It was after midnight. My house was almost completely encased in darkness. The modern lamp on my desk, hovering over my slumped over form, was the only thing left keeping the shadows from claiming my modest house. My hand gliding a pencil across my notebook, I tirelessly noted the number of activities available to my family on our future vacation within just a few days.
“Diana, why aren’t you sleeping yet? The trip isn’t for a few days. You still have time,” my mother’s tired voice echoed from the room beside me.
“I know, but I’m too excited,” I chirped, a lazy grin resting on my face while my widened eyes furiously dart across my computer monitor.
“Get some sleep,” my father yawned in agreement with my mother. “You can find more stuff tomorrow.”
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Glancing at my alarm clock for a moment, I hesitantly put down my pencil and stretched my tired limbs. I would have to wake up early on the day of the trip so it would be in my best interest to adjust my internal clock as best I can beforehand. Afterall, snoozing in the car and missing anything we might pass by on long road trips was not something I enjoyed. “Alright,” I caved, shutting down my computer for the night. “I’m going to bed.” “Good night,” my mother wished me before mumbling to my father about how I had quickly become obsessed with the approaching trip. We had only made the final decision on where to go a week prior. A hasty decision maybe, but a great one at that. Stumbling into bed and lying above my bed sheet, the summer night offering me enough warmth on its own, I closed my eyes and wondered what the upcoming trip might be like.
Our destination was Tennessee. While it doesn’t necessarily sound like the most interesting place to visit, it does offer plenty of attractions to entice plenty of people. I knew, after spending minutes that turned into hours researching what we could do with a week in The Smoky Mountains and the tourist traps that surround it, that we would have a fantastic time. It would surely be quite the contrast from our numerous vacations to Wisconsin Dells over the years. This was finally something different; it would be a wonderful change of scenery. It couldn’t come any …show more content…
sooner. A few days later, it finally did. After a delay due to my parents taking a surprise run into Marshalls that lasted literally two, painstaking hours; we finally started our twelve-hour drive to the Smokys. Easily entertained by the buildings we passed in combination with the snacks we munched on and a notebook for me to fill with random sketches and ramblings, I had a great time in comparison to my tired family. However, by the time we reached the Tennessee border late in the night, I too felt the fatigue and annoyance from sitting for so long. It was after midnight by the time we reached our hotel due to the time difference and a hasty, greasy fast food run. Our stomachs uncomfortably full and bodies sluggish, we quickly turned in for the night, hoping our real first day in Tennessee wouldn’t be as tiresome. “Well… What should we do first, everybody?” my dad inquired with a yawn as he entered the kitchen of our hotel suite the following morning. Being the driver, he obviously felt the brunt of the exhaustion from the previous day. Then, in response to his question, the rest of my immediate family and I all made eye contact, knowing exactly where our first destination would be. Besides the fact that we had no ingredients, none of us were in the mood to be making any breakfast ourselves. “Food,” I announced excitedly, slipping on my sandals. The rest of my family following suit with their own choice of footwear, we began our day. It was already lunch by the time we left our suite so our options were a bit limited.
That along with the fact that there were hundreds of cars in a stand still on the other side of the eight-lane road sent us to the Texas Corral Steakhouse, conveniently located on our side of the road. One delicious meal later, we were left wondering what to do next. Our stomachs having taken control of our bodies for awhile, we had planned nothing for our first day. Peering out over the traffic residing across from us, we decided to follow the road and see where it took us. It just so happens that we were going in the direction of the reason we came out here in the first place: The Smoky
Mountains.
The warm wind blew my hair back, while I listened to the chatter and thumps from the steps on the wooden walkway. Car horns occasionally sounded as they passed by up the road. Colorful sail boats provided a picturesque background. Paris had his camera wrapped around his neck and was focused on the glowing sunset. We sat on a black swinging chair, facing the rippling water that held the sunset’s warm reflection. Paris scrolled through the pictures on his black professional camera.
The Interior Plains is a region in west-central Canada, in the Mountain and Central time zones. It is the fourth largest region of Canada. Majority of the Interior Plains is prairie land with lots of flatlands. The total area of this region is 1, 900, 000 km². Approximately nineteen percent of Canada’s population lives in the Interior Plains region. This region includes certain points of interests and attractions such as city areas like downtown Calgary and natural sightseeing areas like the Rocky Mountains. The majority of the Interior Plains is prairie land, with many trees and grass. Most of this area is wide, open spaces and flat land. Some of the animals living here include deer, wolves, and
Every year since I was a freshman in high school my family would all pack into our car and head to Six Flags for my father’s job. This was usually one day I could count on for unexpected entertainment. Each year was a new experience in the making because one year it may be sunny or one year it may rain, but HEY! Its Georgia weather what can you do about it?
