Checking In From The Desert.

After a day of travelling me and the girls have arrived in Abu Dhabi! The last few days have been such a blur, i can't remember anything! All i did was rush through each day making sure uni and everything for the trip was organised- i have to say, without my dad doing so much for me it wouldn't have been possible! He looks after me! 

I can't usually sleep on planes but after days on end with no sleep i slept the whole trip, plus a ten hour sleep last night! I was so exhausted i don't even remember falling asleep or the plane flight itself! The flight was not drama free though! As soon as i walked through the gates the security checkers removed my bag and asked who's it was, asking me to return through the gate. The man said there was something really serious in my bag in a voice that scared the crap out of me! I mean i have huge anxiety about going through those machines at the worse of times, i even check my luggage ten times to make sure I'm clear, so as you can imagine this gave me a heart attack! He proceeded to tell me how serious it was and that i had a aerosol can in my bag- from this i removed a small zip lock bag (as required) with mini toiletries and a sealed, never been used deodorant can. "Oh thats ok, no worries" he said. I was pin shock i was like, "thats it? so I'm all good? everything else is ok?". To this he laughed and said "yeah, now you can relax". Clearly he doesn't know me because that sick, anxious feeling lasted an hour! My friends think he may have been joking after hearing the conversation but in my books - so not funny! The first flight we all ate then slept and then used our six hour lay over to shop, look at all the chocolate, eat and buy new carry on bags, new shoes and medication, you know the usual! After a coffee- bad idea might i say! We got on the next flight and rather than doing what i planned and writing all my corporate study notes, i got a blood nose and then a migraine and had to close my eyes the whole trip- it was horrible! The steward looked after me though, checking up on me and getting me Pandadol for the flight and afterwards! I don't think you often fine stewards like that! 

We arrived after eating all our amazing snacks and with some of us doing study. The view was all desert, it amazed me. I mean yeah we had planned on coming here and knew what the country was like but arriving was completely different. The last 3 weeks, packing, assignments and flights were a complete blur but this was real. The airport has glass doors protecting the flights in, minimal windows unlike western airports where the walls are glass and men were sitting around in groups, some in customary clothes and others in casual clothing. The Airport was a globe. It had all the shops and desks in little semi-circles that surrounded a large circle and mosaic tiling on the roof. It was absolutely amazing and made me want to travel the world and see everything else! Being obsessed with photos i really wish i could have taken some but its not respected and i didn't fancy getting in trouble before i even left the airport- first stop jail! I think we all expected the customs process to take at least forty five minutes and to be very strict, however it took us ten minutes to get through with one bag scan. once we got through customs we met up with the other girls and headed back to the hotel. We almost skipped the taxi line- once again risking getting in trouble before we even stepped off the curb of the airport! We got two taxis and got them to follow one another. As we headed to the car a man intercepted the trolley and proceeded to unpack our bags into the car, we then closed the door and behind Sarah i could see the man glaring at us, not happy at all- we forgot to tip him! Having only money from the exchange the smallest we had 20 dirhums- a little too lucky for that man if you ask me!  The taxi ride was interesting to say the least, dry desert skys and construction bridges that looked - interesting. I was so out of it it took me 20 minutes to work out he was driving on the opposite side of the road! Were staying out of the city so we drove away from the excitement to a island area with 5 hotels in a circle. The taxi driver decided to test us in our first hour here - we gave him 50 dirhums and he gave us 10 change for 23.75 cab ride- i dont think so! It was nice though the other girls sent over their belle boy and he watched us and stayed by our side until we got our change. That taxi driver picked the wrong girls to mess with! 

After the drama we went up to our rooms, showered to remove the plane smell from us, changed and had room service for dinner. It was so good! Then we changed into our pj's and drifted off to sleep. Abu Dhabi is amazing, coming was the best decision I've made this year. Now day two begins with the hard task of deciding what to order for breakfast. .

Dinner Dates & Mates.

