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Published: January 8th 2012
An early wakeup call at 4.30am to pack up and head for the Greyhound. On the bus and 1st stop the US border! “Welcome to the USA”. Greeted and processed through border control by a surprisingly cheerful and helpful lady who even went as far as recommending a few things to do in New York.
Shortly after and we arrived at our 1st stop in Buffalo. Run down bus station with some strange people wandering round. My 1st taste of USA... Some old guy walked up to me saying he knew me and swore blind I was from New Jersey or just 'Jersey' as he liked to put it in a gruff, 3 bottles of vodka a day, New Yorker type accent. After proceeding to order something he told the waitress, “I aint no Dego! I get a weekly pay check.” Nice and very eloquently put by my new American friend.
Back on the bus and after stops at Syracuse (home town of Tom Cruise), Cortland, some place beginning with B and Burgerking, (not to be confused with the actual place beginning with B) the coach driver was hungry and I think got a freebie, we arrived at
the Port Authority Bus Terminal. 12 long hours after setting off from Toronto. Immediately on stepping out of the bus station I was hit by the noise, energy and volume of people on the streets of New York. Toronto had a librarian ghost town feel to it in comparison. It was an exhilarating feeling that instantly draws you to the place. London is almost as busy and bustling but doesn't have quite the same level of buzz and atmosphere to it as New York. As soon as you start talking to locals, asking for directions and whatever, you feel a character and energy which doesn't exist in far more stuffy Europe, the old country.
After arriving at our cheap as it gets $100 a night Hotel Carter on 43rd street just off Broadway, we're once again pleasantly surprised to find the place is ok and not crawling with rats and cockroaches! Well none that we can see anyhow.
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Karen Hargreaves
non-member comment
Toronto - New York
Toronto is a great place to see & of course the falls which you also visited. Glad the Hotel Carter passed with flying colours. You have a knack of drawing people in when you write, to make them feel you are there with you both. I wish!!!! Carry on writing so we can all experience your great adventures.