A South African account of New Year in New York.

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I was in New York for the New Year.

We spent most of the time in Manhattan as its pretty touristy.

We had a 4-star hotel for the 6 family members, I had been in hostels and dorms that had bigger living spaces, I guess that's what you get for wanting to stay near central park.

It was winter, cold snowy, and white. For a South African, this was something to see! (snow is impressive - I think its like a hot country thing)



From a young age and seeing Central Park in all the movies i wanted my central park moment.. sitting on a bench, watching the people go by, cigarette in one hand (which cost more than 5 times the amount than in SA), bagel in the other. Snow coming down.. There few moments in the traveling lifetime that Ive felt such pure bliss..

I got to see many things that week;

• Rockefeller building - i didn't go to the top
• The Empire State building - also didn't go to the top (am i a bad traveler?)
• The ferry to Stratton Island, i went outside and took pictures
• Stratton island seemed very average - so took the next first ferry back
• Saw the Statue of Liberty (its so far away from the free ferry)
• Central station, this was seriously epic, it's like golden, and the whispering wall works, i said a whole lot of crude things to my brother and he heard me just fine (kinda wish he didnt)
• The bull and the girl aka Wall street, a little average, dunno what i expected
• Ground zero, i did go into the downstairs section (is that a museum) but it was very beautiful


You know what was the weirdest thing? I stay in one of the most dangerous countries in the world, but while I was on the trains, or in big touristy places I was so scared someone would bomb us or something.. Trump was always on the TV and the stuff he was saying just made me feel that someone, somewhere is going to do something. It was pretty surreal. So I didnt spend my new years watching the ball drop, I didnt want to get bombed, too many people, it would be too easy for them to make maximum damage. Instead I went bar hopping in Brooklyn, I have a little of an accent and Americans are crazy friendly. it was a jolly old time, except when i went to the final club of the night and they wouldt let me in because I didnt have my ID, im 27!!! Someone did graciously take me in for the night and even allowed me to sleep in her bed. My brother who was with me, got lost with some other girl and he ended up sleeping in some passage as they couldn't get into the flat. Gooooood times. The rest of the time I spent trying to not freeze my balls off, white is nice and all but its a little cold for this South African. Until the next travels, which is hopefully Eastern Europe, we will see.

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