Today around 2-3 pm, I'll be finalizing my payment for my plane ticket. I took the one which was 105$ more which was to avoid changing plane twice and spending the night in Paris which will cost me in the end.

Wednesday,I paid 1000$ in cash to my travel agency, I have 305$ left to pay this afternoon and I will get my ticket on Saturday. So far so good. I'm contacting my friend through email and I'm starting to read some things about the country.

Called in at my dad's friend agency this morning, I got a slightly cheaper price ticket(1210$) with the same itinerary. I figure... Well I already make a deposit at another travel agency which was a mistake! Need to visit the different travel agencies next time I want to buy a plane ticket.

My #2 mitake was that I didn't think about paying just a little more. I could have got a better itinerary and I don't need to stay overnight at the airport. It was only 50$ more!! Aaarg... I'm going to try to change my itinerary at the same travel agency that I made a deposit for. Hopefully next time, I will remember this mistake and the other one.

My final decision well... I'm going to buy the ticket at the travel agency that I made a deposit at. It is the second cheapest price that I encounter. Not bad at all!

I made a 50$ deposit to a travel agency for my ticket to Morocco. I have till next Saturday to pay in full. My ticket is 1275$ and I am paying with my own money!! =D

I look around the travel websites and most of the tickets are around 1300$ to 1500$. I'm looking at another travel agency tomorrow to see if they have a cheaper price.

I'll be going for three weeks from June 30th to July 22nd. It's a high season and I think the ticket is pretty cheap already. I heard that I have to book early because it will get quite expensive later on. I doubt I'll get the chance to find a better deal where as London,Paris and other major destination often have great deal at the last minute.

The reason why I want to go to Morocco in a high and hot season is because I want to see my friend whom I've known her since grade 6. Almost four years ago, I made a promise that I'll visit her one day. Now, it is time to make this promise comes true and it is this year. When I come back, I'll have around a week to rest because I'm going to Vancouver (1 week) and Alaska by cruise (1 week) with my parents before going back to school. I really can't wait and I bet this summer will still be a blast even though I won't visit Barcelona which I don't want my dad to pay for my Spanish lesson... It's way too expensive!

Anyways, I'm still working on my plan B. I'll get back to you guys later on my plane ticket and my plan B.

This morning, I went to eat breakfast with friends whom I haven't seen for a long time. It was nice to see them again. I told them that I feel like going to Cuba or something and they were like : Yeah... Remember about the Quebec trip? We didn't even go!

Then I mentioned that I'm going to Spain and Morocco next year. They were like : Yeah yeah... We're going to see next year! LOL Man I know that I didn't keep my words about going to Quebec city two years ago so I don't blame them for not believing me that I'm going to travel next year. I showed them my bank receipt where I put my challenge money in to prove them that I'm saving for it. Although, the real way to prove to them that I'm serious about traveling is by going there which I will.

Today, I decided to put some money in. I have 2136$ to go... I hope that I won't change my mind. I have to stop changing my mind I'll regret it later.

I'm getting closer to the goal and I still haven't found a CD or anything for it. Well I'm still thinking what I'm going to do with it but London seems like a good choice. I'm always confused at where I'm going when it comes to travel XD. I want to go everywhere!!

Morocco will be my next destination next summer to visit a friend that I had promised to see her three years ago. She is very excited and me too but I have to talk with my dad first. About my friend, I knew her since we were in sixth grade and after a year here, she has to go back home because her dad found a job there. She visited twice here around three years ago and we made rendez-vous to see each others at a mall and the last one, I couldn't go because my dad was forcing me to stay to work at his place. This is also one of the reason why I resent my dad so much, I never saw my friend again and we rarely talk on msn. My dad tried to bring me back to work for him but I refused, even if he pays minimum now, I will never ever work at his place... Just looking at the way he treats my brother, I don't want to go back. Anyways, I'm the only one in Canada who still keeps in touch with her after all these years. All the others don't bother to talk to her again and it's kinda sad... I mean... She made a lot of good memories here in Canada with them and they don't care... Well, I'm going to keep in touch with her as long as possible and I'm going to see her next year no matter what.

I guess I found my next challenge... Saving up for Morocco next year. It wouldn't be so hard to save at least 2500$ in less than a year right? XD I gotta work hard then.

Oh by the way... XD My friend and I saved 4$ at the movie yesterday with my coupon XD !! yay! It became 5$ each. I still owe him another movie because he paid for the dinner. I think I'm falling in love with him... LOL... I kiss him on the cheek yesterday night. He is a very simple guy and he likes me for three years already. He used to be creepy, always staring at the girls he likes, now he is more normal like and more enjoyable to talk to. I hope we will get along in the future.

