EP 72: Passport Drama & Caribbean Nights: My Belgian Adventure!

Join me on a whirlwind adventure from Belgium back to London in this action-packed episode! A rollercoaster of passport drama, last-minute cancellations, and an unforgettable Caribbean night event with Carnival Angels. I share the highs and lows of nearly missing a dream job abroad—all thanks to a passport mix-up—and reveal how every twist and turn is part of a bigger plan. Whether you’re a travel junkie or simply in need of some motivation, this story is packed with behind-the-scenes insights, life lessons about trusting the journey, and a reminder that every setback makes room for something greater.

Chapters

• 0:00 Belgium Adventure and Nosy Neighbors
• 4:14 Belgium Travel Passport Adventure
• 13:34 Believe in Your Dreams and Growth
• 17:54 Dreams and Vibe

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Honestly, I should have started recording this pod hours ago. But, if you don't know, I travelled back into London from Belgium today and now two massive fire brigades or fire trucks I say massive, they're all the same size have just rolled up on my road, literally outside my window, and then they just all jumped out, was going into someone's house. So I was like, oh, let me go outside and make sure everyone's okay. And when I went out, it's like nothing could happen, seemed like a false alarm. So if I seem a little bit otherwise engaged, it is because I'm being a nosy neighbor, nosy or intrigued, I don't know. Anyways, when I had my fire, everyone came outside and made sure I was okay. I made sure Callie was okay. So I just want to do the same for my neighbors who I don't know because I don't know even know who lives there. But anyways, guys, like I said, I traveled back into London from Belgium today. Now, this is my first time in Belgium and it was beautiful. I don't know if it was that Belgium was beautiful because I was in. I was there for, like, really experienced the city for less than 24 hours and didn't even really get to experience it, because I went there for work and I'm gonna get back to that because that's really important but we literally went to where we was gonna go, done whatever we had to do, and then slept and first thing this morning we was back traveling to get our train, our Eurostar, back. So I didn't get to experience it, but what I did experience of Belgium was absolutely beautiful and I just think I was not even that. I just think this is not taking anything away from the city of Belgium, but the experience that we had was literally I feel like it was the best, the best service that I've ever had.

Speaker 1: 1:51

So what the job was is that I do modeling with the carnival angels and we do events, sometimes a lot of PR events, so we might go to their uh event that they might have. It might be for a work party, a work do. They might just want carnival girls. We wear our costumes, we look lovely, people want to take pictures with us, all of that stuff. So one person that we work with over here in London he has got connections in Belgium and they wanted to do a Caribbean night. So obviously they was like Ange and the Carnival Angels. So she chose me and just even being chose out of all the other females that she could have chose. I feel so blessed and grateful that she said, danny, are you available? And that's exactly how Ange sounds as well. She's got the sweetest voice. And I was like, yeah, I'm available. And yeah, it was just like it was amazing and everything was just aligned and amazing at the same time. And again, I'm going to go into more of that. I hope I don't forget all the things that I want to tell you because I'm just really I'm on a high at the moment.

Speaker 1: 2:54

So we went there, we were, it was in a restaurant. Um, the Caribbean night was going to be in their restaurant and they had booked for us to stay in their Airbnb. Airbnb that was literally I don't know a couple yards by yards, I don't. I don't understand measurements like that, but it was like I don't know two, three minute walk down the road. Obviously, we got driven there, so it was like 30 seconds down the road and yeah, we had to travel with our big wings and everything, like condense everything, and then got, went to our place, sorted ourselves out. Like within an hour and a half we were back over and we got. We all got, we all ate together before we started the night and the food.

Speaker 1: 3:37

Oh, I just wanted to hurry up and get to the food, do you know? Let me? Let me do my intro. My mouth salivating guys. Let me do my intro and we'll get to the food.

Speaker 1: 3:45

Hi guys, welcome to another episode of the so flipping extra podcast, a platform for me to express, explore and connect and be so flipping extra. Why on earth, I hear you asking. Well, that, amongst so many other things, is what brings me joy. So, without further ado, let's get into the rest of this episode so I can tell you how amazing my adventure was. So the food I'd be lying if I could tell you what I even ate.