You learn after going through guy after guy that your girls are the ones to rely on. My best friend became my boyfriend and i miss that everyday. But this year has taught me, through  my own mistakes and my experiences with others, to never put a guy before your girlfriends because in the end your girls will be the ones by your side no matter what. After ruff days and nights a dinner date with the girls can be just what you need to pick yourself up again. I was always the girl who was ‘one of the guys’ but this year as seen me explore the girl inside of me and develop my relationships with my girls. I have friends from various places; uni, netball, work and those that have been in my life for years. I like it like this its nice to have different types of friends with different life experiences and ensures that you dont get caught in one group or alone when things dont work out. The best thing about this year is that i have found those friends that i can truly rely on. I’ve developed new friendships, rekindled old ones and been through numerous ups and downs, but the one thing that i truly value is the deepened level of friendship i have experienced with girls I’ve known for years. I mean its always nice to know your not starting completely from scratch and that there is some people around you who get you, have seen you change and understand why you are the way you are. They say you have friends for a reason, friends for a season and friends for life. This year i have definitely been able to identify the difference and use this to ensure i make the most of every opportunity. Tonight i had a dinner date with a friend who will be going away for a while but we have been friends for years now and i know that when she comes back we will be able to take off from where we left off, like nothing has changed. They are the best kinds of friendship. Ones that support you, get you and will never alter no matter the distance or space of time. I mean when you can catch up and babble on for 3 hours without a breath it is almost like a cleansing session! This friend today made me feel worth while and a good friend, in fact she made me sound amazing, despite all the doubt that has fallen upon me this past year. It’s always nice to have someone who understands what you have felt and what is going through your head. I truly appreciate the friends i have made this year and i appreciate those girls who are there for me through it all. It’s always a good feeling to walk away and know you’ve found a longtime friend. I guess in the end its nice to know your not alone and to walk away knowing your valued. 

The Ultimate Getaway.

Ever notice how even driving an hour away can clear your mind and feel like you have escaped the huddle and bustle of everyday life? I was on the plane all day yesterday and I didn’t know how tired I was until then. I slept the whole time! Now it’s 6 am and I’m wide awake! I think when you escape you can make sense of everything because you can think without the interruption of your everyday life. Saying that there is always though things that happen when you least expect them to, and its usually when your at peace with yourself! Today the holiday begins and my goal is to return to my everyday life refreshed and happy.

And just like that.

It’s kind of gut wrenching when your starting to become proud of yourself, starting to realise just how far you’ve come, when someone turns around and makes it known that they dont think your any different. I dont want to fight for myself anymore. I want someone to fight for me. .  

Believing In Something.

This is what gets me through. This is what i carry with me everyday. But sometimes is still find it hard to know what exactly it is i believe in. I think it comes down to believing in a brighter future, believing in what i can achieve on my own, and believing that i can achieve whatever i set my mind to. I recently re-blogged an image from a movie i absolutely adore - Alice in Wonderland. The question it poses is one i think about life everyday. Why did she leave wonderland? Why do we wake up from dreams to a reality that makes us feel less happy? But Alice dreamed up this world, her world. This is why i strongly believe that we should believe in ourselves and live our lives the way we dream it to be. Yet somehow i still find it hard to always see the light - but believing gets me through. 

A Heart Beat.

Not long ago my dog unexpectedly got sick and passed away. It was horrible and i had to distance myself from it to stop from crashing and burning again. But i think in a way it still doesn’t seem real. I miss her everyday and as stupid as it sounds my poopydog got me through each day. Everyday when i  felt alone or upset she was always there by my side. I could count on her to make me smile and keep me company. She was my saving grace. She was the most beautiful dog in the world, in fact she wasn’t a dog she was like a sister to the family. For this reason i can’t bring myself to be able to get a new dog. It would be wrong and i can’t imagine having any other dog. I don’t think i would accept it. Now normally i hate cats, they freak me out. but it seems like the only way to have a heart beat and company by my side again. In fact i think my mind is made up, now i just have to convince the family. 

Mental Illness. Its Real.

Mental illness is a very real and very serious issue, but sadly it is too commonly ignored and made out to be ‘dramatic’. People are suffering everyday. People that are close to us, people that we know through others, and people that we pass in a mere moment on the street. But it doesn’t matter how close we are to someone, because if we don’t do anything we are begin just as naive as those who say it can be fixed ‘just like that’. Beneath a simple smile or a rehearsed ‘I’m fine’, is often someone crying out for help. Its important we open our eyes to everything around us, really get to know our friends, or even strangers, and let them know that we are there for them. Sometimes we get pushed away but fight as hard as you can to show them you will always be there, sometimes thats all it takes. This beautiful young girl was my age and she fought for so long, crying for help but with no one to hear her screams. So just promise me one thing, that you will open your eyes to the truth and try to see beneath the face that many people put on. Watch her video to see her story. 

The Trip Of A Lifetime.

I really have changed how i act. Ive subconsciously decided to make the most of not being tied down and to make the most of every opportunity i am offered. So i am going to Abu Dhabi, you know as you do. Its so exciting and i love the excitement. Im going with the most amazing people and its an opportunity that will never come up again! Let the best part of my life begin now!