I Dared to Tackle the Mountaintop

Daily writing prompt

Describe your most memorable vacation.

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It was 2000, and I went to Geneva, Switzerland alone for eight days. I had traveled alone only once to Madrid, Spain, but that trip did not require me to travel in a cable car. Having never lived where there was a lot of snow, I wanted to see the top of a snow-covered mountain. So I took a day trip with a tour group to the French Alps. We drove to Chamonix, France. I thought the bus would take us to the top of the mountains, but that was wrong.

Instead, I had to take two cable cars on a windy day, and I was too scared. But when I learned that the tour guide would miss seeing the view from the top of the mountain because of my fear, I finally opted to go on a cable car. I was terrified, insisting on having the view at my back. The shaking of the cable car left me feeling like I would plunge to my death at any minute. The second cable car was standing only, so I slid between people in hopes that if it fell, one of them would cushion my fall and possibly save my life.

We finally arrived at the top, and I had never witnessed anything so beautiful! I just stood in the cold and looked at snow-covered mountains for miles and miles. I marveled at the skiers who looked like ballerinas on ice. I took so many pictures of snow!

When I descended, I looked forward, not wanting to miss any of the views down. It was memorable because I learned to never let my fears control me. I realized what I would have missed if I had not gone to the top of the mountain. Today even though I fear airplanes, I don’t let that fear keep me from experiencing the world. Dare to tackle the world!