Winter Magic

This past week has been busy.
Monday was just work, 12.30 till 8pm. Something thought-provoking happened that day...
A lady pulled up in a Ford KA, but didn't purchase any fuel. She came into the garage, and asked if anyone on the premises could change a flat tyre. Of course, I had no idea, and neither had the garage manager. The lady explained that she had an important appointment to get to in the town centre, and she absolutely couldn't miss it. I offered to phone the main store to see if any managers on duty there knew how to do it. So I did, and five minutes later got a return call explaining that no one was prepared to do so, due to the fact that if something went wrong and the lady had an accident due to the tyre change, our company would be held liable.
The woman was starting to panic, and didn't know what to do. No other customers were offering to help her, and I couldn't do anything. I felt so bad for her, it was obvious this appointment was pretty important to her.
I suggested there was a mechanics about a five minutes drive away, and had a number she could call to get them out to change the tyre, but she wasn't keen on that. She asked if there were any local taxis, but as I don't live in that town I didn't know any, and neither did the manager.
The manager had to go back to her manager-tasks, and I was left with this increasingly-panicky lady in the shop. She didn't have any signal on her phone to contact anyone, as the O2 network has dire reception in the town. Nothing was going right for her, so I gave her my phone to call her husband who would hopefully come to the rescue. He had around a twenty minute journey to get from their home to the garage, so wouldn't be there until around 2:15ish, traffic permitting. She then rang the appointment place and let them know that she was trying to get there but may be late.
She asked to stay in the shop where it was warm until her husband arrived, and I said of course. I offered her a chair and took it round the counter, and she was really thankful for what I was doing, and she started getting teary. I said, 'Do you need a hug?' and she just looked at me like I'd sprouted another head or something. But she was still crying, so I held my arms out and was like 'Come on, let's have a hug', so she did. It was a proper hug, you know? Considering the fact I had no idea who she was, and we were complete strangers, she really did give me a proper hug like we had been firm friends for years. That actually shocked me a little bit, but of course I was glad that I could give her some emotional release I guess.
Well, I got her a glass of water and some tissue for her tears.


Whilst this was all going on, I had to serve customers in between. It was a good thing we weren't tremendously busy that day else I would have felt so bad for not being more helpful to the woman. When her tears had subsided and she'd pulled herself together somewhat, I started talking to her to keep her mind off of her plight, and found out that the reason her appointment was so crucial was because she was a surviving cancer patient, and was on her way to a homoeopathy centre for treatment (I didn't know what homoeopathy was at the time, and have since learned that it is natural remedies). She said that her appointments had to be booked months in advance as they were so hard to come by, which was why she couldn't afford to miss it.
We were talking and she said her son was a up-and-coming musician in a band called Chipped Spanners or something like that, and that he was touring all over Europe at the moment and was playing in France that night, which was very impressive.
Eventually, she had to move her KA to make room for customers wanting fuel, and she never came back in the shop. She sat in her car until her husband arrived, and she drove off just after half past two, so I don't think she was too late for her meeting.
It was just one of those events that really plays on your mind, you know? I haven't seen her since and I doubt I will before I go to Australia, but I really hope everything turns out okay for her.


