Sam N Tim

We are up earlyish for our Madam Tussaud’s museum visit. Again, we are able to walk there taking in the sights and sounds of New York City. I love it, there is so many things going on that for a tourist there is no quick way of getting anywhere! The walk up Seventh Avenue holds almost as many of the label shops as Fifth Avenue, but not as pricey and then there are lots and lots of smaller shops mixed in to make your day interesting - and potentially expensive. Luckily we have somewhere to be so we hold ourselves back (that’s right, both of us, my Tim is a good little shopper himself!). We pass through Times Square and it is breathtaking, we are coming back here tonight to see Jersey Boys on Broadway and ... read more

I woke up still sore and sorry, but hey, I’m in New York, so I’m not going to let a couple of cracked ribs stop me from enjoying the experience! We manage to work out the subway to get to Battery Park (with some help from some other tourists - blind leading the blind) which is where the Statue of Liberty boats depart from. THE SUBWAY To say the system is enormous is an understatement! Looking at it, I don’t think there is anywhere you couldn’t get to. One downside is that sometimes you may have to change trains A LOT to get to where you want to be. The other downside is that it’s a bit on the stinky side down there, maybe to stop people hanging about - although remember in New York everyone ... read more

We're up bright and early for breakfast then it’s just a short walk across the road to catch our train to Niagara Falls. Even though our train doesn’t leave until 8:30am we need to be there early because there are no assigned seats and we’ve been warned that the train can get very full. It doesn’t just service Niagara Falls, there are a few stops before Niagara and then it continues over the border into the USA and onto New York. It’s before 8am and there is already a long queue waiting for our train. It’s a nice scenic 2 hour train trip to Niagara Falls and before we know it we’re there! We opt to catch a taxi to the Welcome Centre instead of waiting for the shuttle bus which is not due for another ... read more

Unfortunately I think today is the day that put the final nail in the Montreal coffin for Tim. After a good sleep in, I convinced Tim that we could go for a drive to a beach about 45 minutes away that was recommended by the concierge that hadn’t been affected by a recent oil spill that. Hoping that a nice beach visit would lift Tim’s spirits and also his opinion of Montreal. When we left it was nice and sunny with a few clouds way off in the distance. Unfortunately for us the grey skies began to roll in and then it started to spit the closer we got to the beach. When we found the beach entry it was actually in a National Park and as with most National parks there is an entry fee. ... read more

Tim has a sleep in this morning while I go and get all that girly stuff done - hair and nails. We found a hairdresser not far from the hotel last night on our walk home so after breakfast I head there, to discover they are closed… I go to the coffee shop next door and after buying a muffin and coffee ask them if they know when it will be open. Turns out that Monday is hairdresser closed day here, if only the opening hours sign was in English. No matter, I’m directed to a street where there is a shopping mall and everything is open. HAIRDRESSING, QUEBEC STYLE So after walking past some very, very nice clothing stores I find a hairdresser who can see me. Before I left home my wonderful hairdresser, Michelle, ... read more