A long day!

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Geo: 40.7486, -73.9913

Time check: 0455 LHR - Arora Hotel Room 217 - up and at em! Power shower followed by a precautionary Ibuprofen.

Cab - Mr Singh (who listens to Radio Punjab) is bang on time at 0600hrs to take us to T3. Check in Virgin Airlines. The check in girl "Lisa" whose fake nails were nearly falling off her looked tired but "experienced".

We trundle through security expecting every battery to be tested. Instead my pack was swabbed for explosives.

WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF "CLAYTONS"!!!

In New Zealand a "Claytons" is a non alcoholic drink made to think you are having a real drink. A bit like Calibre in the 1980s'....of the "it's great man fame"

"A Drink when you are not really having a drink"

At the moment, we are sitting in a "Claytons Business Class Lounge" courtesy of our bank card. They serve a Claytons breakfast - porridge - Rivita - apples - mind you you do get a flabby bacon role if you ask.

The wifi is Claytons wifi. The iPad finds the signal but it does not work!

Claytons air-con. HOT AIR instead of cold. Specifically designed to get you to move on asap!

TIME CHECK: 0720hrs - we will be going to the Virgin Gate (22) shortly to board our Claytons Business Flight to JFK. (Premium Economy).

SHOPPING ALERT. T3 shopping is designed to make you spend. World of Whiskeys - Caviar House - every luxury you can find. Cathy "beetles" into Jo Malone and quizzes the helpful assistant on every fragrance in their range - lids come off - little spatulas produce small samples - rose hip and nettle - peach and nutmeg etc etc. A small NZ finger is about to stick itself into one pot when a small spatula blocks the way.....At £50 a pot we eventually walk off leaving the staff to "tidy" up.

TIME CHECK: 0850hrs - sitting in Seat 19D - very civilised - take off 0905 - 7.5 hrs to JFK. This is the life. "WE" have opted for aisle seats - window seats are all very well and good but you can get trapped by the "3rd person". Our 3rd person is in the middle - a silent bearded wonder type hopefully with a small bladder....

CLAYTONS BUSINESS CLASS.....Deep Joy..... The In Flight Entertainment System has failed!!!. Only 6.5 hours to go and I have read the emergency instructions several times and played eye spy. I spy something with my little eye beginning with "B" ...... a blank screen......thumb twiddle...

SALT INCIDENT; Life is never boring with Hillmans!! Cathy manages to empty her whole Virgin Salt Sellar over her lunch in the first few seconds of peeling off her foil and has a completely new meal delivered!!

Good news! The inflight entertainment system is rebooted! Hurrah!!

Our flight attendant "Lisa" is a real star. I ask her in a nonchalantly if she will be spending long in NYC. Spotting a discerning and cultured traveller she chats away enthusiastically as I helpfully pass over the debris from "bearded wonder" who by this time has had a sudden and worrying deodorant failure.

The Virgin Pilot Boys land us safely and on time at JFK.

MISSION: Cathy has decided that we will take public transport to Manhattan. We set off and take the sky train to Jamica Station. Things have moved on since we were last here. No more Inspector Dibble types and rusty fire hydrants. A new driveless train skims past the 7 Terminals at JFK.

TECHNO BAFFLED. More consternation as we try and negotiate the Blue line (E) subway - with several bags. Only 24 stops to PENN STATION!!! We could have been sitting in the comfort of an air conditioned Lincoln - instead we sit out the 24 stations on The Subway - surrounded by every race on the planet plus a couple of exotic dancers from The Bronx.

WE ARRIVE! Whoop. Penn Station - no map - and no real idea of where our Hotel is located. Cathy to the rescue......charming the pants of a concierge we discover the hotel is only 200m away. The Affinia Hotel is reminiscent of The Gotham City Police HQ. Our room is a massive disappointment. POKEY and with a window the size of a prison cell. AT ONCE I head for reception...... a few minutes later I am clutching a key card for Room 2205 - WOW a presidential suite with a huge balcony overlooking Maddison Square Gardens, lounge and small G & T prep area. I HAVE MY USES....

RECCE: NYC still feels slightly grubby and edgy. A bit Starsky and Hutch like. FANTASTIC!!!!! Sirens wail - Fire Trucks with names like LADDDER 45 whizz past. Tonight we will head out to a local diner call "Long Tall Harry" for a well earned meal and then rest..........

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