Day 2 - New York

After having an early night, I woke up at 5am. Poor Trudi still had a stomach bug, but she wanted to go out for the day, so we got ready and headed out at about 8 to go and get our tour tickets. We paid $96 for a 48 hour tour pass and that includes entrance to 3 different attractions - so it's a pretty good deal. We got on the bus and had intended to stay on it for the full 3 hours, but once we got to the Empire State Building, we thought we might as well go up it whilst we were there and try to avoid some of the queues that would be there later in the day. We still have to queue for about an hour though. Eventually we got to the top. I hadn't intended to go up the Empire State again, but Trudi wanted to and it was one of the attractions included on the pass. SHockingly, the views from the top have not changed that much, maybe just a few more buildings. Rather than taking photos this time, I filmed from the top. The footage doesn't even look real though, it looks like I am filming a photo. We didn't spend much time up there as it was packed - arghhhh, TOURISTS!! lol.

We got back on the next bus and continued on the tour. I did the same tour last year, but the guide this time was really good and gave a lot of new information - mainly regarding Mob ownership of NYC, pretty interesting stuff. I think I got a bit sunburnt on the bus, it's an open top one, and it is so so hot here. The temperature thing says it's only &&, but it feels much higher - it's so humid. Oh well, I can't complain, I head it is rainging in England today *smile*. I am determinded to go home with a nice tan this year.

After the tour finished we walked back towards the hostel an went to the salad bar to grab some food. As you may well remember me going on about last year, salad bars are one of the many things I love about NYC, and the rest of America. We just don't have anything like it back home. The sheer amound of choice, and it is weighed by the lb which makes it easy to go overboard. But it is so cheap that it doesn't matter.

Trudi wanted to nap in an attempt to feel better, and I tried to upload photos but the connection is crap here, so I got angry and gave up. Trudi is still not feeling any better, so she has stayed in tonight. I feel bad for her as it is ruining here NYC experience. But i'm not sure there is much else she can do except ride it out.

I didn't want to stay in, so I have gone out for the evening for an explore. NYC has now easily beaten Chicago as my favourite city in the world (this may all change in a few days when I am in Chicago). I love everything about it. Have you ever loved a place so much that it almost makes you sad? Sad that you don't live there, sad that it is not a part of your everyday life and most likely never will be. That is how this place makes me feel, but so so happy at the same time. New York just captures you and you get caught up in it. Although I will always be a tourist here, it is really good to be back here and experiencing a lot more of what it would be like to live in NYC. The first time I was here, I was seeing everything for the first time and was not necessarily experiencing anything - I was just seeing it. The first time you come here, you are always looking up as there is so much to see. Although on the second visit you can't help but let your gaze wander upwards, you have much more time to look around you, on the street, at the people that pass you by and at real New York. I never realised just how many yellow cabs there were here/. There are 16,000 cabs in NYC - that's insane. Also, everyone here is so good looking (well not EVERYONE) and they all carry themselves in a way that tells everyone around them that they belong here.

This year I am enjoying doing things that real New Yorkers would doo. Like just going for food, or having a late night coffee - which is where I find myself now. I am yet to find a more liberating experience than walking the bustling streets of NY at night, alone.

They say New Yorkers are rude, but they are all so friendly. The guy in Starbucks even gave me a free coffee because he loved my tattoo and my accent.

Everything about NYC just feels so right.