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Published: March 5th 2006
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So, after getting the departure terminal wrong at Heathrow, I actually managed to get myself to destination 1-New York! I was met at JFK by a friend of mine who has been a legend from the minute I got off the plane until now. The first thing he did was buy me a weekly metro card so that I could get myself around the city for free which has been invaluable to me. When we stepped out of the subway to find my hostel, I was breathtaken. I could see the Empire State building lit up in front of me, Yellow cabs everywhere and 34th street just opposite (just like the movies!) So, we made our way to my hostel, checked in then headed out into the night for my 1st New York Experience. We grabbed some Pizza from a tiny little place in Greenwich Village, stopped by an infamous bakery to get some cupcakes and some Banana pudding, which is essentially mashed up banoffee pie in a huge cup-It was amazing! We then went to a truely American pub for some beer and some live music. It was crazy, the whole bar was just taken over by various groups of
musicians playing southern American music, all at the same time in different booths in the pub, great atmosphere. Got back to my hostel at just gone midnight to find the other 5 girls asleep in bed so had to attempt to sort myself out in the dark.
DAY 1
I woke up pretty early on Thursday morning but was too excited about what was outside to sleep in! I decided that my first adventure was going to be a trip to Central Park. I left the hostel and stepped into a snow storm! Well, I guess it wasn't a storm, but it was snowing really heavily. I'm in New York and its snowing!!! Now, the subway from 34th St to Central Park was supposed to take 10 minutes, but me being me, got on the wrong train and it took me an hour an a half! Stll, when I stepped out of the subway and saw the view opposite me, it was all worth it. The park was white and there was a horse & carriage parked on the sideway, it looked magical. So, the camera came out and I decided to walk through the park in persuit
of the Alice in Wonderland statue. This proved to be considerably difficult actually, so I stopped to ask a lady in a gazebo if she could point out where we were on a map! We had a good chat and she invited me out at the weekend with her husband and friends from Washington DC! I then decided to go to the metropolitan museum of art. It was really beautiful but I hadn't had breakfast or lunch and was too hungry to contemplate looking at everything. After an hour or so I headed to a cafe reccommended to me, one that central perk in friends was based on. It was so cool. I sat myself down on a sofa with a mug of coffee and my travel journal. Got talking to a guy who convinced me to go to the Gugenheim museum so I headed back out into the snow for the trek to the museum, only to find when I got there that it was shut on Thursdays! There were a couple of NYPD cops guarding it so I had a chat to them who gave me some more suggestions as to how I could spend my time. I
was on 5th Avenue at that time, and rememebered that Tiffany & Co was at the end of the Avenue. With thoughts of Kate in mind telling me I have to go there, I trecked on through the snow until I found it and wished I had enough money to buy myself something! I met up with Pat later and went for some Thai food and a coffee in a weird cafe with a horrifyingly scary toilet, like something out of the film Saw!
Day 2
Woke up and actually met the other girls in my hostel. I couldn't believe what happened...2 of the girls who had met each other at their uni were sharing my dorm, one of whom went to my 1st secondary school and the other was a friend of my sisters in the year above me at Newstead, lives in Orpington! I was in shock for about an hour! What a small world. Anyway, decided today that I'd lug my backpack over to Queens where Pat lives as his room mate was out of town and kindly said I could stay. Then made my way to the Statue of Liberty. Sounds simple huh, but
I managed, again, to get on the wrong train and went an hour of the way in the wrong direction ending up in the Bronx!! When I did eventually get there though, it was fantastic and my camera did me proud! Having lost my gloves the day before I was almost crying on the ferry to Liberty Island with the cold, but the photos had to be taken! When I got back to the appartment, Pat and I went into Brooklyn to see one of his friends bands play...followed by a German pub where we consumed the biggest glass of beer in the world!! Then we headed to a club downtown for someones birthday which was fun, I actually got to drink Manhattans in Manhattan!
Day 3
Well that was today! Woke up with a slight hangover but nothing the shock of the coldness couldn't sort out! Went across to the store to get us some breakfast...got my American Granola so I was happy! Then decided I'd go to see ground Zero and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. I was lucky enough to be at ground zero as the American Soldiers were having a memorial event for Sep
11. I then walked to the brooklyn bridge. I swear I have never seen a view more stunning than the one I saw today. I was walking over brooklyn bridge with the Manhattan skyline to gaze at whilst listening to U2 playing on my ipod! I was smiling and actually wanted to dance across the bridge! I then met up with Pat to do some shopping, for him obviously and came back to the appartment. He's now on a date so I've taken the opportunity to write!
Hope all is well with you all, I'll keep updating so keep checking in! Miss you all,
Aims
PS... I'm waking up every morning excited to see what the new day will brinf, what amazing things I'll see, who I'll meet...I'm so happy and so sure I'm doing a good thing!
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Bex
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New York
MIMI! You sound like you are having SUCH a good time, I am so jel! The pictures are amazing, trust you to take a close up picture of the soldiers when they are having a memorial service! Keep it all coming, and I'll upload photos soon. Love you babe! Miss you! xxxxxxx