Five years ago my cousin and I sat on my grandma’s lap and my grandma said to us, “when I turn 60 I want to go to Puerto Vallarta [Mexico]”.  Two years later, on her 59th birthday she, opened up a card with a little note inside telling her that we are taking her to her dream destination!  My grandma started crying tears of joy!

It was one day before we had to go to the airport for our trip to Puerto Vallarta with my grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles.  My mom told me to get a week’s worth of nice clothes, enough clothes for the week, sandals, tennis shoes, three swimsuits, a cover up and whatever you want to take on the airplane.  I ran upstairs to get all of that stuff and books, magazines, stuff to make bracelets, chargers, and some snacks.  Once I got all of my things rounded up, I brought them to my parent’s room so my mom could pack the suitcases.  I was so bored anticipating tomorrow because it had been three years since I last went to Mexico so I needed to get my feel of the beach!  I was trying to make the day go by faster, so I asked my mom if she wanted any help around the house.  “Sure I’d love that”, said my mom!  It was only 2:30 and my mom got everything around the house finished, and she knew that I was really bored, so she asked me if I wanted to run to Walmart with her to get some more snacks and candy.  Then after that, we can go see a movie!  I was so happy because it would be around 6:00 when all of our errands got done!  Then after that we got done, my dad would be home from work and we would grab something to eat.  

We finished the errands, ate dinner, then headed home.  My dad told us to use the restroom and get our bags because we (my mom, aunts, and uncles) decided it would be best to head up to Kansas City tonight that way we don’t have to wake up even earlier to head to the airport.  We loaded up the car, then we picked up my grandparents, and headed up to Kansas City.  It was really late when we got to the hotel, so, I went right to sleep.  In the morning I heard my parents getting ready and I tried to go back to sleep but, I was too excited.  So I just woke up and got around.  I was still tired when we went down to the lobby and met up with my aunts and uncles.  

My family waited outside of the hotel for the bus to take us to the airport.  When the bus showed up I sat by my cousins Reagan and Brylee.  The bus drove into the front of the airport and we hopped out.  When we got in the airport we had to take off our shoes and jackets and go through these full-body detectors.  My cousins and I were really hungry so my uncle took us to get some breakfast.  There was still a hour until our plane took off so my family found seats and parked.  During the hour my cousins took funny pictures, talked and ate some of my snacks.  That was the most fun I have ever had at the airport!  By the time we finished being goofy it was time for take off!  Our enormous group walked through the tube that leads you to the plan and got seated.  The plane that we were riding on had a sea turtle on the back.  I was lucky and my seat was right next to Reagan’s.  Reagan is a nervous flyer, so she didn’t talk to much.  Soon the plane casually started to turn into the run way.  There was a slight pause then “zooooom” my head and back were pressed against the seat.  My favorite part of the airplane ride is when the airplane goes through a cloud.  This plane ride was a hour and half long, because when going Mexico the airport slits it up into two rides.  Our checkpoint was at the Dallas, Texas airport.  My family got of the plane and waited for the rest of the group.  We were all hungry, so we stopped for lunch at a pizza place.  After lunch there was a little time left before we got on the second plane.  We went to the restroom and sat in our section.  A little after, our row got called to load the plane, and we were off.  Two hours had passed and the pilot said “we will be arriving in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in less than ten minutes, the temperature is 89 degrees and sunny.  Thank you for choosing Delta Airlines”!  The plane landed and we got off the plan.  The “pilot” told us to not interact with the people in the airport asking if we needed a ride (it’s a scam).  We got past the airport and got on the bus that was to drive us to our resort.   

The bus pulled around the corner and there it was, Hard Rock Hotel!  I was so excited to be at my favorite spot in the world with my cousins!  Once we got out of the bus the staff greeted us and gave us warm little towels and a minty slushie.  Everyone was exhausted (but not me) so we went to our rooms and fell asleep.  I only slept for one hour then I woke up and was anxious to do something.  My dad was awake and asked me if I wanted to go down and walk on the beach.  As we were walking down to the beach my cousin was outside with her mom at the pool, we talked for a bit and went to the beach.  Awwww it felt so good to have the sand between my toes again!  We walked down there for a bit and we went back to the hotel room to go out and eat.  My mom’s hair was a little bit wild so she fixed it, then we went to go meet my grandma at her hotel room and eat.  The food at the Hard Rock Resort is mouthwatering.  My brother and I got the Fettuccini Alfredo and, my grandma and parents got the lobster.  Every night the resort has a late show and we went to most of them.  I was exhausted after the show so right when we got in out room I fell asleep.  The next day my mom woke us up early because we were going to swim with the dolphins!  The resort had a taxi ready to take us to Vallarta adventures.  The lady talked to us for a while then we could get in the water (which was freezing).  The dolphin took us under water and turned quickly then came up.  I got to do this two times because the photographer forgot to take pictures while I was under water.  We did a couple other things with the dolphins, then our time was up.  When we were heading out of the park there was a lady holding a squirrel monkey that people could hold.  I was so excited because that is my favorite animal. It was so tiny and soft!  When we got back to the hotel my mom told me that my cousin and I were going to go get our nails painted.  The next day we went ziplining in a jungle area.  The instructor was really friendly and funny.  There was 12 ziplines that are in a different spot around the jungle.  Each time he chose someone different to go upside down on the zipline.  One time it was my dad and he looked like a starfish going down the zipline!  On the last zipline (longest one) the instructor had to go down backwards with him because I would be too light and not make it down all the way.  The scene was beautiful, I could see rivers rocks and animals.  We had a couple of free days that we just spent the whole day in the beach and pool.  On the last night my family rode boats to Las Caletas (island) to watch a play called Rhythms of The Night (fire show).  In the middle of the show it started raining but the show must go on!  When it was over we had to ride back on boats which was a little nerve racking because there was a storm and the ocean had kind of big waves, my cousin was terrified but we got back okay. We stayed there for a week then it was time to go home.

I had so much fun spending time with my family doing adventures!  We did many other things but these were my favorite.  If your family ever wants to go somewhere tropical for vacation this is the place to go.  It’s so beautiful!