In the US

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January 1, 2011:

New Year's Eve, we were with a few friends and someone asked 'Have you made reservations at Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca NY?' Well we hadn't, so after midnight, when we were home, Katy checked. "Closed for renovations until January 10th"! Looks like visiting the writers of Katy's second favourite cookbook (after J of C), will have to wait.

So instead, we're at that most exotic of all locations: Bangor.
TT

January 2nd, 2011:

The second day. Kept driving down the US New England coast and stopped in Freeport, Maine. Freeport is obviously a town based on shopping extravagance. After an hour at LLBean we left without buying anything. But I do highly recommend the coffee at LLBean. Then we walked around Freeport and I expect we are the only threesome (Katy, Nora, Tarjei) to ever have driven out of Freeport without purchasing anything. Except coffee.

We are staying in Hartford, Connecticut. Tomorrow NYC!
TT

January 3rd, 2011:

So here we are in New York – arrived this afternoon and currently looking for a mechanic about the clunky noise in the right driver’s side wheel well area. Tarjei is under the optimistic illusion that it might disappear if he tightens the wheel nuts.

Our drive was guided by our new GPS lady, “Norma”, who speaks fluent Spanish and we were pleased that we understood her completely until we lost our way between the Bronx and Queen’s – ended up in rough winding back streets and had to bail out by firing Norma and rehiring “Jane” who has a lovely British accent and got us back en route.

Then at the toll bridge across to Brooklyn, we got funnelled into the “EZPASS ONLY” lane, and couldn’t veer over to the “CASH” lane in time, so we pulled up to the booth which of course had no attendant. Noisy honking traffic piled up behind us and we were completely hemmed in. Big sign in front of us stating “DO NOT EXIT YOUR VEHICLE” so we sat there petrified that the truck behind us would simple drive over the Volvo. Fortunately, an officious official eventually ambled over and asked us what we were doing. He explained, as if we were mentally challenged, that this was quite obviously the wrong lane. He gave us a lecture on signage. He then asked for Tarjei’s driver’s licence. Finally he said “Nova Scotia? Since you’re from practically another country I’ll just give you a warning for now – that’ll be $6.50 exact change only” so we paid him and drove off greatly relieved to be alive.

We dropped Nora off at her apartment, helped her pack for a while (she is moving to a new apartment January 5th), then retreated to our very comfortable B&B where we are now recuperating.
KF

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