A special family vacation

Our family has always enjoyed traveling, and it probably was the two years Vertis and I spent in Benghazi, Libya that got traveling in our blood. There have been various trips that I especially remember, and the one I’m going to write about is high on the list.

Our daughter Lara had just graduated from El Dorado High School, and Ashley, our son, had finished his sophomore year. Several months earlier we had a family discussion as to where we would like to go on our family vacation next summer. Our family had been to Belize several times and New York, Disneyland, and other places in the country, but never to Europe. Of course, the kids had heard us go on and on about European cities, so a trip to Europe was decided to be our family vacation. So, months ahead of our trip, Vertis and I started making reservations, and since the trip was in mid-May, we got air and hotel reservations at bargain rates.

We decided to visit three major European cities, and five days apiece with travel time equaled a 21-day vacation in Rome, Paris, and London. Lara, our artist, had the Louve Museum in Paris all mapped out, and that was her top pick of the trip. Ashley, who would one day be a Special Forces Soldier, was focused on the Coliseum in Rome, and I was looking forward to playing tennis on the

European red clay courts. I played three times a week and Ashley was on the El Dorado High School Tennis Team. That meant we would have our rackets as carry-on language. No serious tennis player would check their rackets.

Our flight to Rome arrived at 9 in the morning, and after checking in our hotel, we started seeing the sights in Rome. Naturally, St. Peter’s and the Vatican were high on our list, and by noon we were dining on pasta at a restaurant a block off St. Peter’s Square. Of course, the kids were overwhelmed by the magnificent church and Lara couldn’t get enough of the art. I had a detailed map of the area, and as we started walking back to our hotel, I spotted a local church. Well, we just walked in, and I couldn’t believe that just a local church could be so beautiful. That started the search via my map to wind through the old City streets searching for churches. Six wonderful churches later, the kids were about to mutiny, and we called it a day.

Well, ancient Rome got a full two days, and we had to drag Ashley out of the Coliseum. He wanted to explore the maze of tunnels under the seating area where the gladiators came through to enter the arena.

Then it was on to Paris, where the trip got one of its surprises. We were waiting for our luggage to come out and Ashley and I were standing there holding our tennis rackets when I recognized one of the passengers waiting for their luggage. It was Jimmy Connors, the number one player in the World. I nudged Ashley and said, “Look who is standing there waiting for his luggage.” Ashley didn’t recognize him for a moment until I said, “It’s Jimmy Connors.”

I wasn’t going to bother him, but Ashley darted over carrying his racket and said, “Mr. Connors, I play on the El Dorado High School Tennis Team.”

I didn’t know what to expect, but Jimmy Connors exceeded my expectations, and while we waited for our bags the two of them had a great tennis discussion. Ashley came away beaming, and I had added respect for someone who spent ten minutes of his time encouraging a young tennis player. Then, after we checked into our hotel, Ashley insisted we workout on the nearby red clay tennis courts.

Of course, the kids wanted to see the Eiffel Tower and, naturally, go to the top. I thought that was a great idea until I saw the long line and how slow it was moving. Then I noted a very short line, and I asked the man escorting people to the lift if we could go up in that line.

“Certainly sir…if you have reservations for the restaurant.”

Well, I glanced at the regular line one more time, and then asked the man could he get us reservations.

“Let me see if they have a table available,” he said.

They did, and up to the restaurant we went for a rather expensive lunch. The view was breathtaking. As we were about to ask for the check, Lara said to the waiter.

“Sir, I would like the raspberries and whipped cream for dessert.”

Well, those raspberries must have been flown over from NW Arkansas, because they became the top of the mark for any one item on the trip — but at least we didn’t have to stand in line to see the Eiffel Tower.

After Lara drug us to the Louve Museum, and we spent hours there before she had to be pulled out, we headed for our big dining spurge of the trip, the Tour d ’Argent — a one-star Michelin restaurant. Well, naturally the menu was in French, but we were saved by a wonderful English-speaking waiter.

The food was fabulous, and as the restaurant roof parted, and our kids marveled at how far they were from a burger and fries, and I choked when I was handed the check, it was worth it… almost.

Then it was on to London where we checked off every top attraction possible in those five days. We were exhausted, but it had been a wonderful trip. We hopped in one of London’s famous black cabs, headed for the airport, when our first major problem of the trip almost ruined the trip home. There was a wreck on the highway, and all traffic was stopped. Our hour ride to the airport took over two hours and as we arrived, I checked my ticket. The plane had boarded and was scheduled to depart in ten minutes. I dashed ahead to the ticket counter and breathlessly explained to the agent why we were late. Well, much to my surprise he called the gate, and then announced to me. “They are holding the plane for you.”

Well, that prompted a mad dash through the airport to the boarding gate, and an agent ushered us to our plane. As we sat down, Ashley looked around and then out the window, and almost yelled, “We’re flying on the Concord!” That was our trip surprise. We had managed to book the Concord well in advance, and combined with the rest of the ticket it was very little more than a regular first-class ticket. We were barely seated when the takeoff under full throttle pulled us back in our seats.

Then after 3 1/2 hours, and 3000 miles, we landed in New York City.