The idea of up rooting your entire life to go ‘backpacking’ around the world is one that many people dream about their entire lives. It certainly was our dream for many years so we did just that. We quit our jobs, packed up our lives, went out and bought a backpack and filled it with our few worldly possessions that were to last us the next year or two. Our downfall was at the buying of the backpack stage.... a backpack that has wheels should be the first indication that it could be a little big. The other indication could be that when you stand it upright, it is 2/3rds of your height so picking it up to lug it on your back is not really going to be an option! And this is exactly what Serena and I bought!
The upsides of ‘backpacks’ such as these: 1) The Wheels - thank God for wheels! At least our backs will thank us in 30 years time AND 2) they do allow for more space to get 4 seasons worth of clothing in not to mention those oh-so-heavy toiletries.
The down sides of ‘backpacks’ such as these: 1) If you cannot find an elevator in subways, train stations or hostels you are screwed! Particularly going up cos going down you can at least just sit it at the top and then give it a big push! AND 2) If the person coming towards you doesn’t move out of your way, someone is going to get hurt and it ain’t me (not always a downside mind you with some people you meet!).
So here we were in the ‘City that Never Sleeps’ good ol’ New York City or NYC as we like to affectionately call it, wheeling 2 fat toad like cases through the streets with ‘Get outta my way or lose a foot’ looks on our faces, on a mission to find our hostel. Our bus driver kindly dropped us at Central Station and said something that was not in English and left us to find our way. (There are more foreign speaking people in this country than English speakers!) And soon after we did find our way cos we are so clever! The Big Apple Hostel has to be THE BEST located hostel anywhere in the world. Only one block from Times Square, it even has a Starbucks located just across the road! Oh and it has a GREAT elevator! Clean, comfortable, with a kitchen that backs onto a little terrace out the back, there is not much more any hostel could offer.
We met up with Rachel, one of our Treking friends and settled into our 4 person room. Serena plus Heidi plus Rachel = 3 people leaving therefore the 4th bed free. It’s a little like waiting for a Christmas lucky dip when you wait for the last person(s) to come into the room to see exactly what you get: would it be a couple of girls looking for people to go sightseeing with? Would it be a lone guy from Austria with some interesting tales of his homeland (yes we are staying in mixed dorms!)? Or would it be a scatty old lady, rather on the largish size (beaches and whales come to mind), who when she introduces herself says with a rather London accent ‘oh yeah, I have a snoring problem Most of me friends just throw something at me so feel free to do the same if I wake you’. And guess who our fourth person was? Lucky guess..... you know then that the next few nights you ain’t going to get much sleep. Rather appropriate in the 'City that Never Sleeps'. Oh the joys of communal sleeping. You must read Serena's segment on the Trials and Tribulations of Hostels to get the full insight... see blog following.
Our next 5 days were full of sunshine, walking and pizza and our nights were full of glitz, glamour and more pizza! We spent a whole day dedicated to wondering through Central Park. Taking the Metro up to 110th Street we walked and walked past lakes, public swimming pools, jazz bands, baseball pitches, saxophone players, fair grounds, ducks, dog walkers, hot dog stands and lots and lots of trees! That Park has to be New York’s biggest asset – by day that is!
Our first rays of sunshine in Times Square
Showing off our new handbags whilst waiting to catch the subway: Bronx direction bound!
Putting on our meanest faces in the subway - sunglasses, lipstick and all
Baseball players in Central Park
Just meandering the paths of Central Park
Little ponds and lakes can be found everywhere with little row boats and swans
Looking towards to the city through the trees
And no trip to New York would be complete without a trip up the Empire State Building. Both Serena and Rachel were afraid of heights but both decided to face their fears and head straight to the 86th floor - at night of course when it didn't look so high... or was it because the city looked all the more beautiful with the twinkling lights. In any case, the trio headed through all the security checkpoints, removing all belts, coins, cameras, straight jackets, giving up your first born child... etc to the top. And what a view!!! New York did not disappoint. Although somewhat windy and overcast, the clouds added an aire of mystique around the city and helped to enhance and reflect the lights. Of course this trip had to be followed up with a reward of gelato at the end!
The Empire State Building at night
My artiste shots....
In colour...
In sepia...
In black and white...
Heading back to the city along Broadway we found Macy's - unfortunately closed!
At the base, inside the Empire State Building: Rachel, Serena and Heidi
The View from the top on a full moon night
The busy streets of New York
Looking over Manhatten towards the Brooklyn BridgeSome random night shots of New York City:
Cousins Heidi and Claire meet half way across the world for a drink in Times Square
We found the home of the Late Show!
The Glitziest Maccas we've ever seen
Horse and Carriage rides through Times Square - how romantic!
Our first night saw the 3 stooges in desperate need of meat... yes we ended up at ‘Dave’s Famous Steakhouse’ that night for the biggest steak I’ve ever seen. We still don’t know who Dave is and are not too sure that his Steakhouse is all that famous but gosh darn, they cook a mighty good Rump! Serena went in for the kill.... 18 oz of pure prime rib and not to forget all those vegies. (see the before and after shots). Needless to say she was so happy with her dinner that the photo became her facebook profile pic for the next week – now that says something!
Steak, ribs and vegies all round!
Serena's before shot....
Serena's very proud after shot...
