When we think about vacations, many of us believe it's a "time to relax and feel free to do whatever we want," but if you have ever gone on a family trip, you know this definition is not always true. Family holidays can sometimes be a battle of wills, where the question of who gets to decide what we do always stays present. For my sister, my aunt, my mom, and me, this fight started when we were at the airport, ready to take our flight to visit London. 

We had one hour before our departure, and everyone wanted to do different things. My mom decided that we should be polite to our aunt Claudia by visiting her favorite part of the airport, the duty-free area. However, my mother didn't anticipate that my aunt would spend almost 30 minutes deciding whether to buy Oreos or candies. With our departure gate on the other side of the terminal, it wasn't a surprise when we heard our names echoing throughout the terminal as the loudspeakers blared “last call.”

We eventually arrived at the hotel in London and discussed where to go. In our first week, we went to the places my aunt wanted to visit: Westminster Abbey, a science museum, and Kensington Palace. Even though most people say that some of their greatest memories were visiting those places, my sister and I felt that the week was one of the most boring of our lives. In our second and final week in London, we visited John Lewis & Partners, Harrods, and Selfridges. While my mom was shopping, we would wait for hours listening to our aunt’s complaints. It felt like it was anything but a vacation. 

But then, something unexpected happened. On one of our last days, my mother wanted to shop at Fortnum and Mason. For some unknown reason, our phones didn't have internet, and we couldn't use Google Maps. We got lost, and it was getting late and cold.

As we wandered around, we saw a shimmering yellow light highlighting the letters "M&M's," Somehow, we felt like we had arrived at our destination. We entered the store and inhaled the warm, delicious aroma of milk chocolate, and I was amazed by how much chocolate they offered. My aunt, a chocolate lover, put on a smile from ear to ear. 

We were enveloped by a multitude of colors! My mom took the opportunity to share with us, in a nostalgic voice, one of her childhood memories. When she was a kid, she didn't have enough money to buy M&Ms. She asked for them for Christmas, but that year was extremely difficult for her family, and no one received a gift. When she earned her first paycheck, the first thing she bought was this colorful and tantalizing chocolate treat. We all hugged her, and then, my sister and I started personalizing our M&Ms. Like toddlers in a candy shop, we held open our bags comparing our takes.

This serendipitous encounter with the M&Ms store turned out to be my favorite moment of our trip. We were so deliriously happy. You can find M&Ms practically all over the world, but it is the experience related to them that can make them significant. It is ironic how something small and ordinary can turn into something oversized and impressive.

When we started this trip, we thought our most memorable moments would be related to tourist attractions. Vacations are a way to experience something new, but often what we enjoy most is finding a familiar place far from home. These unexpected, unscripted events are usually what makes a trip significant, not the lines to get into seeing crowded sightseeing spots that are so famous.

The next day we traveled back to Chile. At the London airport, we decided to go to the duty-free and buy m&ms for the trip. When people ask what we did that summer, we don't say that we traveled, and our destination was the London Eye or a museum, but instead, an "amazing chocolate store." Every time we go to the supermarket, we see chocolate from this brand. Our memories come flooding back, and we feel grateful for venturing to what is now our favorite place in the world.

"Melts in your mouth, not in your hand." is one of the most famous slogans of M&Ms. You can find them everywhere, so you don't need to stockpile because they will be present in everyday life adventures.