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Day 1 - New York City
Today has been a long day. We went to bed at around 10pm so we could get up a couple of hours sleep. I only managed to get 10 minutes before my mums alarm was going off downstairs and I was the only one who seemed to be hearing it. SO we got up at 3am to do the last minute checks and hen my dad picked us up to take us to Heathrow. Only took an hour to get there. We listened to the CD Cookie made me in the car and had a good sing-a-long. Got to the airport 5 hours before take off, but it all went really quickly. It was the most efficient check-in, departure, flight and arrival I have ever had. The flight was a little bumpy at times and it seemed to go on forever, but it could have been a lot worse.
No troubles at customs - YAYYY!!! Although when the guy scanned my passport he did look at the computer a little puzzled and then shook his head lots - but it was all okay. He told me I didn't have to worry and that I could calm down. I guess I looked nervous lol.
Our bags were pretty much the first ones off the plane too, so we went straight to get the shuttle into Manhatten. We could have got the subway for just $2, but we just wanted to get to the hostel and Trudi was still feeling ill. It hadn't really hit us that we were in NYC yet. Despite the voices coming out of the tannoys with a distinctive American accent, being surrounded by yellow cabs and lots of sings saying "Welcome to New York - You have a nice day!". It was only when we were on the shuttle and then just in the distance the tip of the Empire State Building crept into view and I thought "I'm back!"
The shuttle dropped us off at Port Authourity, so we had to get a bus up 8th Av to Central Park, where our hostel is. We couldn't get in our room until 4pm, so we had an hour or so to wait in the common room. When we got into our dorm, which is nice, clean and basic, Trudi decided she was just going to go to bed and try and sleep off whatever bug she has. EVen though I was shattered, I didn't want to nap otherwise I wouldn't have slept at night - so I decided to go out and explore a bit alone. It would have been nice to have Trudi there too, but in a way it was nice to se a bit of NYC alone - it took me back a year. I didn't really venture too far. Just went to a store to get some water, fruit and yoghurt and seeing as there was a REAL Mexican food place next door, it kjust seemed rude not to buy someting. Anyone who knows me will know that I have somewhat of an obsession with Mexican cuisine. But real Mexican food, as in not Old El Paso, makes me so so happy. It's great to be served your food and for it to be cooked by Mexicans and not some kid in Barburrto in Manchester. The portions are huge, the beans are spicy and they even give you free tortilla chips and dips - what more could I want? Well, a Corona and Tequila shot maybe. Oh, and a sombrero.
Finished the evening by having a bit of a wander round the upper-west side, where we are staying, and then went back to the hostel and read a bit of my guide book. Going to have an early night as it has been a really long day and got an early start tomorrow to go on the downtown loop bus tour and then going up on a couple of observatory decks.
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