The 800-mile family trip

As my daughter loves to say, “we went on a family trip.” Did anyone miss me? LOL!

My husband and I celebrated our 8th year wedding anniversary this week, and like we do every year, we go away for one week. But unlike the previous years, we didn’t have concrete plans of where to go, what to do or see. We just wanted to spend time together, away from our daily routine. So we drove and drove and drove (see map with yellow brush line).

Boy, was it an adventure!

We spent several days at Virginia Beach, and the sun was nice to us so we all got a little tan. We explored Norfolk, VA after that and saw a Caribbean cruise ship about to leave port. I was so tempted to stow away, but could only wave a nostalgic goodbye to those on their way to warmer sun and bluer seas.

Then one of our friends told us that the Wright Brothers Museum and nicer white sand beaches are only an hour away from where we stayed. Adventurous people that we are, we packed lunch and headed down to North Carolina. HA! The one-hour trip to the Outer Banks was really 3 hours long! But oh, it was something else… and to live so close to the ocean like that…

Back in Baltimore, we toured Fort McHenry, where Francis Scott Key penned the Star Spangled Banner during the 1812 Battle of Baltimore. My family witnessed a historically moving moment – the lowering of the Fort McHenry American flag, a 30-foot long banner!

Now back home, I am tired. Laundry has piled up, and I’m in no mood to cook. But the memories of being together as a family lingers.

What are your plans this summer? Any place you want to visit?

images:
Map (wikimedia commons);
beach and flags- personal collection