Thanks for Sharing the Memories

By: Colleen Lanin, The Travel Mama
May 2nd, 2010

Thank you to everyone who posted a travel memory on TravelMamas.com as part of the Lay’s Happiest Travel Memories Giveaway. This contest was so fun for me because I loved reading through all of your stories! A few memories were funny…many were uplifting…others brought tears to my eyes.

To recognize some of the submissions, Lay’s will award a bag of potato chips to the top five best answers (as chosen by moi). I couldn’t narrow it down to just five so I’ve also included five honorable mentions.

Happiest Travel Memories Lay’s Potato Chips Winners:

1. Most Giving Travel Memory
“My happiest memory comes from our recent trip to Walt Disney World. I took my mom for the first time ever and seeing her face light up when we walked in through the International Gateway from our hotel was priceless. Then I told her, “Today, Mom, I get to give you the world!” She cried and it was a very beautiful and touching moment.”
- Mary Andrews

2. Best Attitude Travel Memory
“My best travel memory was a college road trip to the Rose Bowl from AZ which involved flat tire(s), speeding tickets, football tickets being sucked out of the car window while on route & combing the desert for said tickets, lost wallet, and finally car keys being locked in the car by my girlfriend…it was a great trip!!!”
- Brian E.

3. Wisest Travel Memory
“There’s not just one, but they all seem to involve that hug at the airport when you arrive, or someone you love arrives.”
- geekbearinggifts

4. Funniest Travel Memory
“My happiest travel memory was a koala using the bathroom on me when I was in Australia. Oh wait. . . HAPPIEST — holding a koala right before he decided to use the bathroom on me!”
- Jennifer Short

5. Most Freeing Travel Memory
“My favorite travel memory is one of the times we drove down to Disney World. I was working at a job I hated. The route we were using took us right past the exit that I usually took for work. It was so freeing to just keep driving, and know we were going right on down to Disney World!”
- Maggie @ Tethered Mommy

Happiest Travel Memories Honorable Mentions:

Most Determined Travel Memory
“I have only traveled once and it was to Disney World in Florida we stayed at the French quarter and did the Disney dining plan we had saved ten years for this trip we went at Christmas time this was four years ago, and if it takes me ten more years to do it again I will collect cans, cut more coupons anything to get the money saved up to go again.”
- Danielle Waldo

Most Romantic Travel Memory
“My happiest travel memory is when my husband surprised me with a trip away for Christmas to a romantic resort including sleigh rides, hot chocolate, and a Christmas tree in our room.”
- Jennifer R.

Best Joy of the Journey Travel Memory
“One of my happiest memories is climbing into sleeping bags in the back of our station wagon in the dead of night and then waking up in Florida on our way to Disney. I remember the sleeping in sleeping bags in the back of the car more than I do the actual Disney part! It was different and exciting.”
- Emily E.

Memories that Brought Tears to My Eyes
Several contest entries included touching stories about sharing memorable experiences while traveling with people who have since become ill or passed away. I couldn’t possibly choose the best or most touching memory from these. Instead, I will share just a couple of them with you in hopes that their stories will inspire you to book that trip today and live each day to the fullest with those you love. None of us knows what the future will bring!

“One of my greatest vacation memories happened many years ago. My grandparents took my sister and I to Disney World, and we stayed in their 5th wheel camper in a nice RV park outside of Orlando. We had a fun time, many memorable events, and had a few laughs as well. Now my grandfather is suffering from Alzheimer’s and not himself any longer, and my grandmother has to work to support herself, as well as to afford for him to be in full time care. I think that makes my memories from that vacation all the more special.”
- Liz of Lizzydear

“My favorite travel memory was the trip I took with my first son to the beach a month before he died. The pictures of him smiling on the sand just melt my heart and bring tears to my eyes.”
- Kate

Congratulations to Phil Hennigan, who won a $200 Southwest Airlines gift card from Lay’s potato chips for submitting this memory, “One of my happiest memories was driving up the coast of California with my family. The scenery was beautiful and the kids even behaved.” His answer was selected at random using Random.org.

Thanks for Sharing the Memories

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