Old amount: 3745 + 4$ =
New amount: 3749$

251$ left to go... =)

I came back yesterday around midnight. I enjoyed my stay there but I couldn't wait to go back home because I'm quite fed up of having to stay in hotels for a week... I miss my bed!!

I got sick on the first day in Florida and I get to see a doctor there and he said I needed to see a doctor because my fever was really bad. I was in pain, I was tired, I was coughing, I couldn't eat well, I was dizzy, etc. So yeah, I did almost nothing at the first day.

On the second day, I was a little better so I went to the first park called : Magic Kingdom. The place was nice and it was pretty big. I wanted to go buy some postcards but there was not many that I like. I found one in particular that has Walt Disney in it (the founder) and Mickey mouse was watching him drawing a picture of him in his old days. In the back, it was written : I hope we don't forget one thing, it was all started by a mouse. I found this quote interesting and I admire Walt Disney for achieving his dream. I wish I would've started a theme park and his name as a attraction park was a good one. Maybe I should put out of park and name it : Christina's park... That doesn't sound original at all... How many Christinas there is in this world ? A million. Maybe I should change my name to... Ristina?Anitsirh? Natina? Eum... It would be nice but no name sounds better than Christina. xD It would be fun if my name was named differently, then the whole world will reconize me. *sigh* It would be cool. For the rest of the day, my family and I went around the park but we couldn't visit them all because it was too big. We went to our around 9pm because I was feeling so tired and I was still sick.

On the third day, I was feeling a lot better and we went to MGM park, it was kind of boring there and I didn't buy anything there. I don't remember what I saw there but we tried almost all the rides but we didn't ride the elevator thingy that dad wanted to at the beginning. There was this one ride there that was kind of fun and dad tried to shove my sister and I so he could sit in the front. Being an egalitarian, I pushed him back at the second row. My dad has no right to do that and it's suppose to be my sister who's having a time of her life, she's nine years old and he's 40 something and still act like a kid shoving people to get whatever he wants. Whenever he tries to do something unfairly,most of the time he can't get in pass me because I have a high temper and he knows that. I like my Chinese horoscope, being a snake is not that bad. We went to our hotel a little later than before and I slept around 11 pm.

On the fourth day, we packed our luggage because we're moving into our second hotel, a Villa resort in the afternoon. Before we went there, we went to animal kingdom and it was boring there... Not enought fun ride... Too much musical shows and not enought excitement. My little sister enjoyed it so that' good to hear. After Animal Kingdom, we went to our hotel resort, it's quite nice, they have many things there such as a swimming pool, a spa pool, a jogging place, a fitness center,etc. I was disappointed at the jogging space... It's near a parking lot and the road. If I owed a hotel resort, I would make a road just for jogging and walking! I would make things a lot less confusing too. The signs to which which places are confusing. I was trying to find a fitness center but it was relocated somewhere else. Arg... I went in the fitness center and the place was so small. Not enought space to excercise but the washrooms are quite nice though. Maybe someday, I'll owe a hotel resort and make it a perfect place to stay for many people... Too bad that's not one of my main dream though but I will make it a heaven place =D. Ah well... Maybe someday.

On the fifth day, we went to Epcot. We went around the main entrance park to check a few things, it was kinda boring so we decided to eat in a restaurant.

There was like 5 or 6 different countries at the World point site (something like that). Dad lets me choose which country to eat in and I chose Morocco, I wanted to introduce my daddy to a country that I wanted to visit for a long time. We ate in a restaurant that's a little expensive but has a great experience there. The food was good except the "vegetarian coucous" I didn't like the rice, it was strange eating it. Sister order Morocco spaghetti. All she knows is pasta so we shouldn't blame her. I'm trying to introduce her to a different culture whenever I have time and she has learned to eat a "Purivienne" dish somewhere in Montreal and she likes it. I hope to introduce her to "tapas" someday. I have a discount coupon to a place where they sell them and I hope to find time to go with her... Probably next Monday. Maybe I should bring her to an Indian restaurant too.. Aah I love trying new things x).

Anyways, back to Morocco. We got out of the restaurant with our stomach full and dad saw a fast-food morocco restaurant that sells burgers and other americanish food but with lamb as meats. Dad was like : We should have gone there! It's less expensive! I was mad for a few secondes. We just tried something great and new and he's talking about cost.

