My Earliest Memory

Kristen Chang

Block D English 10

Ms Kwan      

 My earliest memory

My earliest memory was when I was a child going on a family trip to Maui, Hawaii. It was probably one of my most favorite trips I had ever experienced. I can recall the calm waves of crystal, blue water washing up on the beach. The sand was golden and smooth unlike the gritty brown sand in Vancouver. Palm trees waved back and forth through the soft breeze. I was five years old at the time and Hawaii seemed like a whole other world to me.

One of the first things that we did was snorkeling in the coral reef. I remembered that I was too scared to fully put my body in the water. Instead, I held onto a water-board that had a transparent surface that allowed me to look at the bottom. It was such a captivating sight. A turtle slowly hovered above the ocean floor. I watched my sister grab onto its back as it made its way to the top. Exotic fishes of many colours brushed against my legs and a gigantic manta ray glided over the coral reef below me. I regret not diving into the water to see all the wonders of the sea.

            Another fun experience was going on a submarine. When we entered the submarine the song, “The yellow submarine” was playing. As we went down further and further, schools of fish began to surround the submarine. The coral reached ten feet high. Unfortunately, the ride wasn’t very enjoyable because I was mad at my sister. We occasionally gave each other dirty looks during the ride.

            As for food, we always ate at this restaurant that consisted of wooden huts that stood on stilts over the ocean. There were lobsters and crabs that crawled beneath the restaurant. The food and drinks were amazing. I had three strawberry coladas and I still wanted more. The entertainers for the restaurant were a man and a woman who sang Hawaiian songs and strummed their ukuleles. It was a tropical paradise.

My family and I stayed at the Trendwest Resort. It wasn't as nice as the other resorts in Hawaii. There was a resort called the Grand Wailea and it had the most amazing pools I had ever seen. There was a large 70-person hot tub that was located in a man-made cave, a cascading waterfall pool and a pirates ship. My sister and I were allowed to swim in the waterfall pool.

        Entertainment was exceptional. We saw a play about the origins of Hawaii and attended Luau dinner. The Luau dinner featured hula dancers, fire-eaters and lots of food. The smell of coconut and pineapple made its way to my nose. My mouth watered as large trays of grilled fish, lobsters and pork were laid upon the table.

During this vacation I encountered the distinct Hawaiian culture, the beauty of nature, and memories I shared with my family that will last forever.