Happiest Place On Earth

Disney.

A word that means a different thing to every seperate person. To some it brews nostalgia surrounding childhood, to some it creates excitement in their stomach, to some it means endless possibilities and to some it means nothing. *sad face*.

To me Disney is magic, to me Disney is the most pure form of naive happiness and bliss.

This being said it astounds me how some people can go to a Disney theme park and show aggression, sadness and annoyance. (Not okay, ruins my vibes, dims my light). I was at Disney world in Orlando, Florida at the beginning of this week and it was incredible, I felt emotions that have unfortunately not been evident in my person for a very long time. The two short days I spent at the parks where incredible. Watching children so ridiculously absorbed in the world of fairy tales was a great experience for me. My inner child even came through, lining up to get photographs with Princesses, watching the parades, singing and dancing along to my favourite songs and even shedding multiple tears throughout the days events. These include but are not limited too; meeting my main girl Tinkerbell, watching the castle light show and being gifted a bookmark from Princess Belle herself. It was too much. I couldn't feel anything but joy. Which is funny cause as i previously touched on some people are in right moods EVEN AT DISNEY WORLD. WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE. (Ill stop shouting now, I apologise for raising my voice). How is it even possible to be mad at Disney? i honestly can not fathom it, how can you pay so much money and make so much effort for a vacation with your loved ones to then stand around moping, sooking, arguing, pouting, demanding and simply not smiling. You aren't just ruining your day, you're ruining everyone else's day too, or at least trying too. Theres a long line? of course their is, take some snacks, play eye spy or sing a song from frozen. Make the not so fun stuff fun.

So this is a message to anyone thinking of getting upset for no good reason at Disney. DO NOT!!!!!! YOU'RE RUINING THE MAGIC. (sorry for yelling again). If you hate your husband, go home and hate him. Its called the happiest place on earth for a reason.... BE HAPPY (last time I swear).

Actually this goes for everything, if you go on vacation please just enjoy it, soak it in, cause soon enough you'll be back to reality and i promise you'll regret wasting that holiday arguing over a forgotten reservation, a poor decision, or taking too long to get ready.

Breathe deeply and "Let It Go" *Cue snow flurry*

Stay Shining

Rachel 💋

Come fly with me

I woke myself up at 5am on the 9th May. I had given myself enough time to run around gathering everything I had forgotten to pack and organise (more than you'd think). First point of call was to organise transport to get me to the airport bus.. But silly me accidentally ordered both an uber and a taxi, the race was on, who would arrive first. 6:33 the uber won. I get to the bus, hop on and I no joke knocked out completely in 2 minutes flat, which, for a 75 minute bus ride is a pretty decent nap. 

Arriving at the airport was a mix of emotions, I get myself a cup of tea and smashed Avo and salmon for breakfast at one of the airport cafe and then after being refueles, I proceed to check in. At this point I was pretty proud of myself, doing so well so far but low and behold I hit a bump in the road; my check in gets rejected due to esta visa issues. "Sorry Miss, your passport doesn't match the one on the visa and we don't have facilities at the airport to do it here", stupid me forgot to update the application after my new passport arrived. Lucky I reapplied for the visa in enough time to just check in (literally 5 minutes before cut off) and after calming myself down I get through customs a breeze and I order myself a coffee and waited patiently for my flight. 

The first flight was breezy, mainly due to the epic movie selection and free alcohol, thank you air New Zealand! Pulp fiction and gin and apple juice are a great combination. It was smooth sailing after that UNTIL boarding my flight from Auckland to Los Angeles. Half way through boarding the vessel there was announced a "small technical issue on the plane" which "would be solved in around thirty minutes". No problem I thought. THEN thirty minutes turned into an hour and thats where I lost my chill and I started to panic. My connecting flight was too close to be having hefty delays. I go to the counter and ask about the delay and was told there was nothing they could do as I didn't book my itinerary through them for my connecting flight. I started tearing up and I start walking back to my chair, but I no joke broke down historically crying in front of the other passengers waiting in the lounge too, so I vouched for a quite corner to sook in. This was an opportune time to take a nap (I obviously needed one). 

