Visit New York - Day One
I caught the train from Sheffield just after 9am, making it to Manchester Airport at 10.30am. I checked in with the grumpy Lufthansa staff and explored the departure lounge. Had a last phone call with Dave and boarded the plane at 12.45.
The flight to Germany was fine, if a little turbulent, and after going the wrong way at Frankfurt Airport I managed to find the right gate to board the plane to New York. Luckily I got a row of three seats to myself, so after dinner (a special lactose-free meal nonetheless!) and a couple of G&Ts I was able to sleep for a few hours.
Luckily I woke up just before our descent to Kennedy Airport and saw one of the best views I've seen in my life! You could see the shape of Manhattan Island picked out in lights - amazing sights included a glowing area around Midtown (Times Square), the red white and blue of the Empire State Building, and Brooklyn Bridge. Pretty breathtaking for someone who's spent the last year dreaming of going to NYC! (Daylight equivalent, right).
We landed just before 7.30pm, but it took a while to go through the rigamarole of giving fingerprints, having a mugshot and having my USA entry and customs forms checked. My baggage came off the ramp straight away, but I had to wait about half an hour for the shuttle bus to my hotel. Fortunately there was a friendly native New Yorker waiting too, and she chatted to me about what I should see in my time off. Once on the bus I also met a nice lady from London, who was going to stay with her sister on Bleecker Street, who enthused me with the possibilities of being a 23-year-old seeing New York for the first time!
At my hotel, Affinia Manhattan (371 7th Avenue, left) I checked in, was given a complimentary cocktail, and went up to my room - a bedroom/living studio with an ensuite bathroom and kitchen. I called Dave briefly then unpacked and showered.
Feeling a bit peckish, I went to explore the neighbourhood, but unfortunately headed downtown rather than uptown - everything petered out and was just a bit dark and dingy. What with the residual snow, busy traffic, confusing crossings and my post-flight tiredness I felt somewhat overwhelmed and decided to retreat to the safety of my hotel, stopping in at a deli (right) on the way for takeout.
Went to bed at about 11pm, nervous about meeting everyone at Wiley the next day.
See my New York photos here
The flight to Germany was fine, if a little turbulent, and after going the wrong way at Frankfurt Airport I managed to find the right gate to board the plane to New York. Luckily I got a row of three seats to myself, so after dinner (a special lactose-free meal nonetheless!) and a couple of G&Ts I was able to sleep for a few hours.
Luckily I woke up just before our descent to Kennedy Airport and saw one of the best views I've seen in my life! You could see the shape of Manhattan Island picked out in lights - amazing sights included a glowing area around Midtown (Times Square), the red white and blue of the Empire State Building, and Brooklyn Bridge. Pretty breathtaking for someone who's spent the last year dreaming of going to NYC! (Daylight equivalent, right).We landed just before 7.30pm, but it took a while to go through the rigamarole of giving fingerprints, having a mugshot and having my USA entry and customs forms checked. My baggage came off the ramp straight away, but I had to wait about half an hour for the shuttle bus to my hotel. Fortunately there was a friendly native New Yorker waiting too, and she chatted to me about what I should see in my time off. Once on the bus I also met a nice lady from London, who was going to stay with her sister on Bleecker Street, who enthused me with the possibilities of being a 23-year-old seeing New York for the first time!
At my hotel, Affinia Manhattan (371 7th Avenue, left) I checked in, was given a complimentary cocktail, and went up to my room - a bedroom/living studio with an ensuite bathroom and kitchen. I called Dave briefly then unpacked and showered.
Feeling a bit peckish, I went to explore the neighbourhood, but unfortunately headed downtown rather than uptown - everything petered out and was just a bit dark and dingy. What with the residual snow, busy traffic, confusing crossings and my post-flight tiredness I felt somewhat overwhelmed and decided to retreat to the safety of my hotel, stopping in at a deli (right) on the way for takeout.Went to bed at about 11pm, nervous about meeting everyone at Wiley the next day.
See my New York photos here
posted by Shape at 10:57 pm
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