Silky sand, salty water, hot sun and good friends

I can still feel the heat of the sun on my skin, the ocean breeze, the salty taste in the air and the silky sand running through my toes.

We were young and enjoyed the freedom that Summer would bring us. Planning a day on the beach with friends made the holidays. It was something we always looked forward to.

Because none of us were old enough to drive yet, getting to the beach was an event in itself. Ahead of us we had a 10 minute-walk to the train station for a half hour trip to get to the ferry that would take us to Troia, our favourite beach.

On those days, one of us would take a radio but we would all chip in with our best cassette mixes. What a trip! LITERALLY! If we think about it our best memories are the fully sensorial ones, where the sounds, without a doubt, played a crucial part.

It was as fun to make our way there and back as it was to spend the day chilling on the beach. We're talking a group of 15, 20 teens, just playing around and singing along. I mean, the energy was all so in sync and genuine that everyone else could feel it and even joined in. Those were the times...

The short ferry trip was an amazing experience. We'd grown so used to do it, we took it for granted. Crossing the river, under a beautiful blazing morning sun, watching the millions of jellyfish covering the water around us till we lose sight of them.

After a short walk past the local supermarkets to fuel up on some juice, snacks (and some magazines) we would park up our towels by the Nivea ball. It was our meeting point. We'd never get lost from each other. Some of us enjoyed long walks by the river, and it would warm us up for the first dip. Trust me, it didn't matter how hot the day was, the first dip was always hardest.

Ball games, gymnastic tricks and swimming were a big part of our entertainment throughout the day. We couldn't stand to just sit around and do nothing.

We'd talk about who we thought was dating who and how well they looked together (or not!). Even the boys joined in with the gossip. But it was all honest, genuine fun. We were all so tight-knit. I so miss that!...

After several hours, it was time to return. We never wanted to delay our trip back. The last ferry was early in the evening as it needed to dock with good time to catch the train, so we'd calculate the best way to leave as late as possible to make our way back.

By this point, we were all exhausted. A whole day at the beach is a killer. The sun, the games, the travelling, they all took their toll on us. But we refused to surrender until we got to the train. For that half hour some of us could not resist a snooze. Our skin was full of salt and sand with a smell that could easily be confused with that of a fish. But it was all worth it. Even when we woke up the next morning with our backs red and aching, as if the sun had rented the place. We knew a gorgeous tan would be the end result.