Well, that was Monday. Tuesday, the big surprise happened that I mentioned in my last blog. I went and visited my friend Malice at her university in Lincoln! Her mum invited me along, and I was taken along with another friend to see her. Mal knew that her other friend was coming up, but had no idea I'd be there too. I felt quite honoured to be such a big surprise!
It was quite amusing, because we arrived at around 6 o'clock in the evening, when Mal was supposed to be on her way to the Christmas play, but she hadn't actually left yet. We got up to her flat, and Mal's mum, her friend, and then me entered the communal kitchen. Lo and behold, there was Mal. When her friend saw the pink hair that we identify with Mal, she just turned and shoved me out of the kitchen before I was spotted. I ran back to Mal's room and sat on her computer chair, acting like I'd been there for ages. Literally, I just had time to cross my legs and fold my arms before the door opened and she came in. Mega surprised to see me, might I add! We had a great big ol' hug, and I swear that she got teary. She denied it, but her eyes definitely looked shinier than normal. Hee.
Well she had to go get ready for her play, so she left pretty quick. We left at seven, but it was so hard to find the actual place the play was held. We were going in completely the wrong direction, and the SatNav wasn't any help either. Stupid machine. The doors shut at half past seven, and we only just got in before they would have stopped accepting entry. We have found out that Lincoln is ridiculously difficult to navigate, and that they don't ever never want you to turn right. The people that designed the roads of Lincoln must all have been cack-handed or something, because it was all NO RIGHT ENTRY, NO RIGHT ENTRY. O, YOU WANNA TURN RIGHT? WELL YOU CAN'T! HA HA HA! Which got incredibly frustrating.
Anyway, we did get in to see the play, and it was very good! It was the drama society's production of A Christmas Carol, and the guy playing Scrooge was fabulously in character. Mal was the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, and as such, didn't have any spoken lines. We also couldn't see her face as that character had to be all covered up and point everywhere. The whole play was very good, though some people could have done with speaking up a bit more. It was a tad difficult to hear what they were saying.
Other than that, I was very impressed with the quality of acting. At least two had potential to make it big time. If I could remember any of their names, I could say 'I saw them when they were a student!'... But I can't remember their full names. I think I've still got the program around somewhere though...


After that we went to student bar with Mal's drama friends, who are all lovely! Although for a student bar, it sure was expensive. Remember how in one of my blogs I said that at Maddy's student bar, it was 3 drinks for 5.80? Well here, it was 3 for 9.60. And that was drinks on offer. I'd hate to see how expensive it is when they're not on offer! It's a student bar, for Heaven's sake! Raaaage.
*Ahem*. Well, like I said, Mal's friends were all lovely. I had lovely talks with at least three of them, and felt comfortable with them all. There was even a guy there who was a Pony fan too! We had long conversations about Ponies, and fans taking things too far with them, the songs they used etc. It was lovely to be able to talk to someone and them actually know who and what I'm referring to. Don't get me wrong, Bestie listens to me when I go off on one, but she doesn't know what I'm talking about. There is also a limit on Pony conversations! I don't mind really though, I just appreciate that she listens :P The amount of time I spend talking about them; she could very well draw up a 'No-Pony-Conversation' law for us, and I wouldn't have a leg to stand on against it!


We stayed till about half eleven, and then went back to Mal's flat. She and I had the floor, and her other friend had the bed. Mal's mum went to stay with another uni friend for the night. Mal's friend fell asleep at around half midnight? And Mal and I stayed up talking till half past four. It was a long chin-wag full of girly giggles and bitching :P As teens our age do. It was nice though, cause it'd been ages since I'd had a sleepover with hushed conversations in the dark.
Wednesday morning, we packed Mal's stuff up and then went to a Toys R Us that was like a ten-minute walk from Mal's flat, and a one-minute drive :P I'd been trying to persuade Bestie to let me take us to our local one for ages, but it never happened, so it was great to go to this one. I'm like a kid in a candy store, and I was totally in my element. We stayed for ages, and when me and Mal's uni friend found one of those pony-heads-on-sticks, we decided we had to have a race down the aisles. I definitely won, but she wasn't convinced! 
After that, it was McDonalds, and then we headed back home to Essex. We got to Mal's house at around ten past six, and I left at around half past. The journey home took much longer than I'd anticipated, because as it was dark and I'm not too familiar with the roads I was going at around 40-50MPH whenever it was the national limit. Eventually I acquired a line of vehicles behind me, but I wasn't about to speed up for them. I got home at around half seven.


The next day was busy too, as I took my Nan into town that morning for Christmas shopping, and then I had work 4-9pm. Yet another long and busy day, although it was nice spending quality time with my Nan. I'm making the most of my grandparents before I head out to Oz. Although I am stuck for a Christmas present for my Nan, so I really have to turn the cogs in my head for that, and soon. It's crazy to think that this time next week is Christmas Day. Where has the time gone?


