Once upon a time, mom, dad, me and my little brother Peter went on a vacation to the sunny state of California. It was my first time in an airplane and it felt like we were flying with the birds!

We landed in the evening and a sweet smell greeted us. It wasn't the smell of mom's cooking, but something different and nice - it was the smell of the ocean!

When we reached our holiday home, a surprise was waiting for us. A big, fluffy dog with a wagging tail – his name was Simbha. He wasn't scared at all and Peter and I loved him straight away!

Every morning, Simbha would wake us up by licking our faces. He was always so excited to play and his happiness was contagious. It made getting out of bed a lot more fun!

We decided to take him with us wherever we went. He was like our fluffy tour guide. His tail would wag so fast whenever he found something interesting, like a seashell or a strange looking bug.

One day, we explored the beach. The sand was warm and soft beneath our feet and Simbha had a fun time chasing the birds along the shore. I laughed so hard when a wave surprised him. He looked like a wet mop!

On another day, we went hiking. The path was rocky and steep, but Simbha led the way. He was so brave, he wasn’t afraid of anything. He was like our very own superhero!

We also went to a local carnival. There were so many bright lights, delicious foods and exciting games. Simbha's favourite part was the hotdogs and he even won a prize in 'catch the frisbee' contest. He was our champion!

We took lots of pictures during our trip. Dad showed me how to use his camera. My favourite picture was of Simbha with a frisbee in his mouth, looking proud of his achievement.

Every night, after a long day of exploring, we would cuddle up with Simbha and he would fall asleep with his head in our laps. Those quiet moments were amongst the best in our vacation.

As more days passed, our bond with Simbha grew stronger. We had so much fun together. His happiness and excitement were so infectious, there was never a dull moment during our trip.

One evening, as the sun was setting, we decided to have a picnic at the beach. Simbha was running around, blissfully unaware of the beautiful coastal sunset. His happiness was the most beautiful part of that evening.

Amongst all the fun activities we did, my favourite was spending time with Simbha. Every day was a new adventure with him. He was like my best friend and I started wishing if he could come back home with us.

Our vacation came to an end and it was time to say goodbye to Simbha. That was the toughest part. Peter and I hugged him and promised that we would return very soon. Simbha wagged his tail as if he understood.

On our flight back home, I kept thinking about all the fun times we had with Simbha. It wasn't just the beautiful beaches, the delicious food, or the fun carnival games that made our vacation special; it was Simbha's love and companionship.

We arrived home with our hearts full of memories. We missed Simbha but we knew he was waiting for us in California, ready for more adventures. I couldn't wait to see him again.

Simbha wasn't just a dog we met on our vacation. He became our friend and an important part of our family. He added joy and excitement to every day and made our vacation truly special.

Mom and dad put the pictures from our trip all over the house. Whenever I looked at them, I felt like Simbha was still with us, wagging his tail and spreading happiness.

I was excited to share my adventures with my friends at school. I told them about the beaches, the carnival and the hiking, but most importantly, I told them about Simbha, my fluffy superhero.

To this day, I cherish the memories of our vacation with Simbha. Not only did we explore the beautiful state of California but we also found a friend in a big, fluffy dog named Simbha. That was truly the best vacation ever!