Just chillin’ in NYC
Said goodbye to my Canadian family and friends last Wednesday night as we were leaving very early morning last Thursday. It’s only been a week but feels like so much longer. It was so great to see everyone, give them all a squeeze and have a laugh (and lots of tears) before I left. Spent most of Wednesday trying to prod and squeeze and poke and jam everything into my backpack --- what an outrageous mission. Abby was a great help and even let me put a few things in her bag (this kind of backfired…)
So we set the alarm for 4:30am on Thursday morning. We were getting dropped off into Toronto by the family I’ve spent the last 3 ½ months with at the greyhound bus terminal, then we were taking a greyhound bus over the border to Buffalo airport where we would take a flight to JFK New York. So many things could go wrong, traffic going into Torronto meaning we missed our bus to Buffalo, or getting delayed at the border (which happens a LOT) then missing our flight from Buffalo. So when the alarm DIDN’T go off and we were running around the house at 5:15 like mad chickens I for one was praying that God would work all things out as stress free as possible.
Good news we made the bus in plenty of time and lugged our lives-in-bags over to our pimped out bus (bus’s have power points and wi-fi and more leg rooms than planes these days!?)
We arrived at the border and crossed in 15 minutes with no problem at all, even me! Every single other time I have arrived in the US I have been questioned for a really looooong time regarding my trips in and out of Mexico. Back on the bus to change drivers at the Buffalo airport which also went smoothly. The bus was practically empty up until this point. Previously we had thoughts of taking the bus all the way from Toronto to New York but since Caleb & Abby were only here for three and a bit weeks, we didn’t want to waste time on a bus. So we get to the airport with plenty of time to spare (the new bus driver told us that every other day busses had taken 2 hours to get over the border…who says God is too busy to worry about stuff like rando greyhound bus’ eh) and actually got transferred onto an earlier flight to JFK which meant we would miss peak hour traffic – awesome!
The flight was great (I LOVE airlines that give you free food and drinks) ….and then we hit a minor hiccup at JFK with my bags, Calebs bags but NOT Abby’s bag turning up. More than a little frustrating I would have to say. After a lot of stuffing around (and now its 5 days later and still no bag) we left and headed into the city with promises from the airlines that it would come on the next flight and they would deliver it.
Welcome to Harlem….we are staying in a really multicultural neighborhood but I actually love it. We found this place on a website called www.airbnb.com – I am always happy to try new (and cheap!) things when I am travelling and this website is people offering up their homes (usually when they themselves are on vacation) and you pay them a fee etc. If your into travelling definitely check it out. For the price we have paid to stay in this place, only 15 minutes from the centre of the city we would have paid more to stay at a backpackers. We found the place and after some dramas with the keys we were into our new home away from home.
We’ve done so much cool stuff since we have been here. I highly recommend if you’re into a trip to NYC coming around this time of year. It’s been amazing weather and I have really enjoyed being out and about all day. Last time I was in New York it was over the Christmas New Years time. Absolute mayhem and the coldest I have ever been in my life.
So we wrote quite the list of things we wanted to see and do. And I am impressed with our navigational skills. I have always always ripped on my little brother for having a fancy iphone but we have relied upon that thing! With free wi-fi at McDonalds and Starbucks allowing us to google what subway line we should be taking, the address of the next place we wanted to go, call people off skype to meet with them …. Its been a little shiny black lifesaver.
We’ve seen all the tourist check points, Empire State, Statue of Liberty, Chinatown, Little Italy …but some of the things I have enjoyed the most is the music in Central Park, the amazing little restaurants and coffee shops you find, subway performers, finding bargains from street venders. And having opportunities to help people out, give money to people who need it, try and help people with directions. One of things that we did made me crack up, this guy had parked his scooter right in front of this ladies car and there was absolutely no way she was going to be able to get out. So she’s standing there looking at it when we walked by and I caught her eye. We started laughing at the predicament she was in and asked if we could help her move the bike. So the four of us pick up this awkward scooter and move it along. She was really grateful and it was hilarious.
