I had never been to the beach until I was in junior high. My brother's and my first experience with salt water was the Great
Salt Lake. What then might have been a $2.00 admission price was steep but it was thought to be worth it for the experience. The family tour guide (my father) had built it up as almost as
good as going to the ocean (which we had never seen) and we were going to be able to lay on our backs and float without much
effort. What he failed to tell us was that the salt was such a high concentration that it would burn like crazy! As soon
as we got in, we were ready to get out, crying the whole time! We didn't even stay in long enough to see if we could float.
Our next trip to the ocean was a few years later. This time it was the Pacific Northwest. We had seen Gigit, We knew
about surfing and we were expecting to get a good tan! Not to happen this trip either! It was cold, it was rocky and the beach
didn't look all that inviting.
When Roger and I were still at home my oldest brother, Robert, was married and in the Air Force. Hooray! An excuse to
go to the beaches of our movie dreams! Thanks to the Air Force I finally got to see the Gulf of Mexico and then the Atlantic
Ocean.
Finally, I was the only one left at home and my father had a meeting....guess where.... in Hawaii!!!!!!! I was old enough
to enjoy the whole carefree beach experience. It was the first time I had spent any length of time at the beach. It is the
beach trip by which all others are measured. The resort properties and food for all others to live up to. It is one of
the best trips I have ever taken. Yes, you read correctly, I was with my parents and I still had fun!