I woke up to another announcement apologising as the delay was now 3 hours. Yes. Excellent. I began trying to make arrangements for a flight change from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Helpful hint; don't try and call the international number for Virgin America, the one that's on their website, it doesn't work. Also, don't try and call Virgin Australia to help, cause they won't transfer you through and when you ask for the manager they will put you on hold for 30 minutes before disconnecting you completely. FINALLY I just bit the bullet and called the American line and just prayed the fee wouldn't cost me my left kidney. The lady on the other line was very helpful and my flight got changed for only $25. Hallelujah. 

At 12:00am, 3 hours and 10 minutes after orginal boarding time we were allowed to board the aircraft. I sat at my allocated seat (which was wrong, apparently I can't read, so I had to move) and the journey began. I actually sat with some really cool people (which never happens) and the air hostess was very accomodating with supplying me with wines and gins. Like no joke this legend suggested a mimosa with breakfast, like yes of course you beautiful soul, make it 5! Why not, let's make it a party. 

Customs wasnt a hassle once arriving in the states, and my bags where collected swiftly. But it's me, of course it couldn't have gone 100% smoothly, that would be too easy. So I was in the exit line with my bags waiting to leave the customs area and my nose started bleeding like a tap. It's not a great time to have a nose explosion, the security probably thought I was bringing in Ebola or some other diseases. Lucky the lady next to me (I think she was French) had tissues (which by the way where scented like angels). I clean myself up, check in to my domestic flight and boarded, finally arriving in Vegas at 8:22pm still on the 9th may (bloody time difference) to my host grandpa, mother and sister from my American exchange year in 2012 picking me up! 

29 hours travelling time in total and it's the most surreal feeling ever after being here again after being away 3 and a half years. 

Excited for the month ahead of me. I'll keep in touch. 

Stay fabulous, 

Rachel 💋

Leave Me Alone And Let Me Work

I'm not going to sit here and say that I've never thought a cashier, waiter or worker was cute at a restaurant that I've dined in BUT I can say that I have never intentionally made them feel uncomfortable or made an intentional inappropriate slur in their expense to their face. So forgive me if I am wrong in saying this but I expect the same amount of common courtesy in return. The amount of middle aged to old men that think it is okay to borderline harass me and the other girls I work with in the work place is ridiculous. It is not okay to suggest marriage, comment on my body or how nice my lips are regardless of how alpha you think you are. The main problem i have is when the comments are made I have no option but to ignore it, I'm at work and can not relatiate confidently without it potentially costing me my job. Whereas if this happened in the street or at a bar you could say how you really feel, throw a drink, hit them with your car or step on their foot; you know, harmless banter yeah?

Over the last few years whilst working in hospitality I have had to deal with people like this every day, the funny thing is it's never men my age (not that that would make it any better) but it's always the older crowd. Why? Probably boredom in their marriages or trying to pretend "they still got it", but who really knows. A few of the worst creepy comments Ive collected include (but are not limited too): 

• "Do you like children? Would you like to go halves in one?" 

• "My heart rate elevates when you enter the room" 

• *looks me up and down* "You have a sporty build, do you work out much?"

• "The only time I'd yell at you would be in the bedroom" 

I'm sorry but no one should have to deal with those unwanted comments at work, whether they be female or male. I hate to have to go on a sexual harassment rant but that's what it is. I'm trying to work, I'm trying to provide YOU a service and it's rather distracting when I'm having comments thrown at me about my physical appearance. 

CUT IT OUT IM OVER IT *SCREAMS*

Hope everyone else is having a good week, 

Stay safe and stand up for yourselves 

Rachel 💋

Silver linings

This week has been woeful. 

Everything that could go wrong did go wrong but instead of what I usually do (cry and eat) i have proudly become so insensitively numb to distasteful situations that I seem to just laugh at them and myself. I really am hopeless but what can you do?

This not throwing a tantrum thing though when things mess up... This is odd, and I think it may be called being an adult? I could be wrong though.

