Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Flashback...to Summer 1980

Ahhhh, the waves lapping at my feet, the breeze on my face, and the sun in my eyes! It was the summer of 1980, and I was 19 years old and had been married for one year. This was my first vacation as an 'adult', as we didn't have a real honeymoon - other than spending the night at the Day's Inn in Suwanee, GA. So, with very little money and not much else we drove during the night (to stay cool) to Tybee Island, GA. My young husband's family had always vacationed on Tybee Island and they always stayed at the Royal Palm Motel, so we were following tradition. We pulled up in our Firebird and checked in. We only stayed two nights the best I can remember. I am sure we ate at the only fast-food place on the Island, Arby's, and probably the Sugar Shack, but my memory fails me. I am pretty sure we didn't eat at any sit-down, leave-a-tip kind of place. I can't remember much at all from that trip, other than dropping ice cubes down our shirts to keep us awake while driving, One thing is for sure though...I fell head over heels for Tybee Island.

At that time, Tybee was still a sleepy, quiet, little coastal town with not much more than a few cheap motels, cheesy souvenir shops, and an ice cream stand. I learned that summer what sand spurs were and that not all beaches have white sand. I guess I grew up a little that summer. I had always only been on vacation as a little girl, either to Panama City Beach, FL, with my dad or to Jacksonville, FL, with my aunt and uncle. But now I was 'all grown up' and me and my husband were on vacation, such as it was. We were young and poor. But look at me! Smiling in my Daisy Dukes!

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