Manhattan

We touched down in New York at 7pm last night, after a fabulous Virgin America flight from LA. I have to say the Virgin America crew have so much more life in them than the Aussie crew! It was a long flight so I made myself stay awake, to get used to local time, by chatting to the lovely crew up the back. We flew in over the western end of Long Island so I was climbing over my fellow, less enthusiastic, Aussie passengers to see the Long Island mansions on the shoreline. Seeing my first glimpse of the Manhattan skyline silhouette, against the setting afternoon sun, brought on the tears big time. I'm finally here. New York!

I had the most gorgeous driver pick me up. Simon. He's been here for 16 years, originally from South China. He gave me his best broken English tour of Queens, as we made our way into Manhattan over the beautiful Queensbro Bridge. He told me how spectacularly the crime rate has dropped in the time he has lived here and he even stopped the car so I could take my first picture of an NYPD cop car as he reckons NYC cops are the best in the world. Gorgeous. I wish I could have stolen him to guide me around the city for the rest of my time here. He drove the long way round, up gorgeous Park Avenue, for my benefit, and he chuckled at my tears as we hit Central Park.

I dumped my stuff off at the hotel, had a quick shower (the best I have ever had in my life! - big statement, but true) and then headed out into the bustling Times Square.

I just stood in the middle of it all, the thousands of tourists, inhaling the sounds, the tooting horns of the taxis and trucks, the smell of the street corner pretzel vans, the monstrous flashing bill boards.

 

I bought my first piece of NYC pizza to scoff whilst I wandered..... $3 for a piece the size of my head...a vege one .....soft doughy base, hardly any cheese .....was the tastiest piece of pizza I have ever had - another big statement, but true! There are going to be a few 'big statements', emanating from this here blog, over the next few weeks, I predict!

I wandered and wandered through Times Square until I came across two rather chilled out firemen perched on the bumper bars of their trucks in their station. I wandered in to have a chat. The engines were beautiful! Turns out Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 nine lost all 35 of their crew in 9/11. They had a beautiful memorial to them all in the station. They let me climb over their gorgeous trucks and have a good look through their station. They have such pride in their work and station...such an institution.

 

I headed back to my hotel when I realised it was midnight and I had to start sleeping on NYC time.

Got 5 hours sleep and now I am bouncing around realising that I have enough energy to do the 2 free guided walking tours I adventurously booked before I left Australia. My guide emailed me last night. I'm going to start in Lower Manhattan and work my way up to Greenwich Village by this afternoon.

I might try to get on one of those double decker tourist buses at some stage too. I only have today in NYC before I jump on the Jitney first thing tomorrow morning, for The Hamptons. I'll have to see the rest after The Hamptons and after the conference. I'll have 8 glorious days after the conference to explore everything then. I will be staying up on the Upper East side, near Central Park, after the conference. I have visions of running in Central Park every morning, once I am settled up there.

But now, today, feeling good, no jet lag yet. 'Fingers and toes'! Ref: Faux Fuchsia, 2010. I'm off to find something that is not pizza for breakfast!

Back soon!

A-M xx

Ps my apologies for my spelling and punctuation. I am not proof reading.... Just getting stuff down here and getting out there!

 

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