The travel essay I read is called Disney ride leads to real life, midlife flights of fancy written by Sandra Ross. This essay is about a woman, Sandra, who went to Disney Land in California with her family. She went on a ride called Soarin’ Over California. This is a hang gliding simulation ride where you sit in a ski lift like chair, buckle up and then the lights dim and the ride lifts you 50 feet above the floor. Sandra does an amazing job of describing the scenery and experience to readers. She says “the image of blue sky and white puffy clouds came into view on a huge screen and a light breeze tousled my hair. Higher and higher I soared over the Golden Gate Bridge, Yosemite, and a raging river.” In this essay the author also describes the different scenes she sees. For example, she told us she found herself going up and over and snowy mountain, an orange grove, and a golf course. When Sandra is on the snowy mountain she says she felt goose bumps on her arms and when she was by the golf course she ducked to avoid getting hit by a golf ball.

        The author begins her essay by saying she is afraid of heights and not a thrill seeker so she isn’t sure what possessed her to embark on this ride. She says even though she is afraid of heights Soarin’ Over California was an awakening for her, almost a religious experience. A few days after she returned from her California vacation she discovered a parasailing adventure in Hawaii. She decided to do the tandem flight with her husband for their 20th anniversary. Sandra tells us her 45th birthday is approaching and the older she gets the more adventures she seeks. She wonders if maybe she is in a midlife crisis and says her mom keeps asking her when she’s going to grow up. Sandra answers never, life has just begun. 

          The first thing that caught my attention about this essay was the word Disney. Upon seeing this word I figured the essay was going to be about either Disney World or Disney Land. I have never been to either place but I’ve always wanted to go to Disney World, so I knew I would find this essay interesting. The first sentence of the essay also caught my attention because I really like the way the author started it. She said “I’m not a thrill seeker and I’m afraid of heights so I have no idea what possessed me to embark on Soarin’ Over California.” I liked this beginning because like the author I am not very adventerous. However, unlike the author I never would have gone on that ride so I was interested to see what the ride was like and what the author’s reaction was to the ride. I loved all the descriptive words and details the author used in her essay. I was able to imagine all the scenes and places the author described and I almost felt as though I was there. 

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2001974183_tressay11.html