Arrival

The summer holiday begins today.

It’s a beautiful day. The sun is shining bright, high in the sky. The grass by the side of the road is swaying in the cool afternoon breeze.

It’s one o’ clock in the afternoon and we are driving on the motorway, we have been driving for two hours and we are so close to our destination.

I am bubbling with anticipation and excitement.

My cousin owns a farm in the country. Her family was kind enough to invite us over for the summer holidays. I know that we are going to have so much fun!

And that is why I’m keeping this diary. For when I’m older, for when I have children and grandchildren of my own, so that I may look back upon this and think ‘My life hasn’t been too bad, after all.’ Most of all, being able to read back over this diary in many years’ time will help me remember how to be a child.

My mother turns round to me and snorts with hilarity when she sees me, writing studiously in my little book as we pass each corner.

“Anna!” She laughs. “Are you really going to do that all day? When I suggested you started a diary, I didn’t mean you should write the entire dictionary!”

We both chuckle at that.

I think that we are close now. Either sides of the road are blotted out by dark trees, but it does not feel menacing nor make me feel at all claustrophobic, but then I have never been that ways inclined.

We drive smoothly; there seem to be not potholes in this road. Either it is brand new or it is a rarely travelled path. While on this journey, once we entered this local district I have not noticed any other people.

We have left the forest behind now, but the road continues. It is winding now, twisting and turning.

There is a sign by the side of the road. It has the silhouette of a barn with the word ‘Farm’ written in capital letters above it. The sign points in the direction we are going and, looking at how far it says we have left to go, I believe we will soon be there.

We turn a corner and there it is! The whole farm is displayed in its full splendour as we look upon it from above. We have found that we are at the top of a winding cliff. Although this confuses us slightly, we soon realise that we must drive to the bottom and from there we can go to the farm.

Now we are at the bottom, and straight ahead is the farm. We roll up to a pair of elaborate wrought iron gates and father opens the window and pushes the intercom button. Apparently keeping your own animals and selling some of their products makes enough money to buy such things.

A low voice speaks. I do not understand it, but father appears to. He says something back with a smile on his face and the gates click before opening. We enter.

A man comes running to greet us. Is he a hired servant? The thought passes through my head and is dispelled very quickly as soon as I think clearly. I chide myself for even thinking like that. Our family has always preferred being independent; they would not hire servants. Besides, I recognise him. It’s my uncle Eric, who I have not seen since I was a little girl of six. Ten years on, he hasn’t changed a bit. His red wiry beard is the same as ever, and his bright green eyes have not lost their sparkle.

“Anna!” He says delightedly. “You’ve really grown!”

I shake his hand and move on. I want to take a look around this farm, as I don’t remember much from when I’ve visited it before. I also want to find my cousin so we can talk. I’m sure she knows all the things to do around here because let’s face it: this is the countryside. It may have faulty internet access, have only a few people living nearby and barely any shops, but it’s better than the city. It has clean, fresh air, animals (I do so love animals) and it has wide open spaces to run, jump and play around in. I am not going to have a boring moment during my six week stay here, that’s for certain!

And there she is, my cousin! I run to her, to speak with her. She is the same age as me, and we are in the same school year.

We talk a while, and then join the adults as I take my first step into the house.