It was time. We had finally arrived. After our first 5-hour flight and then another excruciatingly long 8-hour flight, we had finally made it. We had discussed this exact moment for so long, and it was finally here. It didn’t feel real. I remember thinking to myself, “I am about to have the vacation of a lifetime, with my favorite people.” But the second I stepped off the plane it hit me -- I was finally in Hawaii. My dream vacation! I had finally made it. 

   I remember the excitement and smiles on everyone’s faces. It was pure joy for everyone around. I remember the sweet smell of the Hawaiian air. The warm, tropical breeze touching my skin after being in a stuffy plane for so long. I looked over at my mom who was trying to contain all of her excitement. I could tell she was by far the most excited one. Our family friends joined us after deboarding the plane. It was a mix of anticipation and stress of getting all our things. There were 10 of us in total, which means at least 10 bags. However, we were staying for 2 weeks, meaning some people were bound to have even more bags. 

   We finally made our way to the baggage claim. The airport was very open, with almost no windows or doors. Everyone could feel the rush of hot air against their skin in the airport. It just made everyone even more thrilled for what was to come. Thirty minutes later, we had everyone's bags. Unfortunately, the stress didn’t end here. We needed to find our way to the car rental to load everything into our car and finally head to the condo we rented. Finally stepping out of the airport was the first time sunlight had touched my face in many, many hours. We all felt the warmth of the sun against our cheeks, the fresh smell of the ocean breeze, and a smile on everyone's faces. This has always been my favorite part of traveling. We were ready for our tropical vacation.  

   I thought to myself, “How did I get lucky enough to be able to have this experience?'' It felt like a fever dream. I could still hear the rumble of dozens of suitcases against the pavement. We got our rental car and piled everything into the trunk. Thankfully, it all fit. We all climbed into the car, still giddy with joy. While we were pulling out of the airport, getting on the road at last, I remember rolling my window down, lost in a trance of mesmerization because of the beautiful scenery: the bright green palm trees, the vibrant colorful flowers, the tall grassy mountains,  and the crashing of the waves. No imagination could have possibly created such a place like this. It truly was paradise. Not too hot, not too cold -- just perfect. 

   As we drove down the road in Hawaii, everyone was calm and peaceful. The stress from earlier magically vanished. The exhaustion from traveling disappeared. We were all ecstatic, and at this moment, I knew we were bound to have an amazing vacation. It was pure bliss; nothing could ruin this moment. And nothing did.