concert in the outdoor 106-degree heat. (I passed out and was pulled over the barricade – but that is another story). I tried some of Hannah’s favorite foods, went to restaurants we do not have here in Washington.

Overall, my trip was so amazing. I am so grateful and blessed to have been able to go on such an unforgettable journey. We did so many fun things, and went so many places. I wish I could explain more – there is one more week full of adventures, however I am limited to 600 words and have already exceeded that. I definitely encourage everyone else to go on long road trips, it is definitely worth the experience. You might even meet your own best friend along the way.

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