The Amazing Day I Learnt to Swim

There are certain days when we feel our lives change greatly——days we remember for a lifetime. Such, for me, was one morning in July in the Ligonier Valley of Pennsylvania, at a place called Devil’s Hole.

On that morning, my twin brother Roger and I had finished our chores, and the whole day lay before us. “Let’s go to Devil’s Hole,” Roger suggested. I readily agreed, but for all my eagerness there was a feeling of restlessness deep in my heart. Although he had never said a word about it and never laughed at me, Roger could swim and I could not. I had been too afraid to try. Now Roger could slip through the water expertly with the experienced, confident older kids.

Roger led the way to the kitchen door. “Grandma, can we go to Devil’s Hole?” We leaned against the screen, peering into the dark kitchen. Grandma, busy baking cakes stood at the kitchen counter. “Well, I guess the big kids are up there now, but mind the road and be careful in that place,” warned Grandma.

With a yell, Roger pushed open the screen door, dashed through the kitchen and climbed up the stairs. I followed racing to get into my bathing suit. Throwing towels around our necks, we ran across the field next to our house and headed up the dirt road.

Roger and I reached the destination. Sunlight flooded through a break in the trees. A quiet path of smooth stones and mossy ground led to a deep green pool of icy water reflecting a huge rock on the opposite bank, partially in the water. The rock was my province and protection. While the others swam, I always pretended to be trying to catch fish along its base with an old tin can.

Roger joined the older boys and girls at once. They excitedly dived in, swam swiftly across the pool and pulled themselves up on the big rock to feel the sun on the skin, their shouts, splashes and laughter echoing (回响) through the trees.

I watched with envy and decided to have a try.

I couldn’t help shouting, “I can swim!”

Camping has always been the best way I know to be outside to really appreciate nature. Whether you prefer to be in the woods, mountains, or the rivers, the experience is wonderful every single time.

Before you set off for your hike, you should always remember to let someone else know where you will be and when they should expect you back. Being cautious never hurts.

Moreover, it's necessary to always wear sunscreen and keep something on your head, or the sun will hurt you. Another thing you should remember is packing as light as possible; you're the one who will carry it all. It's meaningful to have a journal. You'll be happy about it later. You should also try to gather knowledge about where you're going before you reach there. Try tightening your waist belt up a bit to relieve the pressure you’re your shoulders. You should stay warmer at night with no nightdress, because your sleeping bag will keep you warm and the added clothes on your body will take away the sleeping bag's function in keeping you warm.

While hiking, you must prepare clothes completely, no matter when you start hiking, because the weather is bound to change. Moreover, hiking is a physical activity so you'll probably need to change some clothes.

You should always remember that hiking is a physical challenge and depending on your personal health ,you should only challenge yourself as much as you think you can. So you can set the limits of yourself and never be afraid to ask your hiking partners to stop for a break. Besides, you should always stop for drinking water. It's important.

It's simply great fun to go on camping. And each time, it's a brand new experience. You can make it more creative and interesting in so many different ways that you can't begin to think of unless you are out there. So it is wonderful to go camping with your loved ones , which will make your holidays worthwhile and memorable for the rest of your lives.

“Hey, man, I’m hungry,” I said. “I’m going to go get something to eat.”

My friend Gabe smiled and warmly responded, “Alright, but you’re crazy. I can’t stop. The weather’s so good! Look for me here at the bottom of this lift (滑雪者用的上下缆车) when you’re done. I’m gonna go take some more runs.”

I released my bindings and began to walk in the direction of the smell of hot pizza. I shouted over my shoulder, “I’ll catch up to you later.”

I didn’t think twice about those few little words at the time. My friend Gabe and I had been snowboarding all morning. I was too hungry to take another run, so I decided to eat something at the lodge.

After a quick slice of pizza in the lodge, I would soon be back on the mountain with my friend. But taking a break from this snow-capped playground was just not something Gabe would do. He continued back to the crowded life line with a sparkle (火花) in his eyes. I remember thinking: that guy is never going to stop riding, not on a day like this at least.

As I waited for my mom at the lodge, I saw Mona, the other kid Gabe and I had been riding with that day, was standing by the parking lot and she looked beat. As I got closer, I saw that she had tears in her eyes.

There was nothing left for Santa to say except,

As his mother glanced up, she noticed that Santa, the elves, and even the cameraman had tears in their eyes.