Where I come from, the vast land stretches on for miles, filled with dancing corn and wheat fields. Turn one direction and look at the clouds of dust rising off the gravel road, then turn the other way, that's about all there is to see here. A town of two stop lights. As you are driving, don’t blink, you may miss this little place. Some people may say there isn’t much to miss anyway, but I’d beg to differ. This is the place where I met and grew up with lifelong friends.
El Paso is 256.3 square miles, so in my eyes it’s pretty big. From the alluring sight of the sunset that the west side of El Paso provides, to the desert view the far east side shows for miles on end there are just so many beautiful places to go. Yet of all the places to go there’s one that I always enjoy visiting, and that’s downtown. I love walking around downtown and exploring each of its stores, casting an eye over its beautiful buildings, and contemplating the atmosphere that is downtown.
The Sandia Mountains named after a watermelon in Spanish because of the red light that shines over them in the evening. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it’s great for an afternoon hike. We decide to drive to the mountains and arrived at around 2 pm.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located in between the borders of Tennessee and North Carolina. The park is actually apart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, of which are both parts of the Appalachian Mountain chain (U.S Geology). The park is the most visited national park in the United States, according to (Geology). The national park was an official part of the United States in 1940 by president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The park was the first park to be paid for with federal funds, previous parks were paid with money raised by states or private funds received from individuals. The park is one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States (Climate Change In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park). This park has beautiful
Standing at the top of one of Tennessee’s most famous mountains the five senses are on in a state of awe. The overpowering aroma of pumpkin-flavored coffee can be smelled immediately after exiting the railcar, but quickly after is dampened by the aroma of crispy fall air. Climbing the stairs to the binoculars is exhausting, but well worth it once at the very top. Looking out from this point ant-shaped people can be seen walking into shop centers, toy like cars race to their next destination, and the ice cream shop the railcar departed from is no longer visible to the naked eye. Just like at the bottom of Lookout Mountain, there are sights to see other than the view from the
The ruckus from the bottom of the truck is unbearable, because of the noise and excessive shaking. As we slowly climbed the mountain road to reach our lovely cabin, it seemed almost impossible to reach the top, but every time we reached it safely. The rocks and deep potholes shook the truck and the people in it, like a paint mixer. Every window in the truck was rolled down so we could have some leverage to hold on and not loose our grip we needed so greatly. The fresh clean mountain air entered the truck; it smelt as if we were lost: nowhere close to home. It was a feeling of relief to get away from all the problems at home. The road was deeply covered with huge pines and baby aspen trees. Closely examining the surrounding, it looks as if it did the last time we were up here.
Best Mountain in Utah Imagine dropping into the powdery woods alone. Your skis are gliding over the soft, fluffy snow. Tall, delicate pine trees surround you, the wind is blowing the first layer of snow up into the air, but the bulky trees protect you. This is one of many amazing experiences I had at Brighton ski resort.
One might assume Kansas is merely nothing but fields. Endless fields of goldenrod-colored wheat swaying gracefully with the soft wind. Some may also think of Sunflowers. Millions and millions of tiny yellow specks filled with fuzzy bees doing their natural work, giving life to the wonderful little things, but no. Kansas is filled with bright, busy cities and streets too, people from across the globe, and places from museums to small local coffee shops.
Name Professor Subject Date A Scary Story I have never wanted to tell this story. However, I have to tell it as it almost made my heart skip a bit. It was in the year 2015 when this happened.
Family vacations create memories that are cherished for a lifetime. When planning this unforgettable experience, families are presented with multiple destinations to choose from. I personally believe the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a perfect family vacation for families of all ages. The Smoky Mountains provide a sense of adventure, a welcoming, atmosphere, and interests for people of all ages.
As I depart from the kitchen, I walk into the living room. There is a terrifying ugly brown couch with a crocheted throw draped over it. Two more Lazy-Boy chairs sit by it. On the opposite side of the room from me is a stone fireplace with shelves built on either side of it. These shelves are filled with books on every topic one can think of. Subjects range from the Civil War to cooking and mechanics. Above the fireplace rests an old, dependable clock. As it strikes the hour with its dings and dongs, I know I am where I belong. I am home.
The road before us seems to stretch for eternity. Driving away from home, the anticipation to get there is overpowering. The best way to pass time is singing along to dad’s 1980’s music. As the billboards flash by I can only catch