Since high school, three of my friends- Emma, Saphire, Carla and I had wanted to go on a three month holiday to America. We spent most of our time planning it. But, there was one problem and yes it was money.
Subsequent to saving every spare penny and working day and night in between school and the college, the day came when we all finally had enough money to go on our dream holiday. By the time this occurred, the year was 2011 and we were all 18 years old. We arranged the holiday and received our tickets in the post.
The clock was ticking; our hearts were racing, days felt like hours and hours felt like minutes. Two weeks past but it felt like two days. There it was the night before our flight was due. We all couldnÃÂt believe that the day we had been waiting for was tomorrow.
John_Deere_4630_Tractor.jpg
Billie Holiday child, toward 1917 (unknown photogr...
English: Billie Holiday, Downbeat, New York.The next morning we woke up early, but somehow we were already running late for our 7am flight. The traffic was horrendous and the fumes were choking. We finally arrived at the airport with just ten minutes to spare. After a 12 hour flight we departed at New York. As we descended onto American earth our mouths dropped, we couldnÃÂt believe after all these years we had finally made it.
Back then we didnÃÂt know that this holiday would change our lives in such a way that it has done.
We stayed in a five star hotel with a really salubrious bar and restaurant. The hotel was very classy with classic décor and furnishings. The bar at night was very lively.
On our second day we all went shopping. There were so many different shops; we didnÃÂt know where to start. Within four hours of shopping we had all spent at least $200 each.
Emma my best friend had stayed in the hotel as she had a hangover from the nights before party in the bar. We felt sorry for Emma so Saphire, Carla and I went back to the hotel.
After a 15 minute taxi ride we arrived at the hotel only to find Emma in the swimming pool with this guy. After getting changed we joined her and found out that his name was John and he was also on holiday with his mates. So, we arranged to meet up with John and his mates that night in a local bar.
We arrived fashionably late at this sophisticated bar only to find out that the bar was a gay bar. To our horror there was John and his mates standing at the bar, calling us over. We didnÃÂt want to stay but then again we didnÃÂt want to come across as being rude. So we wandered over to them and it turned out that John and his mates didnÃÂt know that the bar was a gay bar.
Emma bought the first round of drinks while John introduced us to his mates: Luke and Justin and he also told us about his other mate Alex (the one who stayed behind). Three rounds later we decided to split up ÃÂ I went back to the hotelsÃÂ bar while Emma and John went to a club and Justin and Carla went to a quiet bar.
By the time I had arrived back at the hotel it was gone midnight. As I walked into the bar I saw a tall handsome man who called me over and offered to buy me a drink. I accepted and we got chatting and it turned out that he was Alex one of JohnsÃÂ mates.
As the night went on, the violins played and the lights dimmed, slowly we moved closer and closer until our lips touched.
The next morning I was greeted with a warming deep voice saying ÃÂgood morning gorgeous, IÃÂve made us breakfastÃÂ. This was the warming deep voice of Alex.
After a lovely breakfast with Alex, I phoned Emma and asked where she was and to report where I was.
That day all of us met up including our boyfriends and arranged to split up for six weeks and spent some time with our boyfriends getting to know them.
After a lovely six weeks Emma and I had a massive shopping spree. While we were eating our lunch in swish restaurant in the centre of New York, Emma told me that she was six weeks pregnant and that the father was John. I was shocked and congratulated her, she also announced that she was engaged to John and the wedding was in a weekÃÂs time. She told me that they were having a themed wedding and she asked me whether I would be her bridesÃÂ maid and of course I said yes.
That night Alex and I watched a film cuddled up on the sofa in his hotel room. The lights were dim and a few candles stood glowing. When suddenly Alex stood up and reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a small box and to my surprise went down on one knee, my heart beat faster and faster when he said that he loved me and ask me one question which contained four little words and these words were ÃÂwill you marry me?ÃÂ I replied ÃÂyes, yes of course IÃÂll marry youÃÂ.
So there it is that was the holiday which changed our lives forever. Now I am living happily married to Alex in a four bedroom house with three beautiful children.
Now, if you are wandering what happened to my mates, well Emma got married to John and gave birth to a baby girl who she named Summer as that was when she was born and as for Saphire and Carla they loved America so much that they stayed there with Luke and Justin. Well thatÃÂs an excuse for us to go a holiday.
Bibliography: This essay I thought of myself, certain events are linked to events which have occurred in my life.
Carla Connor
Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland pict...
Alex & Emma