Mariposa's Tales is hosting a new weekly meme, Tuesday's Tales! Though everyday here in the BLOGosphere is telling tales, Mariposa feels it would be nice to once in awhile sit back, enjoy good memories and enjoy it more by sharing those little love tales. After all happy times are best when shared with people! Tuesday's Tales is good way for us to get to know each other and share happy thoughts while making memories all at the same time.

Here we go. . .

Road trips have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. With a mom from New York, a dad from Colorado, and us in California, is it any wonder that my family is scattered across the country from coast to coast? Some of my best childhood memories involve the annual summer treks down Route 66 with either my parents and sisters or my maternal grandparents. The Amazing Egyptian Dude, Iman, and I took a 10-day road trip through several western states on our way to Yellowstone National Park some 20 years ago. We had such a great time that I have been itching to repeat the experience ever since. It wasn't until last summer that the opportunity to be "on the road again" presented itself.

The Ibrahim girls (me, Iman, and Basma) drove from California to Texas. We took our time, stopping to see sights along the way, take pictures under each WELCOME TO state sign, and just enjoy the change of scenery. Our ultimate destination was Lake Jackson and Vidor, Texas where my aunt and sister live. Whenever I visit my aunt and uncle, we take a day trip to neighboring Louisiana -- one of my favorite places to go. Last summer's trip was no exception, but this time we had Basma along, and Basma had never been to Louisiana.

To give Basma the whole Louisiana experience, we stopped at a little roadside attraction to see some alligators up close. The welcome center for this place was staffed by a very friendly elderly lady who really liked to chit-chat. While we were talking to her, she gave us all kinds of info about gators -- probably more than we would ever need to know. But the best thing she told us was that she had a baby gator that we could actually hold. I remember holding a baby gator in Florida at a place called Gatorland, but that was way back when I was 14. We decided that we were all up to the challenge, all of us, that is, except Aunt Nola.

Fearless Basma was the first to hold the baby gator. Look at how happy she is with it!

Next came Iman; she wasn't afraid, either, and enjoyed cradling the baby in her hands.

Melody, my baby sister, came next. Melody is normally a coward -- I tease her about it all the time -- but when it comes to animals of any kind, she's a S-U-C-K-E-R!

Then it was my turn. I figured that the gator would feel much like a snake and was right. Its skin was unbelievably smooth.

Finally, Aunt Nola figured that if we weren't scared, she wouldn't be either so long as we didn't make any fast moves to freak her out!


If you ever have the chance to take a road trip, take it; there's no better way to travel or make family vacation memories!