Days off, newbies and Christmas shopping!

I've had the last couple of days off work and it's been brilliant! Just the fact that I don't have to be anywhere or doing anything at a specified time is amazing!

On Thursday, they run a bus from The Commons to the mall. I decided to catch that one but we waited and waited and it never came. The buses here are really unreliable. As there were a group of us, we decided to get a taxi to the Florida Mall instead. Then, when we arrived, we all went our seperate ways.

I spent loads of time at the magic stall. It's alot cheaper than Magic Masters at Downtown Disney but the products are the same. I've stocked up on a few magic tricks so I can keep entertaining the guests. I also spent rather more than I meant to in the Body Shop and Waldenbooks. Plus there are so many clothes shops.....it's a pretty decent mall and I had a great time. They have this one shop which sells weird gadgets and I found something really cool which I bought for my little brother for Christmas. I'm not sure if he has my blog address so I can't say what it is but I know he'll love it. It was on sale so I had to get it there and then. I cannot believe I'm Christmas shopping in August! However, I've really got to start watching the money now! Oooppps!

On the way home from the mall, I called in at the Premium Outlets behind the Commons. They have these weird cakes that are just giant chocolate chip cookies. I bought one and got it iced with "Congratulations Nicola, from all of your friends". Nicola got her university results yesterday and she got a first! We threw her an impromptu party in the evening. Lauren N and Pippa sorted out some food and we all went round to congratulate her. I think she had a good night.

Later on, we all decided to go on to Bennigans as most of the UK were there. It was late and the next bus wasn't for ages (plus, it probably wouldn't have shown anyway) so we walked! It was quite a distance but luckily the rain had stopped and it was a peaceful evening. As TS Fay has dumped so much rain, there are loads of deep ditches next to the road and we were all really nervous about alligators maybe being in them. We gave them a wide berth.

Bennigans was great! Loads of people were there and they were all in a good mood. It was like a regualr bar but you know everyone in there. It was alot of peoples last nights so we gathered around for a "last song". What happens is you make a circle round the people leaving and then sing the Greenday song, "Good Riddance". It was actually really moving and all the people in the middle were in tears. Most of them told me to really enjoy this year as it will fly by so fast. It was a fantastic night and I didn't get to bed until about 3.30pm.

This morning, I called round to the newbies apartment. We have two new girls for UK Food and Bev and unfortunately they are both called Lauren! That brings our running total to four Laurens! They are gonna need some nicknames! Still, they seem really cool (though I only met one of them). I'm not a newbie anymore! Blimey!