Action Annie
Story Eight
"Annie's Seaside Surprise"
By
William Forde
Cover Illustration by Dave Bradbury
Copyright February 2012 by William Forde
Smashwords Edition
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Author’s Foreword
It is only in more recent years that the possibility of flight and cheaper travel has made foreign holidays more accessible to the average family. No longer is it so unusual to travel to Europe and even countries farther afield. When I was a child though, almost everyone who went on a yearly holiday went to the seaside for a week. The wealthier families may have travelled there first class, remained longer and may have stayed in swankier hotels and guesthouses than those poorer families, but whatever their accommodation, duration of stay or means of transport, it was undoubtedly to the seaside where they all went! Rich or poor, the children occupied their time paddling in the sea, building sandcastles with their buckets and spades, riding donkeys, flying kites and eating ice-cream cornets. This was Annie’s holiday experience. Has it been yours yet?
‘Annie's Seaside Surprise
’
It was the middle of June and Annie was very excited. She had just been told by her parents that they would be going away on holiday in two weeks' time. Annie's face broke into a gigantic smile and as her legs jumped her body into the air, she yelled out gleefully, "Yippee! Annie is going on holiday. Yippee! Yippee for Annie!"
After jumping up and down in celebration a couple of times, Annie asked excitedly, "Where are we going on holiday?"
Smilingly, her mum replied, "We are going to the seaside, Annie dear. We are going to the seaside!"
Annie's legs started jumping up and down again as her voice echoed her happy, call, "Yippee! Annie is going to the seaside. Yippee for Annie! Yippee!"
Annie, had never been to the seaside before, but she had often seen pictures of it in magazines, books and holiday brochures. She didn't quite know what to expect, but she had heard that the seaside was a fun place to be. Everyone who was anyone went there during the hot months of summer. Children were given a summer holiday from their schools and even mums and dads who worked all year round were given two weeks' holiday break.
Her parents told her that it would take a full day to travel there in a special holiday bus and another day to travel home at the end of the holiday. "But don't worry, Annie," dad said, "our holiday will be a fun week from start to finish."
Annie quickly began to count up in her mind. She knew that one week had seven days in it and calculated that, not counting the two days travelling, she would still have a full five days to enjoy herself doing all the things that people do at the seaside.
As Annie slept soundly that night, she dreamt about the seaside and all the things she would be able to do there. She dreamt about eating super dooper ice-cream cones on a warm, sandy beach. She dreamt of riding a donkey along the sands and finding shells and pebbles of different sizes on the beach. She also dreamt of splashing around in the sea in a bathing costume, and best of all; of building her very own seaside sandcastle.
The next two weeks went slowly and never seemed to end. Annie couldn't wait to get to the seaside and set foot on the sand. There was much to prepare for; including buying a new swimming costume, sun-hat, beach ball and bucket and spade.
Soon the day arrived for the holiday to begin. As Annie and her parents got on the holiday bus to start their journey, storm clouds were beginning to gather in the sky above and poor weather was forecast.