New York - Day 1

Day 1 - Friday 21st October 2011


Up at 3.45 am (what an unsocial hour!), taxi picked me up at 4.45 am. We arrived at Manchester by 5.30 am. They were queued right outside the terminal to go through security. I didn’t queue that long to ride Rita at Alton Towers a few weeks ago ! So much for a relaxing breakfast - we ate the Danish pastries in the queue. Once we’d made it through into departures it was a much needed coffee while we waited for our flights. I saw Ange and Carole off on their flight to Dublin and then waited for my flight to Shannon. It was a small plane to Shannon with propellers !

Arrived in Shannon safely with an hour or so wait. That soon passed by as they had free wi-fi! Headed through to US immigration in Shannon airport had my finger prints done and was photographed. I then had to identify my case from a photo. So glad I put a stripy strap on it or I’d have had no chance ! I then waited at gate and the sniffer dogs came round. They stopped at the guy sitting behind me ! They sniffed out an orange – not drugs !

Flight to JFK was good. They fed and entertained me! However, I had to sit next to this old bloke (and he was really old) who never took his hat or coat off. They kept coming and asking him if he was ok and if he had enough room … never mind me pinned against the window as he had “elbow” syndrome and took an early hold on the arm-rest and part of my seat ! The time passed by as I watched Hangover 2, Con Artist and Bad Teacher, oh and an episode of Sex in the City – got that in just in time before we landed. The flight took 7 ½ hours. Looks like the captain took the long route. Views of Long Island from the plane were great. I’d never really appreciated how long they were !

I arrived safely in JFK, claimed my baggage and Ange was waiting for me at the gate. They’d all been in the bar waiting on my flight. They were on the Cosmopolitan cocktails, me I had a Bud!

We took a yellow cab into NYC. Cost $55. We went through the tunnel into Manhattan. Would have preferred a bridge … but you can’t have everything.  Marie talked the driver to death! By the time we got there we knew his life history. We got our first sighting of Times Square – Wow !

We checked in at our hotel – Travel Inn on 42nd Street. Room was ok. We’d got all the essentials, it was clean and we’d got a full sized fridge and a microwave. No kettle though and no mugs for our morning coffee! Dumped our luggage and went out to explore and find something to eat. Managed to picked up four mugs for our morning coffee !

Early night – lots to do and see while we are here.