After reflecting on this new found skill I believe that ive learnt that instead of wasting time sulking Ived used that time productively to try and counteract or at least better a situation regardless of how bitter it may be (I accidentally get myself into some very bitter situations). For example on my way to get pizza last night I realised that I had no petrol so I decided I would stop to fill up on my way to the pizza store. Unfortunately around 750 metres from the service station my car completely stopped and I realised that I had run out of fuel completely and of course in typical Rachel fashion it was terrible timing, it was at a set of lights. Luckily I was on a hill and I could roll around the corner and park so I didn't hold up any traffic and cause an accident (silver lining). I just sat there in my car mortified at the sticky situation id got myself into and instead of throwing a hissyfit like I would have a year ago I sighed and picked up my phone and called my step mum who (bless her) brought me a jerrycan to fill up my poor car and I was back on the road and able to rescue my pizza from being thrown out after being left there for such a long time. 

When I got home after already having a bad day I found out whilst eating my rescued pizza  that I would have to move out of my place on unforeseen circumstances. Again, I could have gone and got ice cream out of the freezer and medicinally devoured it. Yet I spent the next few hours organising myself a new place instead (gold star Rachel). 

In short I seem to have learnt that no matter the situation there is no reason to work yourself into a state over it. Regardless of how tragic a day seems there are ALWAYS silver linings, some times you just have to dig deeper to find them. Everything happens for a reason and there is always a lesson to be learnt.

What did I learn yesterday? I learnt that no matter how much I hate filling up petrol it's inevitable and I need to stop being a sook and just man up and do it. 

Here I raise my tea cup to myself hoping next week is a better one. 

Stay fabulous. 

Rachel 💋

Little Miss Indecisive

I remember in primary school telling anyone who asked (or would listen) that I was going to a lawyer, the best lawyer that ever had walked into a courthouse. 

This self proclaimed future job title stuck with me right throughout high school until around year eleven. Then I started panicking. How can I be choosing my future off a childhood dream? I then started exploring options. 

In America whilst on my exchange through my theatre class I fell in love with acting and was sure I wanted to be a famous actress. Coming home from my year abroad I fell back from the stars and back to earth (reality) and my dream shattered into a long lost memory. I started my classes for VCE and in my business management class I learnt about public relations, I decided I really enjoyed that topic and that I was destined to be a publicist, I did a small work experience gig in Sydney and I loved it, i kept up to date with all the top publicists and I even applied and got accepted into a double major for it at university but I deffered. 

I wasn't sure it was for me so I started looking into being a air hostess for the Australian defence force which the idea of excited me, but I sprained my ankle the week before my meeting and I freaked out and cancelled the appointment but I promised myself I'd reschedule. I never did. 

I decided to just work a year and save before sucking it up and just doing public relations like I'd planned at university.

Then I thought maybe I could go back to that air hostess idea but for a commercial airline instead, again I'm second guessed it and just left the idea aside. 

So lately I (Miss indesisive) have been thinking that I should take my love of cooking further and start a cooking apprenticeship but I keep hesitating. 

In all honestly I have no idea what I want to do or who I want to be. I could literally be anything I wanted to be and that's such a scary thought. How can anyone choose? 

So for the next person who asks if I'm studying or what I'm doing with my life, my answer is no I'm not and I have no idea. I'm working, I'm travelling, I live out of home, I have a car, I'm not dead yet and I'm still young so just let me be and hopefully I'll age like a fine wine.

Rachel 💋

Rachel's inability to adult efficiently

I am 20 years old and I am still not entirely sure how anyone can get the hang of this adult business. I live out of home, I work, I have a car, I'm "independent" but I am also useless at being a responsible adult. 

Definition; 

Adult: A person that is fully grown or developed. 

I am fully grown ( I suppose) but developed ? I'm a little rusty.....

