Miss O's friend Caeli (aka dramaracer) tells us why Avon, Outer Banks, North Carolina is her idea of heaven on earth.

Adjectives that describe this place wouldn't even begin to define such a paradise! My dad's side of the family rented a beach house fit for a king in Avon these past 2 summers. I guess you could say we were entranced.

The house was only part of it. The house had 3 amazing levels. One floor was a vast kitchen and living room, with a deck off of it that looked upon the multicolored-blue ocean. Another floor had a long hallway that sectioned off to 7 bedrooms, each with either a queen or king bed, a TV with a DVD/VHS player, a large closet, and a bureau. The third floor was equipped with 1 room, a bathroom, a pool table, and another deck that had two outdoor showers. Then you got to the pool. It was very big and spacious, perfect for coming back from the beach and cooling off. All of the house was surrounded by a fence of 5-6 feet tall.

The beach was a very short walk away from the house. We would carry all of our beach toys, chairs, umbrellas, bag, and skimboards to the spot that my aunt or uncle would scope out, depending on the current. My family would go out there at 7:00 in the morning, and stay until 5:00 at night. The thing is, it was a public beach, but there was nobody within your area for a good 100 feet!!! The ocean was always warm and the current was medium. I would play in the waves without getting pummeled and thrashed. If you went out at night, you would see bonfires and fireworks scattered along the beach. When you looked up at the sky, it was as clear as the air, and it was guaranteed that you would see at least 2 shooting stars. If you went for a night stroll, or run, you would see sand crabs frolicking in the water as the waves washed them up, or maybe baby turtles learning about their home: the ocean. I could walk across the street and visit shops, and I would be at the bay. Avon is a quiet little town that reminds me of my hometown. A small movie theatre, a post office, a lot of tourist shops, and a pleasant community. There are plenty of nice restaurants to enjoy on a rare rainy day.

Many family memories can be made there. For me: probably my favorite place in the world, my cousin's and mom's b-days, and my family. I really got to know my family there. For instance, I always knew my 11 year old cousin, Peter, was kind of a dork, but I never knew how funny he was. And I discovered that my Aunt is an excellent cook!

In our first year in Avon (the same house both years), we battled Hurricane Alex!!! Although it was only a category 2 hurricane, it was still powerful. It hit our house and knocked the power out. My dad caught it all on tape: updates every hour. Some crazy things include my family running out into the storm, to the waters edge, and then coming back and swimming in the pool; Witnessing a house burn down (nobody could get to the house because the streets were filled with water 5 feet high); And my cousins running out across the street to a gas station for groceries. As you can see my experience was how I would put "Totally Awesome!"

This wraps up why I think my favorite place on the earth is Avon, OuterBanks, NorthCarolina!

– Caeli, 12, CO (aka dramaracer)