More of NYC... then on my way home!

Yesterday was a great day. I got up lazily at about 10.30am, had a nice shower, then left the hostel around 12pm. I headed straight for Central Park and had a nice wander through it. There were lots of runners and joggers, as well as people riding horses, playing volleyball, tennis etc. I stopped to take a photo at the reservoir and dropped my camera case behind the railings! After some conspiring I managed to get it back with the aid of a branch. Very proud of myself.

So then I got the subway to Times Square and dropped by the Hard Rock Cafe to buy a t-shirt, and the Toys R Us to have a look. It was AMAZING - they had a ferris wheel, a moving dinosaur, a WWF ring and a big Barbie house! Then I walked to Radio City Music Hall to have a look, and dropped by the CD shop, FYE. See http://allstarpidge.blogspot.com/2005/09/brief-encounter-in-fye.html for the full story. There I bought Dashboard Confessional and Matt Nathanson, then walked to the Rockefeller Center and couldn't wait to ring Mum and tell her about what happened in FYE!

I traversed NYC for a payphone and made it to the Manhattan Mall, and my phonecard wouldn't work! So I text Mum and told her I had something really cool to tell her and I'd ring her tomorrow. I then went into Aeropostale and they had a No-Tax sale on, so I got two tops and some jeans, fighting the urge to buy a hoodie!

So then I was all shopped out, so I got some chinese food from the food court and headed back to the hostel, where I sat in front of the telly until 11pm! Travelling solo is vastly overrated!
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This morning I awoke around 10am, checked out and booked an airport shuttle, which leaves in around an hour, so no time to visit Liberty Island, but I saw the statue so I'm happy! Been on the internet and had my last Dunkin Donuts breakfast (left over from yesterday!) and I'm now just gonna chill in front of the telly. Really looking forward to going home now. VERY excited!

The Big Apple! New York City, NY

So here I am, back in NYC, where I started nearly three months ago. It's weird to think I've not been home since then.

It was quite sad leaving Philly today. I liked it a lot really. Me and CB spent the morning lazily, going for coffee in Starbucks, then getting breakfast at Dunkin donuts in the mall. Spending time with her was great.

I got my bus around 12pm. It was PACKED - I ended up on the front seat behind the driver, squashed up against the window by some heffer woman's ass. John Mayer and Ben Harper made it all better!

Once in NYC I got the right subway but in the wrong direction! By the time I got to the HI I was knackered from all my luggage! Had to change my own sheets which In wasn't too impressed about, then I headed to Subway for lunch! Then I got the subway to South Ferry, right at the bottom of Manhattan, and walked through the financial district, past Wall Street, to Ground Zero - the site of the World Trade Center. It was really moving, all fenced off and a mess, with information boards around it - so sad.

Then I got the ferry to Staten Island, hoping for a good view of the Statue of Liberty, but it was still quite far away, and the sun was behind it. I think I may get the Liberty Island ferry on Tuesday morning before my flight home to get a better look.

Anyways, I waited ages for a ferry back, then I had to get the subway, so I've only just got back and had some tea. Gonna catch some zees now so I can do plenty tomorrow - even though it's Labour Day apparently it's business as usual!

Philadelphia, PA

Today was a good day. I went the long way round to Betsy Ross' House (by following the road signs and not the pedestrian ones - duh!) - Betsy Ross being the woman who made the first Stars and Stripes flag - and wandered past City Hall, through all the people lying on benches to the Free Library to get an hour's free internet for being a foreigner!

Then I sat outside the Visitor's Centre and ate my lunch, read my book, and waited for CB's bus to come in. It was really relaxing to be around someone I know and not have to make any effort! We spent the rest of the evening in the hostel watching the 9pm movie, which was a 1980's flick starring John Cusack, called 'The Sure Thing'. Very cheesy but quite funny.

A Day Trip to New York City, NY

Woke up just before 10 this morning, having not heard from Myke (I later suspected that the number I texted him on was in fact a landline... balls!). They were playing music into our room to wake us up, with the intention of kicking us out by 10.30am, something I was only informed about whilst making my sandwiches in the kitchen at 10.45!

I got the bus to NYC around 11.30am, arriving at Port Authority Bus Terminal (my starting point nearly three months ago) at around 1.20pm. I had no idea how to get anywhere, so I had a wander and ended up on Times Square! Dropped into a pharmacy and bought the coolest little map - it's pop up! - and made my way down 42nd street to the Chrysler Building. Had a wander into Grand Central Station along the way.

Next I wandered down 5th Avenue until I came to the Empire State Building. I decided to go up it, and it took $14 and an awful lot of queuing! I had to queue for security, the cashier, the elevator, the second elevator, the elevator back down...

The view was great though! I took loads of pictures - I could see across the Hudson River into New Jersey, the Chrysler Building, Central Park, over to Ellis and Liberty Islands, the Statue of Liberty and to where, four years ago, I would've seen the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre. I phoned Mum from the top, who guessed correctly as to where I was!

Anyways, after I came back down I walked up 34th Street to Macy's on Broadway, and from there I walked back to the bus terminal to come back, cos I didn't want to be back in Philly too late.

After grabbing a McD's, I hurried back and settled on the couch, ready for the 9pm film, when in walked Becky and Judy from the Buffalo HI! It was great to see them again and catch up - they didn't much like the area they stayed in in DC either!

We watched 28 Days Later, which was ok for a zombie movie, but not great, then went to bed - worst nights sleep ever! People constantly and out, bike revving outside... see http://allstarpidge.blogspot.com/2005/09/trouble-with-being-light-sleeper.html

URGH!

(Cool, Creamy) Philadelphia, PA

Got the bus around 10.15 this morning - was a full bus so not too comfy! Arrived in Philadelphia, PA at around 1pm and walked the 10 blocks to the hostel with my gargantuous bags in the sweltering midday heat - hoo hoo! BAD idea! To my ULTIMATE dismay, the hostel was closed until 4.30pm, so I rang the bell in desperation, but to no avail.

Luckily, after about 45mins of praying for someone to come along and let me in, someone came outside for a cigarette and let me put my bags inside - thank gawd!

So then I had nearly 3 hours to kill, so I wandered up the main street to the visitor's centre and got a free ticket to see the Liberty Bell - Philadelphia's "Finest Ornament". It's a bell that was commissioned for the state house, but which cracked soon after. It has since been used / seen as a symbol for liberty and equality - black rights, women's rights etc.

I passed up on seeing the Independence Hall (I'll do that on Saturday) to have a wander around the mall while it was still open. I bought a book ('Chinese Cinderella'), some postcards, a Ben Harper CD (after hearing it in Chris' car - I'm hooked!) and I got my ear pierced from Claires. Then I phoned home and had a conversation with Dad that I'd sooner forget to be honest. Let's just say that when you're in a foreign country and you're on your own it's lonely and scary, and phoning home should always give you a sense of familiarity and comfort.

Then I came back and had some tea (New England Clam Chowder - not so good out of a tin!), had a very nice, long shower and watched Sin City on the TV - movies everynight at 9pm here - I love it!

Supposed to be meeting Afro Myke in NYC tomorrow, we'll see how that pans out...