Two weeks is shortly right...?

So it's been a jam packed couple of weeks since my last blog post. Will just try and remember some of the stuff that's gone on... this may take a while..., 

*Being sick - 
I've managed to get sick twice in the last 3 weeks. Not fair! Last time was like a really bad cold... and working in chippy over the 4th July while you have to keep running out the back door is not a thing! Survived, but the cough that came with it lingered for a while. So you can imagine how I felt yesterday when in a few short hours I went from having a sore throat, to a headache, to being completely feverish and getting no sleep what so ever. Today I've spent all day in bed as I feel like I've been kicked repeatedly in the back, its 8:30pm and I've only just got the energy to start writing this blog. Luckily I had today off so I could spent all day in bed but tomorrow its back to work so I'm chowing down on medicine like there's no tomorrow and hoping for the best!

*Daytona Beach - 
On the 3rd July, myself and some friends hired a car and headed out to Daytona beach. Have to say that I prefer the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico but it was still a good day. We got caught in a heavy thunderstorm on the way there but as soon as we got to Daytona it had totally cleared up. There was a lot of singing in the car, jumping around in the water (which really contributed to me getting very sick the next day, woops!), walking along the beach and fun times before heading back home. I love trips to the beach, it's just good to get away from the Disney bubble for a bit and makes it feel like I'm on holiday :)

* Emeli Sande - 
Made a last minute decision to go see Emeli Sande at House of Blues with a bunch of people from work. Was a good gig but I was a bit raw from having my family just left and she's one of my mums favourite artists. With this and thinking about missing my nephews first birthday, there was crying and far too much alcohol involved. Befriended a random American couple and I don't really remember the rest but I have most definitely been told stories about the rest of the night. Awkward!

*4th July - 
I was doing a chippy filler shift on the 4th from 4:30-10:30pm. It was crazy busy! The line was all the way up the street heading towards the French pavilion and we just couldn't get the food made fast enough! At one point we had 4 chefs and 4 fillers and it was still crazy. Apparently we only took around $1000 less than the restaurant which is quite impressive! Instead of our normal 9pm fireworks, they started later and first did Illuminations and then did special fireworks for the 4th. All the staff that were working went out the back and watched the fireworks before heading back in to clean up. Never seen anything like it! So many going off! Was a really late night for us and the line for the buses was insane when we finally got back to cast services so we were really happy to get home.

Fireworks at the Polynesian - 
 While Hollywood Studios and Epcot only did special fireworks on the 4th, Magic Kingdom did theirs every night that week. So on the last night they were on, a group of us went to see them from the Poly before heading to House of Blues. Never watched the fireworks from there yet so was a nice change to sit back and watch them with a cocktail instead of being crammed onto Main Street. All the loungers were taken so we made a big giant square out of towels and watched them from there. Then headed off to HOB on the guest bus to get more boozy. Good night all round!!

3 month anniversary - 

It's always a nightmare trying to get everyone together at the same time to do something for our anniversary so we decided to go for breakfast instead for a change. We had heard about Olivia's cafe at the Old Key West resort and they are doing 40% discount for cast members so we got a taxi out there in the morning and had a nice breakfast and then had a walk about before some people had to go to work. I had plans to go sunbathing at the Polynesian after to go study for the pre service test while revising so got the guest bus to MK and then the monorail over to the Poly. Was only there a few hours but managed to get very sunburnt and I haven't stopped peeling since!

*Birthdays, birthdays, birthdays - 

So it feels like barely a day passes without it being someones birthday out here. We've had nights in with pizza, nights out in Orlando and a night at Raglan Road at Downtown Disney. All have been fun and with people getting really homesick on their birthdays, it's really nice when we all come together to do something for them. Add to this list, a collection of Lasts (last night out for people that are leaving) and lasses and its been pretty non stop round here. Probably explains all of the sickness! And on that note, I'm finishing up as I'm currently farrrrrrr too hot cos of this fever and need to cool down.

Stay-cation!! (part 2)

So the family are well gone but I've been busy/ill so will try to recap as well as I can!

After going back to work for a few days and doing the normal CRP life, I got picked up by the family on Monday night after I got home from work. Went back to the villa and had a bit of a munch before going to bed. Originally we were going to do Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios on the Tuesday but instead we decided to have the beach day on the Tuesday. Got up mega early on Tuesday morning, loaded up the car and headed out in the direction of Clearwater, but instead of the touristy beach we went further past to the Indian Rocks beach. There's small hotels and lots of amazing seaside HUGE mansions but none of the commercial stuff you get on the busier beaches. Was a really pretty spot and the weather was realllllly hot and sunny. Defo got a lot of sun and was feeling the effect for a few days (and my tummy is now peeling, booo!) Collected more shells which is always a way of keeping me entertained and went out in the water a lot as it is the Gulf of Mexico so the water temperature is amazing, and there's lots of sandbanks so you go out a little and then you hit shallow water again. 

The next day we were up super early again to do some more parks! Headed out to Animal Kingdom and it was already getting really hot for the morning. The car was telling us it was 100 degrees outside and I believe that! My burnt skin was not loving being in the sun so I was jumping into the shadows whenever I could. We headed straight for Everest and got fast passes which were for like an hour later which was really handy and then went over to do Dinosaur, have a wander in the shops and look about and then come back. My mum is not a fan of any sort of rollercoaster so I was impressed that she actually went through with it, although she did admit to feeling a bit sick after. We got fast passes for the safari and went off to watch Festival of the Lion King... they've seen the show in London and think this was a highlight for them. Got the jalapeno cheese  pretzels (well... the family did, I just recommended them as they aren't exactly celiac friendly)... and they also tried funnel cake.. not so friendly either. Then we went back and did the safari...a lot of the animals were hiding because it was so hot but did manage to see the elephants which I love!

After the safari we headed to Hollywood Studios and I knew that although my mum got through Everest, she could not handle Rock 'n' Rollercoaster so me and my brother headed off to do that while my mum and stepdad did their own thing. Caught back up with them as the Indiana Jones stunt show was about to start so headed in to see that as it looked like it was about to rain. Luckily it didn't! After the show we did Star Tours and then headed to see the Muppet show which is a favourite of my mums (it was a big thing for us on our first visit almost 21 years ago!) Went a walk and bumped into some of my fellow CRP's which was amusing then did a bit of retail therapy before heading back to the villa. We would of stayed for Fantasmic but my stepdad really wanted to leave to go get food so we headed off to Red Lobster (and of course, we had Lobster). Got back to the villa and went to their clubhouse for a margarita before calling it a night.

The next day we got up and packed up bags full of stuff for me to take back to my apartment (like my mums hair products that cost a fortune here and all their laundry supplies), and went to the outlets on the other side of International Drive. Bought lots more things for my nephew whose first birthday was the day after they got home and then they dropped me off. My mum got a bit emotional as I knew she would and I'm not big on the big goodbye as it gets me upset so I shot off back to drop everything back off at my apartment before heading back to work! Also got to speak to my grandparents for the first time since being here before getting back to the apartment so was good to briefly check in with them. 

Next blog post to follow shortly............