15 June – Arriving in the Big Apple
So that was the worst flight of the entire trip and a long one we had to endure. Anyway we are in The Big Apple now and the last stop before home.
Just before we left Rio we were looking for accommodation in New York but couldn’t find a hotel, let alone a hostel for anywhere within our budget, or reasonable price for that matter. Almost giving up and debating whether to just fly home we came across Airbnb.com. This website is basically for people renting our rooms in their houses all over the world. Pretty much paid couch surfing. We did lots of background checking and it all seemed legit so we sent out a few emergency emails for a bed in 2 nights’ time. Thankfully we got a response back from the nicest looking place in Brooklyn (just across the water from Manhattan where it all happens). Through time differences and flights it wasn’t until this morning when we arrived at JFK that we paid for the accommodation online and received the directions to our new home.
We took the subway to the directed stop and walked through the ‘gangster capital’ before we spotted the block of crappy flats next to a warehouse ... what have we done! We let ourselves in using the key in the lock box and were VERY pleasantly surprised – the flat was gorgeous and huge. We found a hand-written note from Adina, our host, telling us to make ourselves at home.
A quick sit down in our huge room and we headed straight out the door to the subway to explore the Big Apple. Our first stop, about 20 minutes on the subway, was Central Park. Our first impressions of New York were nothing like we were expecting. Central Park is absolutely gorgeous and green and vibrant, full of lots of people playing sports and generally chilling out. Not the polluted concrete jungle we were expecting. We strolled around Central Park and ended up getting lost inside for about 3 hours! We eventually found the Cherryhill Fountain, the one out of Friends, took some pics and found an exit. From here we walked a few blocks down to Times Square. This place is as big and as vibrant as on the tv. There is everyone from cabaret dancers to the naked cowgirl (which of course Shaun got a picture with). Getting exhausted from all the sights and all the walking we ventured into TGI Fridays for some dinner. We spent most of the rest of our night in Toys R’ Us playing with all the cool toys. As the sun went down we got back on the subway and back to ‘our flat’ and were met by Adina, our host. Luckily she wasn’t a serial killer but a very nice New Yorker but unfortunately she wasn’t too much of a talker so it was off to bed.
What an awesome first day ...
16 June – Exploring Times Square and Shopping
This morning we went to the local supermarket to get some Lucky Charms for breakfast (Shaun has been going on about them for weeks but I had never had them) – not as good as when you are 8 years old though when you get hyper on the sugar and additives. Nearing on lunch time we made it back into Times Square and ended up watching a BMX competition in the middle of Times Square. For the rest of the afternoon we meandered around the New York shopping districts doing some well needed shopping at last.
In the evening, since there was nothing on Broadway we fancied watching we found an IMAX Cinema instead and watched the new Pirates of the Caribbean in 3D which was awesome.
17 June – Open Top City Tour in the Rain
Today we did a ‘city must’ and hopped on the open top City Tour of downtown Manhattan. After queuing for about half an hour we finally got on board and descended past all the famous buildings of the city like the Chrystler building, flat iron building, Rockafella Centre and of course the Empire State. We hopped off the bus in China Town for lunch (literally like China full of only Chinese people, Chinese restaurants and road signs in Chinese – very surreal) as we waited for the rain to stop before getting back on the open top bus in rain ponchos. We also went past some more shopping districts like Soho and the top end area with Gucci and Prada where we hopped off at the end of the day. I was determined I was going to treat myself to a designer hand bag but as we strolled through the shops we left every single one without asking the price I was too embarrassed looking like a soaking wet hobo!
As the sun was setting we thought it would be a good idea to use our Top of the Rock ticket to see the City at sunset. We started walking and decided it was 10 blocks away, problem was we were walking 10 blocks in the opposite direction! By this time the sun had nearly sunk beneath the horizon so we called it a day and walked back into Times Square and went to the Chicago Rock Café for dinner. Then on to the cinema road in Times Square to find a film for the night. We ended up watching The Hangover 2 which was absolutely hilarious. Especially with the mad American people stamping their feet and shouting at the screen at the funny bits!
18 June – Finding the Statue of Liberty and hitting a REAL club
As this is our last full day in New York (and last day and night in a bed before home – I could actually cry) we actually made it out of the flat before lunch time at 10.30.
