"Y'all got questions, just ask me, cause I know all... all...."

---

Well, as day 2 of our eventful journey draws to a close, we can start ticking off some of the highlights of our semi-home away from home NYC as well as some important lessons which quite simply, just had to be learned.

Although we had a rather early wake up call of 5:00am (thanks jet lag), breakfast of cereal and nesquik did not eventuate until about 7:30. As we have none of the necessary utensils for breakfasting, we decided to wait until Uncle Peter was well and truly awake before we came tumbling in. After much timid knocking and eavesdropping, we finally texted him to reveal that he was already at work. Yep.

At around 11:00am we got all rugged up and headed out into the freezing sunshine. After a few odd turns we reached the shopping centre and from there what we thought was the train. It was a train, just not the right one. After a nice ride all the way to Liberty Bay?Cove? (ie. the middle of nowhere) it was decided that we were most definetly on the wrong mode of transport. So we hopped off and back on a train heading the other way where confusion in the form of a ticket machine met us at the subway station.

Finally, we arrived at Ground Zero (World Trade Centre), the freezing air prompted us to seek refuge in the nearby Century 21. Unfortunetly, this refuge did great damage to our wallets/travel cards although we're not really complaining. (Oh! The bargains! :D)
After a quick lunch of Chicken Noodle Soup (with crackers the NY way) we headed down towards the Empire State Building via Grand Centre Station (Amazingly beautiful!!). Walking down or is it up(?) to 42nd Street we ducked in and out of shops before arriving at the Empire State, there was no queue! And we did a half round of the 86th floor (the other half had been barricaded off, apparently a prince was coming to see it?) before our windswept little selves decided we'd had enough and headed for home. (Via a couple of the mandatory stores, Victoria's Secret etc..)

A stop in the mall on the way back got us cinnamon sticks (AMAAAZING!!) and our dinner of some chinese takeout. So now, we're quite tired and pretty much about to go to bed. That's all from us today!

So, a brief summary of the lessons dealt with today:

#1. The Light Rail is NOT the same as the PATH Train. Failure to notice this until too late may result in a few spare rail passes, several unecessary but useful for cold weather adaptation waits on outdoor stations, a very scenic route towards Manhattan involving much consultation of a map and a slight feeling of foolishness. Nevermind, what's important is that we got there in the end.

#2. Americans stay to the RIGHT. Whoops, sorry sir! Didn't mean to accidentally block your way/walk into you/cause confusion on the pavement. This one, is being worked on.

#3. Loud exclamations about common objects should be kept to a minimum when in Public unless one is into odd looks and funny stares.

We hope you're having a lovely time in the gorgeous Sydney weather!! Meanwhile we just try to read the weather reports and try to figure out exactly how cold 39 degrees fahrenheit is...

---