I miss the days where there was always food in the house. Opening the cupboards to full loaves of fresh bread, abundances of crisp fruits, theee varieties of muesli bars and twenty different flavoured cereals *drools*. Not I open my cupboard and I see two minute noodles, tuna cans, pasta packets, rice, tea bags and cuppa soups (all cheap and nasty). Some nights im either too lazy to cook, go to the store or I'm so low on money that I'm forced to be creative. I've eaten things for dinner like boiled rice and soy sauce (if I'm lucky I'll find and throw in a can on tuna), I've had potatoes mashed into patties with cheese and tuna and sometimes I'll just crack open and eat a can of tuna. (Not sure why tuna features in all of these examples but you'll understand it one day if you like the canned goodness and you're living out of home on a budget). 

I never understood the pain of paying bills until I first hand had to deal with my phone getting cut off. It's not always because I'm low on money either.... It's more along the lines of I'm forgetful and Vodafone are really terrible at reminding me to pay them. Another bill I can't seem to get right is paying my tolls when I drive to the city, I go and have a great adventure and then come home and completely forget about the tollways and by the time I finally spark memory to take care of them the bastards have tripled in price. (*sigh* *removes kidney to sell in order to pay tolls*)

Adulthood I've found is also a lot of cleaning that I seem to be really talented at avoiding, like cleaning out the inside of my car, neatly folding/hanging up my clothes and scrubbing the shower. The worst part is there is no one to bark at you to do it, and as annoying as nagging parents may seem they are good at making you get the job done regardless of how tedious and time consuming the chore is. 

A scheduled bed time has also become a blurred memory since passing over into the world of adulthood. Last night I fell asleep around 3:45am, tonight I'm up typing at 12:11am, some nights I just ignore the need to sleep at all. I'm patiently waiting for the day I'll become a responsible woman and retire myself to bed at 9:30pm so I can get a "good nights sleep". Just joking that sounds boring, but I do wonder what being awake and alert feels like without having to constantly pump caffeine through my lethargic veins.

Anyway in short I fell headfirst into this adult business and I've found I'm really bad at it and I think I may in the near future have to hire a full time babysitter to watch over me because this is getting out of hand. 

Stay safe everyone and never grow up, save yourself before it's too late. 

Rachel 💋

The driving report

It's been around 14 months now since I (finally) got my licence on the first (fourth) try. In that time I have only slightly got better but can still not understand how I could be so shocking at such a basic human skill. 

Last night whilst driving to Melbourne and back I realised how bad my road rage can get. I also realised I am not In a position where I should be allowed to give other drivers any form of driving tips but here I am and I have compiled a list of things other drivers do that royally get my blood boiling !!!. But I am also all about equality and I also wrote a list of what I do that I constantly get flipped off at for. 

idosyncricies of the other drivers;

* Not turning off their high beam lights when passing me on a dark road. This causes me to go temporarily blind for 5 seconds and then have that two littles orbs floating in my vision interrupting my view of the road. Not okay. Not nice. 

* Bullying me to go faster. Abusing me from behind on the freeway when IM DOING THE SPEEDLIMIT (the law) and trying to pressure me into switching lanes. No sir. If you're so in need to rush don't let me stop YOU from switching lanes. Jerk. 

* Failure to read other cars obvious actions When the car behind can obviously see I'm (trying) to reverse parellel park (which is really hard) but decides anyway to get up so close to my bum that I cant possibly reverse back more than an inch so I'm forced to make alternate parking arrangements. 

Hans Englebert (picture below) and I; 

* Poor judgement We went into the middle of the intersection with the intention to turn right but the light goes red. What would you do? Apparently the Hans and Rachel duo decide to just sit their and let people go around. (I now know that was the wrong choice)

* Failure to shoulder check my driving teacher explained blind spots in my lessons but I didn't pay huge attention because I couldn't understand how anyone could be that stupid to completely miss seeing a car on the road..... 

The amount of times I've scared myself and a car to the right of me due to me trying to change lanes but not checking Hans blind spot is not a number I should legally disclose. 

Overall review; People suck but I also suck. I award myself a C- in driving ability.

Have a fab week everyone, and stay safe on the roads. 

Rachel 💋

- the infamous Hans Englebert and Rachel Maree duo -