Of course we had to see the Statue of Liberty before leaving so we took the subway to the ferry port and queued up for at least 2 hours in the immense New York heat before going through airport-like security and boarding the Miss Liberty ferry over to Liberty Island. Liberty herself represents New York perfectly – big, beautiful and a show-off! We walked around the Island and attempted to go up the Statue only to be informed that you have to book 4 months in advance to go to her feet and at least 6 months in advance to go to her head! We queued up for another hour to get back on the ferry where you are able to stop on Ellis Island (which we didn’t) which was used for immigration screening of over 12 million immigrants from the late 1800’s.
From the ferry we walked to Ground Zero, the site of 9/11. You can’t actually see anything as it’s just a building site now but then that’s the point you see nothing – a huge area of nothing which just shows how much destruction was done. It’s so shocking. We stopped for lunch in an Indian restaurant opposite the site before seeing the Ground Zero memorial and walking on into Soho, the shopping district. This area is completely different to the top end shopping area we had already been to. Most of the shops sell the same old rubbish and nothing that we fancied buying.
In the evening we booked tickets online to a club called Webster Hall. Being so out of sync with time we are always late for everything these days. We didn’t end up getting to the club until 2am! We had already paid 15 bucks to get on the guest list so we strolled into the circus themed club like VIP. The club is basically a huge house with 5 floors with a different type of music on each floor. Nothing like little old Follies that’s for sure! We were absolutely shocked at the price of drinks after getting our first round consisting of two beers and two shots for $46, no joke! In shock we headed to the top floor playing Hip Hop. We turned out to be the only white people up there and knew we had no chance of keeping up with their moves dancing off the walls so we sat and watched everyone instead, it like out of a film! When a well known song would come on everyone seemed to merge into lines and dance the same routine – it was great! Then onto the fourth floor playing hard house with the biggest speakers we have ever seen but we didn’t stay for long as the seizure lights were spinning us out! Next was the third floor which was playing cheesy 80’s tracks so we swiftly moved down into the basement. They were playing pop music but the club girls were dancing around poles in their underwear (well some underwear and some tape!). We managed to talk the barman into giving us buy one get one free beer – if you don’t ask you don’t get - bargain! We had a little dance in the packed first floor with pop music playing with some more cheap drinks as we talked the barmaid into giving us free shots!
Before we knew it it was 4.30am and the club was closing. We left and tried to take the subway back home ... we can hardly use it sober let alone when we are really drunk! We got completely lost and lost our ticket so we gave up and decided to get a taxi instead. When we emerged from the subway it was broad day light and 6.30am! Turns out we hadn’t even made it to Brooklyn we were still in Manhattan, we are so useless. The taxi only cost $15 so it’s not too bad.
19 June – Top of the Rock and boarding our last Round the World flight!
Waking up with a shocking hangover (we are not used to drinking anymore) at 11am we packed our bags (whilst I cried because I can’t believe the trip is already over) and we finally made it out of the door at 3pm and went back to TGI Friday’s in Times Square for a hangover cure! After this we walked to the Rockafella Centre to go to the ‘Top of the Rock’ to see the city from the city’s second tallest building. An elevator swiftly took us up to the 67th floor where you have an amazing 360 degree view of the city! On one side you can see Central Park and New Jersey and from the other you can see the awesome Empire State building!! After taking some breathtaking pictures we headed down the elevator past the Swarovski chandelier and caught the subway back to Adina’s flat to collect our bags and say our goodbyes.
More tears and before we knew it we were back on the subway heading to the airport for our last Round the World flight! Seriously bad times! We managed to miss our stop and went right to the end of the track and had to get a bus back to the airport! Our flight boarded at 10pm and by 11pm we were in the air heading back to London.
20 June – Full Circle – heading home We landed back in gloomy London at 11am this morning. After catching the bus from Heathrow to Gatwick, we put our luggage in storage and got on the train to Crawley. A quick hour and a half dash around the shops and we headed back to Gatwick. At 5pm we tried to check into our flight to Guernsey only to be told we have been kicked off of it and needed to book a later flight. As usual the fog in Guernsey had made them cancel the afternoon flight and the rest of the flights were being delayed. We managed to get booked onto the 7.30 flight which started with a half hour delay. We didn’t end up getting on the plane until 9pm. Typical that we have travelled the entire world and had no problems with flights and our last flight to Guernsey had to be delayed!
When we landed in Guernsey we were so excited to get out the door to see our parents! Thankfully our luggage came quickly and we flew out the door into teary eyed mummies! Sooooooooo happy to be home... for now!
Truly a la perchoine, Jodie and Shaun
Over and out
