I don't know why but I get very uncomfortable about traveling. I've always been like this.
However, I'm pleased to announce that this year, I have already traveled. My parents invited me to go with them to Universal Studios for the long weekend and I was so excited to join them, I knew I had to go along. And then... the days passed and the date of the plane ride came closer and closer, and I felt the dread sink up my body like a sponge soaking up water.
Anyways, I did it. It was actually pretty hard for me, but I somehow did it. I only cried on the plane a little.
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| Frost on the window |
Universal is pretty weird because some of it kind of isn't worth it. It feels like a glorified Six Flags or run of the mill local amusement park. There's nothing really "deluxe" about some of the areas of the park, because some of them are old and show their age unfortunately.
I think one of the ways the old parks (Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios) show their age is in their approach to food. Like, I went to Disney a couple years ago and food was a big deal; they try to make really interesting or weird looking food because it could go viral and get more butts in the park. The old Universal parks don't really have this. They might have a couple things that are great or "famous" things to try, but it'll be like... "I heard the baked potatoes here are really good." Idk. I'm not going to go to Florida for a baked potato, no offense.
We did go to the new Epic park, which was pretty amazing in a lot of ways, and Epic definitely puts way more of an emphasis on food (which I think is a much more modern thing in theme parks). This is great in my opinion because I like food. Like many of you, I need to eat.
Some of my favorite/most photogenic items include the following.
The Monocane Mocktail from The Burning Blade Tavern
Monocane is from the 1933 film The Invisible Man. Honestly I just love a good mocktail and I really appreciate that they have a lot of non-alcoholic options because I don't want to walk around a theme park that I'm paying hundreds of dollars to be inside day-drunk, stumbling, and dehydrated (I get tipsy after like one drink).
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| I didn't realize it had edible glitter in it until my second one |
The Hunter's Garlic Stake from The Burning Blade Tavern
Honestly it tastes like what you expect it to taste like but it's such a cute idea and visual that I wanted to include it.
Mt. Beanpole Cake from The Toadstool Cafe
I was a bit nervous ordering this because the top is matcha and as much as I wish I was a cool matcha girlie I am not. It tastes so earthy it's basically dirt (sorry). This was great though. I've honestly heard some pretty horrible things about the Toadstool Cafe food, and the other dish I got had something hard in it that got stuck in my tooth for the rest of the day. But this was good.
Traditional English Breakfast from The Three Broomsticks
This is from one of the older parks so it doesn't pop as much as some of the Epic stuff, but it's a really hearty breakfast. I'm not english so it was also fun to try a traditional english breakfast (beans?!) I probably should've ordered the child size because the child size one is still massive and it doesn't come with the blood sausage. As an American, blood sausage is crazy. I guess not crazy that it exists, but crazy that people eat it, because it tastes just like blood, probably because it's made with blood.
Classic Mac and Cheese from The Spit Fyre Grill
This one pisses me off so bad. We had an Incident ordering these where the mobile ordering app glitched while people not using the mobile ordering walked up to the window, ordered it traditionally, and walked away with their food. We even got kicked out of the mobile ordering line (yes there was a line to pick up mobile orders) because ours didn't say it was ready for pick up yet, even though the line was like 6 people long. Can you imagine pre-ordering your food so it's ready, only to watch people walk up, order it, and walk away with it? Also there's a line for the pre-ordered food! We stood there for 20 minutes before getting a refund.
But we really wanted it, so at the end of the night we slunk back with our tails between our legs like the consumer sheep we are and bought it again, and the app did not break this time.
And it makes me so mad because it was really good. Actually amazing. Yes, those are Gold Fish on top. Yes, they actually go amazingly with mac n cheese and I never knew that. It was crazy. My bf and I split this one and we were taking these massive bites just trying to fit the entire thing in our mouths.
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| Gaze upon it in equal parts anger and envy |
We went back the next day and tried one with pork on top and it was even more amazing and even now, I wish I had one of these in my hands.
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| Doesn't this sound disgusting? I thought so. I hate that I liked it so much. |
On one hand, I feel really brave for traveling. Having nothing go wrong while I was gone is maybe conditioning me to not freak out as much for when I do it again.
However, on the other hand, it sucks to have to fight my discomfort to try and do something like this, especially when it feels like a lot of people don't think twice about it. It can feel like climbing up a steep hill when the other people around me are taking a nice level stroll through a lovely park.
But I do think travel is important. I'm sure this is a bastardized version of it, but there's a quote from St. Augustine: "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." I do think there's some truth in that and so I want to try and travel more this year, which will honestly be very hard for me I think.
CURRENT RAT EVENTS
Current fixation: I think I'm between fixations atm.
Current hobby: Brainstorming scrapbooking my trip and also watching new things. Been trying new shows and movies this week.
Current worry: Expanding my "zone of discomfort". Basically doing uncomfortable things until they become more comfortable. But I guess the worry is how much that's going to suck. Also I left a little early today and another manager saw me and I think she doesn't like me so what if she fires me. Yesterday she kept coming up to my cube like she was looking for someone, like what if she was checking I was working? I just don't think she likes me kinda.
Went to the office. Got boba. Came home and did therapy. Currently debating making a big dinner or a lil small dinner.
Seven of Swords (upright)--theft, betrayal, self-preservation.
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