Speaker 1: 4:14

I was just like yum, it looked amazing. Check out my Instagram tomorrow and you'll see. It looked amazing, it smelled amazing, amazing. The company was amazing. The service was amazing. Oh, the the taste. Just the tastes were tasting, the visuals were visualizing. It was just so amazing. Everyone who the all the servers and the waiters and the concierges, the owners, they were just. They treated us like we were just royalty and it was just. You know, people are just grateful for your presence, to be there. Whatever we needed, they made sure we was OK and yeah, like we done the damn thing. We bought the carnival to Belgium. It was absolutely amazing. Ange and I had costumes, sam was on the steel pans, it was. It was a whole party. It was just amazing. We ate. We got home to our 30 second drive down the road. We got there back about like one gone one o'clock. The party was partying like they didn't stop until I don't know what time. So, yeah, tell you what it is. I hope I remember to get back to all the things I said I was going to get back to.

Speaker 1: 5:27

But I think I said this on an episode previously my passport ran out last year May and I didn't renew it. And I was meant to renew it before the end of the year because the prices were going up. But I was just like in my head. I was like money was you know it was tight. So I was like, well, I'm not going anywhere, I have nowhere planned. So you know, I was just like in my head. I was like money was you know it was tight. So I was like, well, I'm not going anywhere, I have nowhere planned, so you know, I'll just wait a minute.

Speaker 1: 5:49

But I also knew somewhere deep down in my heart I said to myself I know that next year my goal is to travel for work. I want to be booked in different countries, different cities, like different European countries. I just want to be booked outside of the UK, which means I have to travel for work, all expenses paid and paid experiences. That was my main reason for why I really wanted to renew my passport was because I need it for work. I'm gonna need it because the jobs are gonna be coming in, and so, again, I just kept putting it off. I knew I needed to do it because the work was gonna come in. So one of my friends was like once Christmas had gone, he said I'm not sure what I want to get you for Christmas, so what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna give you the money for your passport because you have to do it, because you said these jobs are going to come in.

Speaker 1: 6:40

So all the emotions are motioned up in within me and I'd done it, booked the passport on on a Friday, went down to the post office to send off all my staff and was just excited because I thought I'm so excited the jobs are going to start coming in, I don't even know where they're coming from. And then on Monday, the three days later so Friday, saturday, sunday, monday and she texts me are you available the weekend, saturday the 22nd? And I was like yeah, of course, I am like yes, totally. And so, and then, as I said, yeah, I thought why did she say weekend, like why does she need me for a weekend? This is the thought, this was the exact thought that came to my head. Maybe we're going away, so I'm waiting, I'm waiting. My fingers are like click, clacking, like come on, message me back.

Speaker 1: 7:32

And then she messaged me back. She said, well, we're going Belgium. And I'm like and then I had to stop, like Belgium is out of London, isn't it? I'm joking, I'm not joking, I am joking, not out of London, out of the UK. But I did. I knew it was out, I knew it was out of the UK, just didn't kind of know really where it was or whatever. But yeah, I was like yes, and then I said to her I said you don't even understand, I manifested this, I absolutely manifested it.

Speaker 1: 7:58

So now the problem was that I didn't have my passport yet. I was like what the hell? I'm going away. And so I was like look, I've just sent it off, but they say it should take, you know, two weeks or whatever. So, boom. So she's like, okay, cool, I'll let them know, because at this point that she's messaged me, we've got over a month, like it's. I think it's like maybe five weeks.

Speaker 1: 8:21

So then, uh, the first week goes by and then she was like, oh, what's, have you got a passport yet? Because even I thought it would have come earlier than the first week and I was like no, she said, oh, they really want to book the tickets. Like it might have freaking come, they just book it with my name. Like, oh, my god. But what I had done now is, when I filled out my, I delayed the process because I filled out my passport form and I the new format added my middle name, but my original passport never had my middle name, it's just my first and last name. So then they sent me a message back within a couple days and was like this is the coup. If you just want to continue and keep it as the old, like just your first and last name, then you don't have to do anything. So I was then you don't have to do anything. So I was like, cool, I don't have to do anything. So then a couple of days later I got the message again. I was like, why are they still messaging me? I said I don't have to do anything, cause if I wanted to change it then I had to send back all these documents. So then it was must've been about five days later. Now, passport name. So they was like oh, that's fine, we'll sort that out. We'll, you know, update your file and if everything's okay, it will get sent out.