And don’t forget the Pizza people. We ate it like it was going out of fashion. Mmmmm pepperoni pizza
Serena could not wait to get stuck into that Pizza
More pizza including stuffed pizza!
Heidi tries to get it in one bite... we soon learnt that true New Yorkers 'fold' their Pizzas in half
One evening there was a free Movie on in the park. It was part of a week long film showing and on that night they were showing the 1933 version of King Kong. FABULOUS! It was the most delightful evening sitting outside on a hill slope with so many people just enjoying a good old fashioned evening of free entertainment. The film was so clichéd yet so good and many laughs were had all round.
King Kong takes on New York... in 1933
With very precise planning of dates, Serena was able to celebrate her 29th birthday New York style. The night before we all got dressed up to the nine’s and were joined by my little cousin Claire from the Uk and her friend Ceri, also from the UK. Heading out to dinner looking tres chique, we enjoyed a New York feast and then made our way to the HA! Comedy Club just off Broadway. New York comedy clubs are rather interesting with approx 5 stand up comedians performing in any one session. There were quite a lot of laughs had in our very intimate room of approx 50 people. We then headed across town on foot to Sweet Caroline’s bar for yet another fix of Duelling Pianos. Yes it is an entertainment past time that we have come to love.
Short of being arrested, we were let off with a warning from New York's finest NYPD - and a photo of course!
The comedy club
Getting our giggles at the HA! Comedy Club - Rachel, Ceri, Serena, Claire and Heidi
All dressed up in Times Square 
Happy Birthday to Meeeee!!!! 
Just posing for the Paparazzi as usual!The following day, the ACTUAL day of celebration, I headed into town earlier in the morning to wait in the queue outside the ‘Cheap Broadway Shows Ticket Booth’ in Times Square. Anyone who has been to New York will know this place EVEN if they haven’t waited in the line themselves, as it is hard to miss. Each day, the booth opens up at 10am to offer 50% off the price of certain Broadway shows for that night only. So, being the birthday girls big day, I left her sleeping in bed (snoring lady had checked out the day before!) and I waited in line for approx 2 hours. Thank goodness for Starbucks just across the road to give me my much needed coffee fix. During this time I made some life-long friends... there was Angela from New Jersey: I learnt all about her kids and their families. There was also a mother and daughter from North Carolina who were up for the mother's 60th birthday. I learnt all about their travels too. Infact, the small group surrounding me all became very good friends during those 2 hours!
Serena, Rachel and I were all hoping to see ‘Wicked’ upon the recommendation of just about everyone we spoke to (including all my new found friends in the queue), but due to its current popularity and our current status as ‘backpacker’, it was out of our price range. We did however get tickets to see La Cage aux Folles starring Kelsie Grammar. It is the musical version of the movie, ‘The Bird Cage’. And wasn’t it fabulous! The costumes, the colour, the glitz and glamour... not to mention the men’s legs in tights looked fantastic – so jealous! Of course this was to be followed by a feast of New York Pizza... yet again.
The Theatre in which we saw the very Funny 'La Cage Aux Folles'.Our most 'gruelling' or patience testing day had to be when we decided to head down to the ferry terminal and take a leisurely cruise across to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island... or so we thought. Getting off the subway we looked around and saw the line up for the tickets. Wondering over we realised that the line went on... and on.... and ON..... with no end in sight. So we did as all respectful tourists do and joined the queue, not bothering to find out what everyone was queuing for. A little while later we realised that the line we were in was for people ALREADY with their tickets. So leaving Serena to wait patiently in her line, I went to the other line to purchase the tickets. Man, people love to queue. 2 hours later, I had the tickets in my hot little hand and met up with Serena and Rachel who had gallantly held our ‘spot’ in the other line (this is when travelling in pairs comes in very handy) and we boarded the ship with the 400 other people. We cruised around the statue and when it came time to get off on Liberty Island, seeing the queues to get back on the boat, we quickly decided that we had seen the statue at it’s best from the ship! So staying on we proceeded to Ellis Island.
Just cruisin' - after 2 hours of just waiting!
Miss Liberty peaks between Serena and Rachel
The Statue of Liberty with Manhatten in the background
The throngs of people waiting to get back onboard at Liberty Island...
Displays of luggage at Ellis IslandEllis Island has a very interesting history. Approx 1 million people in America can trace their history back to an ancestor who came through there when emigrating from Europe to the States. The biggest influx took place from 1910 – 1950’s. The museum set up there is really amazing and worth the visit... even worth the 2 hours in the line up to get there! Wondering back on foot we passed many New York icons... the Bull out of the movie Hitch, Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange and even Ground Zero which has come along way since I was last in New York 6 years ago but still has a long way to go. We even saw Elmo who stood patiently every night on the corner of our street taking photos with people just to make $1.... brave person. He was later joined by the Cookie Monster.
The site at Ground Zero
What I thought was the New York Stock Exchange... well it was, just the back entrance!
The New York Stock Exchange from the front - now that's better!
The 'other end' of the Bull out of the Movie 'Hitch' 
Chilling on Wall Street - spot the tourists!
Serena finds an old friendAnd so ended, very quickly, our days in NYC. So much left not yet done, can only mean one thing.... New York is definitely on our list of places to return too. Our last day saw us once again, wheeling our ‘backpacks’ 14 blocks through the busy streets of New York to catch our bus to our next stop.... Boston.
Luv H and S
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