Friday was a good day. A very good day. Me and Bestie went to London :) Although getting there was a bit problematic, as the card machine at the station declined my card. Twice. So Bestie ended up paying for my ticket (so much guilt for that), and because it messed around declining my card, we missed the ten o'clock train. We decided to brace the sleet/snow/rain/whatever-it-was to go into town and go to the bank and check what was going on with my card. Apparently I only had 7GBP on there. How on Earth did that happen, I asked myself? Then I did the maths and unfortunately, my card was right. I was poor. However, Bestie had already bought my ticket so we went anyway. I just didn't spend any money except for food.
It was Hamleys, not Harrods that we were visiting, and according to Bestie it's a famous toy store. Well, I'd never heard of it before, but it was A-MA-ZING! It was everything a toy store is supposed to be - five floors of absolute, beautiful magic. I had more fun going around Hamleys than Toys R Us, which I thought was the King of toy shops. I was wrong about that! I can't even begin to comprehend what it must be like working at Hamleys; the staff all looked like they were having so much fun. They were flinging boomerangs around, flying helicopters, brushing peoples' hair (including mine) with a rubber brush to show how soft it could be, whizzing UFOs around - it looked amazing. There were bubble machines going, and music playing, and PONY TOYS THAT LOOKED HALF-DECENT! Seriously, the new chain of Pony toys aren't incredible, but it was the biggest and best selection I've seen so far.
We spent a happy time in there before heading off to find a McDonalds (two in one week, someone shoot me now), and then to find a table. God, it was so busy! We were very lucky to get one, although it was outside and I was constantly consciously aware of the pigeons that were circling me with evil glints in their eyes. They're out to get me, I tell you!


After that we wondered down to the National Gallery, which was very nice :) I can't remember ever going there before, and Bestie and I were actually able to have many a conversation about artwork. It was amazing - we don't see eye-to-eye on modern art, but this was proper art, and we were actually able to have civil chats about it! I relished those chats - where art is concerned, they don't happen too often.
We then went to the National Portrait Gallery, which was interesting too, looking at photos of people that have influenced film or media in some way, shape or form. Although there was a mould of a person's head which was made out of the artist's donated blood... that was pretty disgusting. What is amusing about it is that the thing has to be kept refrigerated because it's made of 'a delicate material'. Ha! That's not art. That's bonkers.


By this time it was around four o'clock, and we were getting tired. We decided to go to Westfield shopping centre. You know, I'm so glad Bestie was there because I'm useless at navigating things. Well, because she was there I didn't need to try, but you know what I mean? I'd have been lost without her. Literally and emotionally :P Also, because I had a completely irrational fear of escalators, Bestie had her work cut out for her, trying to keep my fear under control when we were on the underground and in Hamleys. This usually involves squeezing the life out of her arm or hand, which she willingly lets me do. I am not worthy :')
Ooh, we might be on tv! We were walking out of Waitrose and this guy and girl walked past us with her saying 'She's got to be an attractive girl, right?' and they were being filmed by a two-person-film-crew. Exciting! My bobble hat will be famous! :D Exciting stuffs!


We got on ze train for home, and it was reaaally packed. We had to stand, on a train! The insanity of it all... It was so so quiet as well; we didn't feel that we could say anything too loudly for fear of disturbing people. Everyone was, as Bestie put it, 'incredibly British'. I sang under my breath 'It's oh so quiet, shh, shh', and really really wanted to get to the bit where the song explodes, but don't think anyone on the train would have liked me very much. Bestie was whispering 'shall we start a sing along?' and I responded 'The wheels on the bus go round and round' which made us both get the giggles.
We didn't have to stand for too long thankfully as people got off at Shenfield and then Chelmsford, so we could be a bit louder. But because it was so dark we didn't get to see the Minellium dome from the window :( sad times.
On the train back from Whitham, I happened to hiccup. Bestie said she didn't hear it, so I did a really loud fake one, and this guy the other side of the carriage tutted really loudly and gave me proper evils, which gave me the giggles again. Then Bestie said at times I could be weird. Which is probably true, but I prefer to be labelled 'strangely adorable'.


