All in the Golden Afternoon

Hello All!

I know it hasn’t been long since my last post, but I’ve done a few more things since then concerning Disney, that is – I’ve finished paying everything! Yay! Well, at least everything that needs to be paid before my departure. Saturday night I paid my Program Assessment Fee, which is $100 that goes towards the events and such held for program participants. Their advice at the presentation was – go to them and eat as much food as you can. So, we’ll see if I do just that. It was actually $104.50 including the rate to use credit card or something. But seeing as the Aussie dollar was strong when I paid for it, it only totalled to $101 something.

This afternoon I finally paid my insurance, just a tad scary, not sure why I was scared of pressing that ‘purchase’ button. I never have troubles when paying for flights when they’re more expensive than this. But it’s done and I’ve got the certificate. The copy on my computer and the four print outs of that certificate, because I worry like that. I ended up going with itrek insurance. It’s the only insurance company that I could find that would go over the 12 months, which I need after the program for travelling and getting home. For $0 excess 13 months it was $950.01 also an amazing price seeing as people have gotten insurance for that price or more for only 12 months.

Also, I was meant to post pictures of my travel diary that I bought from Smiggle the other week. I love it. I do warn, the pictures are of poor quality since I used my old camera, my new camera battery was dead.



Front Cover





Map inside the front cover



Example of the pages inside

Back pocket for receipts and small notes

I can’t wait to use it!

And on another note, I received my forms back from the consulate with my passport and the visa inside! That’s all for now, not much of an update and there probably won’t be many more from now until closer to the departure date or when I’m actually over in America. I suppose we shall see.

60 days until check in and 57 days until I depart Australia!

Until next time, have a wonderful night!~

P.S. Someone also ran into my car at the car park at work today. Joyous. Not the best timing in the world.

Hakuna Matata

Evening All,

I’m not sure yet whether this will be an extensive post or not, I suppose we’ll find out. So Wednesday and Thursday this week (2^nd and 3^rd of November) I had some ‘Disney’ activities – best way I can describe them together. Wednesday I met up with some of the girls that are going to Disney and we went to Dreamworld – thanks to the generous Jen! We had a big day with many laughs – especially on the first ride. It was a fantastic day; I had a lot of fun, which drained all my energy. I stayed at Jen’s for the night as, again, she was wonderful enough to take me along with her to the Gold Coast Airport the next morning (was about $40 cheaper each ticket than going from Brisbane Airport).

We had to get up at 3am.

That was a bit of a struggle, but we were ready in half an hour, which is a massive achievement seeing as I think I was half asleep whilst applying my make-up. So we get on the plane – we flew with Virgin Australia – and after being put in holding for 20 minutes, we landed in Sydney. After racing out of the plane since we were worried we were going to be late, we caught the train from the airport - $23 return for an adult (they don’t accept any other state student cards) – and got off at St James. Then we had a bit of a panic since we couldn’t find the building. One said MLC in red on it, but it was nowhere near at least 59 floors, but after following Jen’s directions we got there…it was straight across from the small building with MLC on it.

First we had to go up to floor 10 to go through security, left our bags at security and get some stamps on our receipts. We waited for the guard to call us over to the elevator – whilst waiting we met a cheerful American; I think he’s the only person that knows where WDW is. Seeing as whenever I say ‘yeah I’ll be working for Walt Disney World’ they think that I’ll be living in Los Angeles.  Then again, I kind of expect Americans to know the difference… Anyway, we go up to level 59, get our passports checked again, then go into a room with booths along the back wall, some areas marked out for waiting lines, and chairs to sit in while you wait.

After obtaining a ticket from the machine, you had to go wait in the stand up line to get your documents checked (and entered I think) and get your finger prints taken. Once that was all done we waited in the middle of the long room to be called to one of two booths to have our interview. When my number was finally called, I only had three questions to answer – I would have had four if Jen hadn’t gone before me – I was asked: Whether I had worked or lived in America before, What university I attend, and whether I will have graduated by the time I go over of not. Once I was approved, I went over to the cashier and paid the fee and I was done!

Pretty simple, seems silly that I was getting really nervous when waiting for my number to be called for the interview. It’s not private or anything either, they speak through microphones so you can hear them from where you are seated.

So there’s my recent update on the Disney front. Five weeks until I finish at my current job, 61 days until I depart Australia and 64 days until check in at Vista Way! Next week I’ll be paying my program assessment fee with my next pay and my insurance seeing as my visa has been approved. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it yet, but I’ve decided to go with itrek insurance. They’re the only insurance that offers 13 months and for $0 excess it costs me $950, which I’m really happy with.

I’m off now, sleep awaits me. I need to catch up from the last few days.

Until next time!~