Mama is always traveling and I never get to come along. I miss her so much when she’s gone. Luckily, when she’s gone, I get to hang out with my Aunt Karen and cousin, Sophie the Pomeranian.
I got sad when Mama told me she was going to Chicago, until she said she was taking me with her! It would be my first vacation/road trip. She also promised to take me to the dog beach in Chicago. I don’t know what a beach is, but I hear humans love it. So, it must be lots of fun! What would I pack?
En Route to the Dog Beach in Chicago
When the day came, I was so excited that I couldn’t go potty all the times Mama let me out that morning. I had a little accident in the backseat as we were leaving St. Louis. Whoops! I guess my nerves got the best of me. From there on out, it was a long and boring car ride for a dog. So, I got some much-needed naps during the long stretches of cornfields.
Hotel Adventures
When we got to the hotel, I saw other dogs there. I wondered if I would get to play with them. Mama brought me to a big box with big metal doors. The box went up and down inside a glass structure. I had never seen anything like that before and it scared me. Mama said it was just the elevator. I didn’t know what an elevator was, but I didn’t like it. As I cautiously stepped further inside, I noticed the doors slowly shutting behind me. Oh no! Were we trapped? I cried and cried until the doors opened again. That was the last time that I let Mama get me into the elevator because we took the stairs for the rest of our stay.
Mama met up with a friend later that night. She said that if I were a good boy while she was gone, she would take me to the dog beach first thing in the morning. I was scared to be in an unfamiliar place by myself, but I promised to be good. I ate my treats and then jumped onto the bed to watch TV. Sometimes I would hop on a chair near the window and people-watch.
It seemed like days had gone by before I finally heard the door open. I knew it was Mama, and tomorrow was just around the corner!
Day at the Beach
The next day, as promised, Mama and her friend took me to the dog beach. After a while, she even let me off the leash. SHE NEVER DOES THAT! I couldn’t believe it. I ran freely across the beach, with my paws pounding into the sand. When I stopped to look behind me, I saw all the paw prints I made. There were so many dogs there with their humans. They were playing in the water and running back and forth. I sniffed some of them, but I was still a little shy. Mama tried to get me to play in the water, but I don’t like to get wet. Plus, I don’t know to swim.
Some of the dogs were so cool! They were catching frisbees and balls in the air and swimming like pros. Just being able to run around off-leash was good enough for me! It felt so good to have the wind blowing through my coat. It was also a nice, cool day—not too hot for a dog with a heavy fur coat. I was so tired when I got back to the car that I fell fast asleep.
Afterward, we went to the Ba Le sandwich shop for lunch and I got to try some Vietnamese snacks. Yummy! We visited more areas around Chicago before we left. It was so late when we headed back, so we didn’t make it home until 5 am. I think I slept most of the way home because I don’t remember much. I was too busy dreaming about chasing seagulls at the beach.
That trip was the most fun I’ve ever had. I can’t wait to go again!