Saturday was work, 9-6pm. For two hours of my shift, they had me standing in the foyer handing out leaflets. It was freezing, not to mention insanely drole. I also didn't know what to say to the customers, so I had different sayings:
Super savings this weekend - Great deals today - Our big bonanza saver weekend - (now for my personal favourite) Seasonal Savings on Festive Favourites!
Oh alliteration how I love you :')


Then after work, it was my sister's fancy dress party. I eventually decided to go as Supergirl. Mainly because all the other costumes were far too revealing (Wonder Woman) or just very slutty. I felt quite good, and got some appreciative comments from the male population so all in all it was a good night. 
Today I have watched the Strictly final (gutted Chelsee didn't win) and the penultimate Merlin episode. Wrapped some Christmas presents, bought some stuff online with my 7GBP, went for a walk, have been negotiating a date with Maddy to stay over, and have spent around two hours writing this thing. Turned out a bit longer than I anticipated.


Also, next week on Friday I'm meeting up with all of my friends from college for the first time since we all went our separate ways. Really looking forward to seeing everyone (mostly), although we're going to Nandos and I'm not a mega fan of spicy food :P Maybe I could boycot that and sneak of to McDonalds? ... This blog makes it seems like MaccyD's is the only place that I eat. Just want to clear up any suspicions about that, cause that's not the case!


Well I feel I've written enough for today so I think I'll sign off. Till the next time!

28 Days Later...

As of today, I have exactly four weeks left in the United Kingdom. Scary much?

A lot, a lot a lot, has happened since I last blogged. I'm a fiend for leaving it so long.


Firstly, my passport came through! And I'm happy to report the new photo is at least six times better than the old one. Huzzah! I can definitely live with this new photo for ten years. Which, you know, is a good thing, cause I have no choice in the matter.Whatever happens to me in the next ten years; that photograph shall accompany me through it all. Like a ghost, or a poltergeist ... except I'd be haunting myself? Would that be breaking the fourth wall? I don't know any more. Pinkie Pie.


Once I got my passport through, it was time to start thinking Visa. I already knew I was going to get a working holiday visa, because I need to be able to support myself financially whilst I'm out there. OF course I'm taking a substantial amount with me, but I'd also get rather bored (six months, remember) just being a tourist for half a year. Being the eager-beaver that I am, I didn't pause to consider which website would offer the best deal for a visa. Stupidly, I googled 'working holiday visa australia', and clicked on the very first one that came up.
The keenness cost me an extra 90GBP. I didn't go via the Australian Government House, or Embassy, or whatever official Australian place there is in the UK. I went via the Visa Bureau, a private company. And because they are private, they cost more. About 90GBP more. Boo hiss... 


Well, I only have myself to blame. I shall learn from this mistake and shop around for things in the future. But I mean honestly, how was I supposed to know you could shop around for Visas? I'm only 18 for Heaven's sake...


Right, so eventually I phoned the real Australian Embassy, and they confirmed that the Visa has been added onto my passport. Huzzah again! My parents had been worried that I'd been conned out of 270GBP (sorry to have to write GBP all the time, but my laptop doesn't actually have a 'pounds' sign. Stupid, eh? It's got a dollar one ~.~), but I haven't. Good news :)

So, by this point in November I have only just been paid. I have to move money from my savings account to my bank account to have enough for the flight, which I was quoted at around 1250GBP. To do that, I need to fill out a form. To do that, I need to get the form.And to do that... TO THE POST OFFICE! 
So I filled this form out, took it back and it takes quite a while to come back. Like, two weeks. And due to working/not having enough time/wanting to book it when Bestie was there, I wasn't able to book my flight until this past Friday, the 9th of December. Three weeks after I was quoted.
In that three weeks, the price had risen by 113GBP. I'm not even joking. My flight to Oz cost me 1363GBP, which does include all my taxes. I just can't believe that it went up so much. Oh, and I got ten pound off for booking it through the Co-Op cause I'm a staff member. Boo yah!
At first, the travel guy's computer was down, so he phoned his company and did it on the phone, which took about fifteen minutes alone. He then quoted me 1480GBP or something, and I was like Woah, woah, what's going on here?! That flight was with Singapore Airlines, and according to this guy, was the cheapest one he had. That didn't sit right with me, as on every flight website I'd been on, and every travel agents I'd been in, Malaysian Air had been the cheapest. So, naturally, I objected. Said 'What about Malaysian?' and five minutes later the guy told me that particular company didn't do Malaysian Air flights.
Well, that utter tosh, as I went into that very same branch of the Co-Op Travel three weeks prior and was quoted the 1250GBP with them, with Malaysian Air. And so, I told him that was rubbish, and how could they quote me Malaysian previously if they don't deal with them?
The guy then said that maybe it was with their other company that they deal with. So, he phoned them too. Went through the same details, and ten-fifteen minutes later come up with the figure of 1373GBP. It was more than I had wanted to pay, but I had to book the flight that day, and at least I got ten pound off... :P


Oh, and all the while I was nervously fidgeting in my chair about all this money I hadn't expected on spending, Bestie was going through holiday books for Italy.We're planning another holiday when I haven't even started my great big six-months-backpackers-adventure yet. Go figure.


