New York and New Jersey

17/04/2016 (distance covered: 2.94 miles or 5,980 steps)

A day of travel, and not one I’ll forget (for both good and bad points). A very early 5:45am beginning dressed like a casual hipster, making my way to ABZ and hiding the fact that I am a bag of nerves. The plane was delayed slightly, but we jetted off at 9 and landed in LGW by 11am. With the second, and more important, flight of the day to JFK at 5pm, I had quite a bit of time to kill.

Mother ended up treating me to the No1 Lounge in Gatwick to get the food and beverages. Lucky!

5pm arrived and we were in the air. Norwegian Airlines were surprisingly decent; very hi-tech screen in front of you with the ability to order food and drink without attempting to catch the eye of the cabin crew. I finally managed to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens again, so the time flew by.
Next thing you know, I’M IN AMERICA!!! The excitement builds as I get off the plane, we all wait at customs. A long wait; I’m not impressed, but I got through by 8pm EST. The worst part only begins, however. An even FURTHER wait at the ground transportation desk for my already pre-booked shuttle bus to arrive and pick a select few up was delayed by another hour. And when it arrives, the traffic into Manhattan is horrendous and I am the last party to be dropped off. Time? 10:30pm.
Nearly falling asleep in the back seat, I arrive at the hostel, not in the greatest of moods, and settle into my room. A ‘roommate’ was already sleeping by the time I get in, so I’m preparing to sleep in pitch black. After 21 hours, just let me sleep, world.

 

18/04/2016 (distance covered: 11.83 miles or 23,200 steps)

I meet my fellow roommates, an Irish man who enjoys UFC, and a young Argentinian couple who were both attorneys (will need to track them down to start our own crime-fighting and prosecution company). I’m out of the hostel by 9am; an early start, a quality sleep, and a need to explore the Big Apple.
When I was in NYC 7 years ago, I missed out on getting to Liberty and Ellis Island, so that was my plan for the day. Finding it exceptionally easy to navigate the streets, subways and stretches of the city, I get to Battery Park by 10:30 and get my ticket (Liberty Island, pedestal access and Ellis Island) for $18; superb.

Giving my phone to a larger woman with her own Nikon and a child was a bold move, here…

How to enjoy a lunch on Liberty Island, featuring me.

After Liberty Island came Ellis Island Immigration. A fascinating place dating back from the 1890s, over which nearly 12 million immigrants arrived to America and colonised the country. Quite an shock hearing and reading of the experiences by these immigrants, something of which I’m definitely going to research more on. I’d have liked to spend more time there, but I had a tour to catch in Manhattan.
The Midtown Tour; one of the best tours I’ve ever had the pleasure to be a part of. Starting in Grand Central Terminal, going past New York Public Library, through Times Square and Broadway, passing the Rockefeller and the 21 Club… It was insanely interesting. The tour guide Zev’s knowledge of NYC was second to none, explaining where the term ‘Big Apple’ came, bars in the Prohibition Era, the one unpolished brick in Grand Central, and how Times Square was all XXX theaters back in the 70’s before VHS tapes were released (you can guess why the theaters went downhill from there…).

Bryant Park, behind the Public Library; my new go-to place for my next visit. Gorgeous.

After all the walking, I settle down in Bubba Gump’s for some shrimp egg rolls and a bourbon Mahi Mahi washed down by a cocktail and a Brooklyn Lager on draught. An extra long walk home carrying a large backpack and a full stomach was rewarded by my first lie down of the day in my bed in the hostel.

 

19/04/2016 (distance covered: 14.21 miles or 27,880 steps)

Another early start meeting another roommate called Lisa, a Swedish gal who worked as cabin crew; a very pleasant girl. Using my feet as my only method of transport, I walked up north around 24 blocks and hit Central Park. You can’t fathom how big the park is without being in it; it really is a spectacle of a landmark. I will need to plan a route of where I walked in the park after spending nearly two and a half hours there! I managed to walk round the entire Jacqueline Kennedy Reservoir, past Strawberry Fields where John Lennon was shot, and into the Central Park Zoo. Running short on time, I didn’t have the opportunity to visit; just another excuse to return to this remarkable city.

According to a tour guide, that large building’s penthouse is worth $100 million. Goals.

The next part of my day was hell. The 24 degree heat still beaming down on me, plus two solid rucksacks walking to Penn Station to reach Newark, NJ. A 30 minute walk, two trains and another 15 minute walk to the Best Western Hotel, and I could not be more relieved. I got up to my room and just dropped onto the bed. After being in a hostel for two nights, I could listen to loud music, blare the television and have a powerful shower, as opposed to the trickles of piss nights before.

I managed to Skype my girl before she went to bed; I’m starting to underestimate the time difference of five hours. It does not seem like much but when you speak or text literally every day for 6 months, it’s kind of hard to maintain communication when you are continents apart. Nonetheless, it was incredible to speak to her, always brightens my day up.

Wined and dined in the hotel restaurant with the New York Strip, served with asparagus, creamy mash and a red wine jus.

And that brings me up to now. Just flicking the channels looking for decent television but can only find news channels; no sports, no movies, not even cartoons! So, a rearrangement of the rucksack, taxi booking for the morning and a blog post. I leave for Philadelphia and D.C tomorrow at 7:30am sharp. The trek begins, tomorrow… I cannot wait.

 

Love and hugs!
G-Law