My Fondest Summer Holiday Memories (Part 1)

One of the perks of being a traveller is how you can experience different holidays in different parts of the planet. When I think about some of my best holiday memories , there are a couple of ‘em that stand out. From the summer school holidays to the most recent New Year’s Eve cruises in Sydney, it’s been a thrilling ride. And as we slowly fade into the holiday season and in the name of sharing, here are some of my best holiday memories!

The fondest days of summer

When I was a kid I couldn't wait to grow up and now that I’m an adult I wonder why I think of such foolish thoughts. We’ve all been there. Don’t get me wrong, being an adult has its perks, but nothing comes close to getting excited for the last day of school before the two months of summer holidays begins! Waiting impatiently on the last day of school is one of the first things that comes to my mind when someone says “summer holidays”. I remember in the last period, staring at the clock, tapping my feet as fast as I could against the concrete floor, waiting for that long bell to ring! And when that bell finally rings, boom! We would jump up and run across the hallway like we have won the lottery, it was to go home! Now all I could do is look at kids and reminisce!

Eye to eye with the beast

Our family moved to Kenya during the 99’ Christmas season and my mom was adamant about learning to drive. My dad owned a ‘93 Ambassador with manual transmission. He was kind of an expert when it came to driving a stick. There was an open access area near a national park where everyone went to learn driving as it was calm, and had less traffic, or so we thought! So we started the lessons, mom was a slow learner but dad was as patient as a monk from the Himalayas. Days passed and one day we went to the park for the usual lessons. Then! A sight to behold, two rhinos gracefully feeding themselves on a mini gorge right across an estuary! We were busy admiring the two up front to notice the hidden rhino right next to us! And then out of nowhere, he charged at us menacingly! “Goooooo!'', cried my dad, and my mom without hesitation, set the pedal to the metal and somehow managed to keep her balance on the wheel as we burst out of there! I remember looking back at the massive beast, right in his eyes, as the hair on my skin stood up in both fear and excitement!

Trance-like New Year

After I started travelling, every experience went on to become a core memory, nonetheless, the recent one was the time of New Year in Sydney, the major celebration in its event calendar! What made this experience an unforgettable one was the sheer beauty of Sydney and its people. When I set foot in the city, there was only one thing on my mind, to watch the legendary fireworks show that the residents bragged about. So I embarked on a dining experience on the highly sought-after Sydney NYE cruises, which turned out to be the best vantage point to watch the midnight spectacle. It was luxury at its finest, from the vessel I cruise on to the deluxe food and beverages that was included, and to top it off, you get to click stunning angles of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. I have never seen anything as extravagant as this celebration and when the clock struck midnight, it was nothing short of illuminating! I was transported to an ethereal world of vibrant colours and imaginary patterns, for over 20 minutes, almost as if I was on a candyflip! Don't think I’ll be forgetting that anytime soon!