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!

Plans be a-forming!

Ahoy, people.


It's been thirteen days since my last blog, so I'll try to work through them chronologically. Well, the days when anything important happened, at least.
On the second of November, the first important day since Hallows Eve, it was Madison's birthday. The big one-nine! I was very proud. Sent her a congratulationary text when I awoke from my slumber (meant to send it at midnight, but totally forgot to set an alarm) and text her for most of the day. We would be meeting up that weekend, as she would be coming home from uni to celebrate her birthday. And, because she was, so was another friend, Beth, from the University of East Anglia. And, that weekend it would be Bonfire Night.
So, instead of going clubbing, we decided to go to the show at Colchester Castle Park instead. I took it upon myself to buy the tickets, and the guys would pay me back on the night. Maddy wanted to take her sister with her, and I also found out that our friends Skye and Liam would be there too, as they had already planned to go. So of course, we arranged to see them too :) And after posting a facebook status about buying tickets, two other college friends announced they'd be there too. So, what originally started with just five people extended to nine, and it was just like old times - mostly, because a few key members were missing.


But the day before the display was another important day - my daddy's birthday! I got up early just to give him his presents. A lovely sentimental-like card, a lovely smart jumper and some David Beckham aftershave. He was very happy. Every year I want to try to top last year's present, but seeing as last year I bought him an expensive gadget to transfer his vinyl LPs into CDs, I thought I would start again with that tradition :P So next year I just have to top this years :) No problem. His birthday cake was a glorious thing, topped with smarties, rolos and other nommy chocolate delights. And as I don't normally eat chocolate, the taste was simply divine.


Well, anyway, the day after that was the 5th of November - Bonfire Night. It would be a bit of a tight schedule for me, as I had work 9-6pm, and at 6pm the gates opened for the firework display. So once I'd finished work, I hastened home (whilst being very careful behind the wheel of my car), speedily got changed and immediately left for town... and because I was so speedy, I completely forgot to take Maddy's birthday present with me. Fool.


Well, I parked in the restricted section of Brittania's car park. Restricted because at 7pm, there were a lot of signs saying that at that time the gates would close and no car would be able to get out. Still, considering that it was Bonfire night, I nervously figured that they would take that into consideration and leave the gates open. I did have a few panicked rants throughout the evening, but all was good when I finally got back to my car after everything and found the gates blissfully open.
The display itself was fantastic. Really, really good. It was all set to music, all timed, and all awe-inspiring. The music had a space theme to it; songs such as Queen's Flash Gordon, David Bowie's Life on Mars, R.E.M's Man on the Moon and Sting's Walking on the Moon were just a few. It opened to War of the Worlds, and that was just fantastic. Just pure brilliance. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing.
Maddy's sister, Jessica, hadn't really spent time with me before. Well, it wasn't like she was spending time with just me then, but if you get what I mean... Around your friends you're a completely different person, aren't you. Well, I am at least. When I visited Maddy's house I toned done any flirting, teasing and playful comments to a bare minimum in order to make a good impression on her family. But, surrounded by my friends, there was no way I was toning down anything that night. So, whenever I made a flirtatious comment, which is every other line where Bestie and Maddy are concerned, she'd turn and have a disbelieving smile, or say 'You're so smooth'. Yes, yes I am. Whatever natural talent I have at being a suave devil, I have perfected it. So yes, I am a very smooth person. I also take immense pride in this.
Maddy commented that she'd missed my flirts anyway, and that makes it more than worth it.


We went to Sloppy Joe's, an american diner, afterwards - well, Maddy, Jess, Bestie, Beth and I. The others went to their respective homes. We ordered two Bacon Bonanza pizzas,  and two sides of fries. Apparently, that wasn't very much as the waitress had a look on her face, like is that all? Because in America, one person would eat a Bacon Bonanza themselves. And we were sharing one between two and a half peoples. So, this just explains to me the reason why Americans may have a weight problem. 
Que sera, I suppose. Well, anyway, a Bacon Bonanza consists of double bacon and double cheese. I didn't like it. I like bacon, and I like cheese, but there was far too much of each. So I eated the chips instead :) And stole Bestie's tomato ketchup, which she wasn't impressed with. But I returned what I didn't eated, and she was happy again.
Well, we walked back to my car, and I insisted on giving them a lift back to the car park they were parked in. For one reason, to save their legs from the journey. For a bigger reason, for the rush of excitement I got from giving my friends a lift (I hadn't driven Bestie or Beth before, so it was all new). As usual, I got my way and happily drove them to their car park :) I did have to quickly and discretely turn my PonyBeatz CD down, to save myself some flushed cheeks. Long live My Little Pony!


So after that day, it was back to doing normal things. I went to work on Monday, lounged about Tuesday, spent an afternoon with Quinn on Wednesday, lounged about on Thursday, and then on Friday went into some Travel Agents in town to discuss flights to Australia. Turns out I could be going as early as the 8th of January, because that's when my friends will be on school/university holidays. It's really hitting home now how close I am to going. It means I'll have to spend less on Christmas presents for my friends and family, and be very careful with my money.


So, it's with a heavy heart that I turn a blind eye to the new Zelda game being released on the 18th of November. I have so been looking forward to this release, it's unreal. I love  Zelda, I love Link, and I love Hyrule and the many different lands it has. So it really is quite upsetting that I'm having to forego this latest edition to the Zelda saga. But that 35pounds could get me something very nice in Australia.


It also means clubbing needs to be kept to a minimum. Sad times right there. I do so like my clubbing. I'm not going to go to town, to save petrol and parking fares and the temptation of anything in the shops. I shall only go in for christmas presents, and even then I shall have a list that I shall stick to like glue. 
Right now, Australia comes first.
I have ordered my passport, and that should come through sometime next week. I'm actually rather thankful to be getting a new one - my last photograph was just gosh-darned awful. Really. I know people are all like 'don't look at my photo, it's really bad', but they don't know anything. My photo was absolutely dire. So, I'm happy to report, this one looks far far better :)


So, my friends, plans are beginning to take shape. Now, it's only a matter of weeks before they're being carried out.