Speaker 1: 9:26

So then about another week had passed and I was still getting a message about send your details, and I was like what on earth is happening? I need my passport, and now what I'm starting to think is do you know what they might need to get another angel, because if my passport? And now what I'm starting to think is do you know what they might need to get another angel, because if my passport doesn't come, they're going to need someone else. And so I was prepared for that. So I was kind of avoiding avoiding. I wasn't avoiding her, I was just like, please don't message me and ask me for my passport until it comes. So and I said this to her as well. So then, um, I must have called them again. So it was like this might've been going into the second week now.

Speaker 1: 10:00

So I called them and I was like, look, I just want to double check what's happening because I'm still getting this message. And the woman that I spoke to was so helpful and she said she said to me oh no, it just, you was just getting the messages. Still, it's fine, it looks like it's all gone through. You should. It should be a couple of days. And I was like, thank goodness. So then Ange messages me and I said, look, it should be coming in a few days. I'm just waiting for them to let me know like to get a message back. And she was like, oh, because, um, the guy saying that he might need to find someone else. I said I was kind of prepared for that, as sad as I am, but that's fine, everything happens for a reason. So I said, look, if it comes as soon as I hear something, I'm going to message you back ASAP.

Speaker 1: 10:41

The next day, guys, the next day I get a text. Your passport will be with you or no? All the things have gone through. You should receive it by. I think it was like a Thursday. As soon as I saw it, I sent it to her and I was like it's coming, it's coming, it's coming. She's like ah I. I said, please tell me you haven't had to get someone else. She said, no, no, it's all good. So I was like, oh my god, it's meant to be me, it's meant to be me.

Speaker 1: 11:09

So then, as soon as the passport um, they told me it's coming on this date, I I knew I wasn't going to be there in the daytime so I left my keys with my friend. I was listen, as soon as I tell you that passport's in my house, go get my damn passport and send me a picture. So as soon as the passport come, I see the message. The message comes through your passport's been delivered. I was like, boom, the passport's been delivered, get the passport now. And then he was like yeah, I've got the passport. I said send me a picture. He said, no, I'm not opening your mouth. And I was like you're playing with my emotions, like my heart was pulsating. I was like I need it, I need it, I need it.

Speaker 1: 11:47

Anyway, as soon as I got back to my studio, took a picture of the passport, sent it, andrew was like boom, we're in. I was like hallelujah, you'll never guess guys, you'll never guess. Everything was sorted. We were preparing Belgium's coming. I think we've got like two weeks to go now, like maybe a week before the trip's been cancelled. What? The trip's been cancelled. They haven't sold enough tickets so they cancelled it and they're gonna. It's just like a Friday I think we got told this a Thursday or Friday. It's been cancelled, um, but they're gonna do it again in the summer. So I was like, oh you know, everything happens for a reason. Um, summer would be nice anyway, because these would be hot. Hopefully we always hope it's gonna be hot. And so I was like, um, it's cool.

Speaker 1: 12:28

I was sad. I was so sad. This was gonna be like my first holiday, even if it was like for 24 hours, but it was going to be my first. I haven't traveled since, but I don't even know well, definitely not since before May last year. But I was sad, I was, I was sad and I obviously I was sad because not only was it just a trip, it was, it was paid and I I needed the goddamn money. I'm not even gonna lie, I needed the money. So that was fine.

Speaker 1: 12:55

Weekends passed, next week has come now, like Monday, tuesday and, just like guys, I'm so sorry to miss you about, but the trip is now on. Please tell me you're both available. I was like we're on, I'm available. It was still in my diary. I hadn't even taken out my diary All of a sudden they had a surge of sales and sold a whole bunch of tickets and it was back on and I, honestly, I truly, truly believe, and it is my motto, it is my quote, I don't know how many times a day I say it everything happens for a reason and it always feels good when the good things happen for a reason.