So, I've been buying lots of clothes and stuff. Mainly tank tops and essential underclothes, and I also bought a pair of high-waisted denim hot pants. Ohh yes ;) I was feeling brave at the time... Not sure how I'm feeling now though! 
I also wasn't tremendously sure of what shoes to wear out there... I mean, I'll be in shorts practically all the time, I should imagine, so I needed something that will look good but still be comfortable and support my ankles and whatnot. I eventually got these little babies, and oh my stars aren't they brilliant?! I'm wearing them constantly! (Even to work today, but shhh!) My excuse is that I'm 'breaking them in'. Mm, yeah. Pretty sure they're broken in by now... but I love them, so my parents don't need to know that just yet.
Oh, and I bought the cutest jumper ever. Literally, it's so cute. It sort of looks like this one, but it's a dark navy blue, and there's no knot at the front. I don't understand why it's not on TopShop's website, considering that's where I bought it from, but there you go... Anyways, I love it, and it's not too thick, so I could definitely use it in Oz. I'm 'breaking that in' too.

In addition to a very large rucksack (which has a special function in that it arches inwards to stop me from getting a perspiratory back) which I'll be carting all over the continent, I have also bought a suitcase. This is to put my rucksack in, as I don't want to risk my stuff getting damaged with the baggage handlers chucking it around on the aeroplane's cargo hold. If it's in that suitcase it'll be tonnes more durable. I don't intend on lugging a suitcase around Oz though, so hopefully I'll be able to leave that in a garage or something at my friend's house.


Other than that, all I have to do now is get travel insurance, which is around 100GBP. I'll be doing that sometime this week, I should think. It's starting to sink in how close I am to going... I think I have ten shifts left at work - I had to hand in my letter of resignation at the beginning of the month. We're all gonna go to the pub the day before New Years Eve to say goodbye to those of us who are leaving - there is me and two others moving on.


Oz stuff aside, since I last blogged my life has been full of work, Christmas shopping, my grandparents and seeing Bestie. I guess me hammering on about 'We should spend lots of time now because I won't be here for half a year' to her is paying off because I suddenly feel quite popular with her! We're headed to London next Friday, and the only thing I'm not looking forward to is contending with the Christmas crowds. But we're going to a famous toy store (Hamleys? Harrods? It begins with an H) so I am absolutely not complaining. We were meant to be going to an art exhibition but Bestie's decided she doesn't want to go anymore. I am suspicious that's because of what happened last time we went to an art gallery in London, but she said it wasn't. That doesn't stop me from being suspicious though!


Something exciting is also happening next Tuesday, but I'm not allowed to say what. I'm not sure who of my friends reads this and I don't want to give anything away. It's gonna be great though :D


What else happened? Dad invited me to get a coffee with him in town during his lunch hour... I've taken Nan into town shopping once or twice, stealed round to her house more than once for lunch... Been keeping up to date with my Ponies, thoroughly enjoying that at the moment... Oh, and I don't know if I mentioned it, but Bestie invited me to a New Years masquerade ball! How extremely lush is that?! Mega excited. I can't afford to buy a totally new dress, so I'm going to wear the one I had for my high school prom (hopefully it still fits, I'll have to try it on again soon) and buy a mask for it. So so excited :) I've never really been to a proper New Years party before so this seems like the best way to have your first one :D


Oh, and it's my sister's 21st birthday soon and she's having a fancy dress party at a pool/snooker bar/club/thing in town which I have to dress up for. I will get back to you on that and let you know how things turn out. *Still needs to find an appropriate costume*


Well, I can't think of anything else at the moment. If it crops up I'll pop it in my next blog :) Adios, people!