Shits & Giggles in the Big Apple

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WE MADE IT!

After a gruelling 21hr door to door escapade, Trung and I finally reached our hostel in Manhattan in New York city. What a journey! Intense airport security, delayed flights, bolting between terminals at Heathrow, and joining (a somewhat relieved) Trung at the checkin in London with about 15 mins to spare - phew! Not to mention queing 2 hrs at immigration in JFK...! Nevertheless, we were dropped off at Grand Central station at sunset for a very nice first impression of the city.

The hostel is a wake up and smell the coffee reminder of the kind of digs we're going to have to get reaccommodated with over the coming months. I actually thought we'd mistaken the Chelsea International Hostel for Alcatraz at first and I imagined myself telling the bloke on the front desk "there must be some sort of mistake..." But hey, thats what we've signed up for - even the first shower in this place, with a broken light in the communal shower cubucle, meaning I had to leave the door open a jar. A scarey prospect for fellow residents! Nevertheless, theres Precint 14 (read "police station"!) across the road and we're a 5 minute walk to Times Square in the centre of Manhattan so theres plenty of positives 😊

Side note to past colleagues - loving the life of non project speak including vocabulary such as "implementation", "replan"(!!), "defects" and good lordy, "caveats". Heres hoping theres not too many of those over the next while...

Myth No1. Spontaneous applause from passengers on successful landing of American bound aeroplane.

Prediction after week 1: A staple diet of Wendy's and Taco Bell and a self study of the "Supersize Me" effect.

Have been on the lookout for some sort of heavyweight celebrity over the last few days. Trung has been keeping his eyes open for Jessica Alba but while checking out Wall Street yesterday, I was secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of Micheal Douglas a.k.a Gordon Gekko appearing from one of the grand banks there - Blue Horseshoe LOVES Annacott Steel! - Yeah!
Anyway, we havent seen either of those guys but that doesnt matter as today, while cycling round Central Park, we bumped into someone with far more celebrity punch - Mr Jerry Springer himself and his rather impressive limosine. Nice. So success on the celeb front!

Apart from that, we've also been shopping in Macy's (it's like a big John Lewis), visited the Statue of Liberty, took a cruise round Manhattan Bay and feasted on "Haw't Dags". Declined the Hot Dog eating contest on 4th July and settled for the fireworks... which by the way, are nothing compared to Edinburgh at the end of August. Go Edinburgh!! So really, just behaving like a right tourist really!

Tomorrow, we pick up "The Beast" and head for Washington and the scarey thing is... it looks like im driving us out this city...! Hold tight Trung!

Really struggling finding internet coffee shops but hopefully, will have some pics on this thing shortly - bye for now!

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Photos

"Jerry! Jerry!"
"Dude, is that Jerry Springer..?!" At Central Park.

Comments

[Alibali]

Alrighty!
Well lads its great to see that ye made it to the USof A and in time for the 4th July festivities. Mind yourselves in those communal showers now - i've heard strange things can happen! Ha!Ha! Take care!

[Rory Fowler]

Who's that with Jerry?
Never mind where's Wally, is that old George at the back of Jerry? Probably trying to collect a freebie ride !! Have fun waiting eagerly on the next installment.