Speaker 1: 13:34

But sometimes it's the bad things that happen for a reason, and sometimes the reasons are a lesson or whatever, and but it just everything just felt really aligned with this trip and I couldn't like I'm feeling a little bit emotional and I just couldn't thank Ange enough. I was just like just thank you for trusting in me, thank you for believing in me. Like I even had to answer this week, like what was the reason when you first asked me? The first job she asked me to do for Carnival Angels was a massive job with Rampage at the orchestra. I can't remember the exact name of the orchestra house it was in, but it was an orchestra show with like live band. It was absolutely amazing but it was a big job.

Speaker 1: 14:14

Like you know, when people like, how did you get that? I'm like brother, I don't even know how I got it, but I'm so grateful, I'm so grateful for her just kind of seeing me and seeing something, kimmy, and being like she'd be great as an angel and just bringing me on and then just trusting me to be part of the. You know you don't pick anyone to go away with. Do Do you know what I'm saying? Like that's representing your company. When you go away, like you have to trust that this person is reliable, is on time, is going to be there, is going to show up, is going to show out, is going to show off all of that stuff that the clients want to see. So I'm so grateful for her. It was just, it was amazing and, like I said, I told no lies and I just hope that more of these, more jobs come, whether it's the carnival angels jobs, whether it's speaking abroad in other countries, being international speaker, being on panels in different countries, doing upcycling workshops, whatever it is, brand trips, whatever it is. I am open and I'm available just to be blessed with all of these things that I want. It is my calling, presenter, jobs abroad, like all of that is, I'm waiting for it and I'm ready to receive because I'm here and I'm doing the damn thing, and that's what I just kind of wanted to leave you guys with that Like, whatever it is that you want, believe it can happen for you.

Speaker 1: 15:45

And even there are always signs that make me think, like, is it even happening? So I'm not saying it's like, yeah, like all of my dreams come true. I've been dreaming for a lot of stuff for a long, long time. But just believe in your dreams and hold on to your dreams. I sound like Biggie's mum right now in the song. But hold on to your dreams and believe that they can come true for you and believe more more than anything, believe that you deserve them. Just believe that you deserve them and that they're going to happen. And if they don't happen, sometimes everything happens for a reason and sometimes maybe there's even something bigger coming. That dream that you want, god, the universe, whatever you call it, might think that there's something bigger for you. So the one that you want might not be happening when you want it to happen, because something even bigger, that's even better, for you might be in the making. So just believe good things are going to come. If you're a good person and you give good energy and good vibes and just love and light, just know that you're going to get rewarded.

Speaker 1: 16:50

And but sometimes we need to work on ourselves. Sometimes we need to shift the move. If shit's happening around us, sometimes it's because we're sitting in shit and we're surrounding ourselves with shit. So check yourselves. I have to check myself a lot and sometimes I'm the first one to say it's a me problem. That's a me problem. I need to sort myself out because that's a me problem. It's not always everyone else's fault. And sometimes, if it is everyone else's fault, think of how you are possibly allowing and enabling people to play in your face. And I'm gonna leave it there, guys.

Speaker 1: 17:24

I thought this was gonna be short and sweet, but welcome to my story time. I can't wait to tell you about the next, the next trip abroad that happens for work. I'm here, I'm here all the way, here for it. I love you guys. Remember I am always here and willing to share your stories with you, whether it's a story time that you don't want to come from you and you want it to be anonymous or a good, positive story. Maybe it's a bad story, maybe it's a bitchy story. I'm here to read them out.

Speaker 1: 17:54

Like I want to incorporate you guys a lot more, because I feel like you don't know quite a lot about me now. Like you don't know a lot about me, I've just been given the things. There was trust. Actually I'm gonna say this you think you know, but you also have no idea. Don't think you know everything. I love you guys. Peace out a town down west side is the best side. Do I? I believe that, I'm not sure, but what I do know is that wherever I'm at the vibe's at, and what I do know is that dreams can come true. Dreams can come true. So keep dreaming high, keep reaching for the stars. If you fall, make sure it's on a beautiful fluffy cloud and you can just relax and keep staring up at them, stars, and reach for the next one. Bye.