I mean for the past four days, we're always eating at cheap places such as buffets, italians food (spaghetti) and all those junk food place. He's always whining that's all the "White" people know. I told him that he's always eating at the wrong place, if he has gone to other restaurant other than junk food, then he would see a little more diversities. He's too busy thinking of the big dollar sign floating on the food that he doesn't care if it's not good. All he does is criticize that the food is not good and it's soo cheap looking. Mom told him: What do you expect from it? That's the price you paid. And dad is like eating till the death at the buffet. Mom said something funny in cantonese : You put the money out and you put your life out. It was true for my dad, whenever he was full, he continued eating and eating. He thinks he is eating healthy but overeating is not healthy at all.

Back to my fourth day, we visited all those little country stand, France, United Kingdom, Norway,China, Germany,Japan,etc. Surprisely, it was the people from their respective country who's representing it. I was happy, I tried to hear their language whenever they are talking to each other. Especially the French, they do have the typical accents hehe. I get to talk to a girl who watching the door with another girl. We were talking in English and at the end of our conversation she said: Bonne journee! I didn't reply back in French but I was quite happy.

On the fifth day: We went back to Magic kingdom to see the other rides we has missed on our second day. It was alright I guess but I wasn't happy going back to the same place.

On the sixth day: We went to Universal studio, I like it better there. There was so much fun rides and dad bought a ride express and eat all you want wristband, too bad we could only eat at fastfood place. But I like free stuff xD. So yeah... We didn't have to wait too long for the ride, spend about 6 to 15 minutes waiting for a ride. Not bad. Also, we forgot to switch our time to an hour later. It closed at 7 in our time lol... Ah well. We went back to our villa to pack our stuff and we're going back to our first hotel.

On the seventh day: It was our last day here so we didn't do much. The weather was beautiful as always.We went to eat at a Vietnamese restaurant, food wasn't too good but the place was quite nice.

We went to the airport around 1 pm and we board our plane at around 2:35 pm. We arrived to Chicago and we had around two hours before boarding our next plane. I went out for a walk to different airport place and I accidently got out of the security place. I wanted to visit the Swiss international airport because it reminds me of my friend there. When I got back, I didn't have my passport or my airplane ticket (mom got it all with her) with me so I have to get a boarding pass. When I got to the security place, an officer told me to stand in a corner and there was this guy who asked me if I have tried this before, I said no and he said : Ok, we're going to do an emotional pat down(something like that) but not me ! The lady behind me will do it. I was humiliate for the first time, I never experience this before in my life. The lady was pating me and she looking through my back. Security is scary. I will never walk out of the security line again especially if I don't have my passport or my plane tickets with me. Oh yeah, when we boarded the plane at 7:55 pm, dad notices that my sister doesn't carry the camera anymore. Dad lost his 1000$ something camera with all our pictures in it... =/ yep. Ah well. Bye Strawberry's pictures.. She was so cute in it. =/

Anyways, I got home and I arrived at around midnight. ouf... What a week. I was happy to sleep in my bed again and it was waiting for me to sleep in it.

I didn't spend much. Around 4$. I bought an art postcard which cost around 3.20$ and another postcard with Mickey and friends around 0.82$. Not bad though. I lend my dad two dollars for something and I took five dollars from my sister for fun and she gave it to me in the end. I have 99$ now without my pennies which I gave it to my dad for something. Not bad although I don't know what to do with US money. I could always buy something from the net for a certain bio oil product that I need soon in about a month.

Ah well... Kinda go sleep now. Tomorrow is another day of school. Back to my mediocore life.

For years, I've been living for someone else. I ended up not knowing what I really want.

I got a lot of concern about my choice in life, and got called an idiot by a friend of mine on what he thought of me taking a gap year after high school, so I thought... Maybe going with the flow is better. My parents told me I'll have more time to travel after I finish my studies, but I was really concern... I mean, what if I don't like my future job? I don't even know what I want to do. What if I don't have time to travel? My only love is to travel, to learn something from the outside and open up a brand new perceptive about life. I don't want to end up like my parents that work and travel to places that they only know. They are immigrant from Vietnam and China, money and good job equal happiness to them, not mine. I want to see something new and travel at a young age, so I thought to myself, not next year, it'll be in three years, after I graduate, I'll get to take a year or two off to do what I have always want to do since I was little kid. At the same time, I was afraid of returning to school and be one of the oldest student in University. I was afraid of people thinking that I was crazy to be taking time off from my study. I turned to you guys for advice and most of you encouraged me to travel, I went to another forum and they encouraged me to travel too, another forum suggested me to study abroad... That I don't feel like doing it.

I have made my final choice for now... I'm going to travel after I finish college and there's no stopping me. Maybe college will change my perception, but for now, I'd decided that it'll be in three years.

Time to save up!!

First stop in three years, LONDON!!

P.S : Challenge money : 1$ for no spend day and 2$ for Homework = 129$

3871$ to go... =)

London 2009