Due to a few circumstances on the weekend of the anniversary of 9/11 we spent the entire day with an NYPD cop….HA not because we did anything bad butttt friends from home Erin & Dan met Je-C Yang in Fiji (oh how small the world really is) so we got to hang out with her – it was a lot of fun to hear about her life and great to have a Chinese tour guide to find us probably the best Chinese icecream Ive ever had (correction…the ONLY chinese icecream I’ve ever had)
Monday turned out to be another one of those “how-small-the-world-is” moments. A friend of ours that we met when she was living in Australia lives in upstate New York and decided to come in and spend the day with us which was great. We were working out how on earth we were going to find each other and she mentioned she always leaves her car at her friend’s apartment in Harlem. I told her the address of where we are staying and would you believe her friend lives on the 6th floor of the apartment building we have been staying in? WEIRD. So we spent the day with Cass and her friend Courtney.
Tomorrow we are off to see The Lion King on Broadway. Can’t wait. This is my little treat of the trip. Caleb and Abby have been laughing and hanging their heads in shame as after every meal purchase I pull out my notebook and jot it all down so I can stay under my daily travel budget. It’s been kind of interesting to see how little you really need to live.
Wednesday is our last day in New York before we head out to Vancouver. I’ve actually really loved New York so I’ll be a bit sad to leave. We are just starting to fully figure out the subway and the money.
So pray for us on Wednesday we have a looong (ish) flight across to Vancouver with a few stops on the way and we don’t want to lose any more luggage. And pray that Abby’s suitcase turns up. It’s got my promite in it !!!(that’ll teach me for jam-packing my stuff so I can’t really fit it all in)
Sorry to bombard you with such a big update…I honestly feel like we have been in New York for a month and I could rave about this city forever. X
So we set the alarm for 4:30am on Thursday morning. We were getting dropped off into Toronto by the family I’ve spent the last 3 ½ months with at the greyhound bus terminal, then we were taking a greyhound bus over the border to Buffalo airport where we would take a flight to JFK New York. So many things could go wrong, traffic going into Torronto meaning we missed our bus to Buffalo, or getting delayed at the border (which happens a LOT) then missing our flight from Buffalo. So when the alarm DIDN’T go off and we were running around the house at 5:15 like mad chickens I for one was praying that God would work all things out as stress free as possible.
Good news we made the bus in plenty of time and lugged our lives-in-bags over to our pimped out bus (bus’s have power points and wi-fi and more leg rooms than planes these days!?)
We arrived at the border and crossed in 15 minutes with no problem at all, even me! Every single other time I have arrived in the US I have been questioned for a really looooong time regarding my trips in and out of Mexico. Back on the bus to change drivers at the Buffalo airport which also went smoothly. The bus was practically empty up until this point. Previously we had thoughts of taking the bus all the way from Toronto to New York but since Caleb & Abby were only here for three and a bit weeks, we didn’t want to waste time on a bus. So we get to the airport with plenty of time to spare (the new bus driver told us that every other day busses had taken 2 hours to get over the border…who says God is too busy to worry about stuff like rando greyhound bus’ eh) and actually got transferred onto an earlier flight to JFK which meant we would miss peak hour traffic – awesome!
The flight was great (I LOVE airlines that give you free food and drinks) ….and then we hit a minor hiccup at JFK with my bags, Calebs bags but NOT Abby’s bag turning up. More than a little frustrating I would have to say. After a lot of stuffing around (and now its 5 days later and still no bag) we left and headed into the city with promises from the airlines that it would come on the next flight and they would deliver it.
Welcome to Harlem….we are staying in a really multicultural neighborhood but I actually love it. We found this place on a website called www.airbnb.com – I am always happy to try new (and cheap!) things when I am travelling and this website is people offering up their homes (usually when they themselves are on vacation) and you pay them a fee etc. If your into travelling definitely check it out. For the price we have paid to stay in this place, only 15 minutes from the centre of the city we would have paid more to stay at a backpackers. We found the place and after some dramas with the keys we were into our new home away from home.
We’ve done so much cool stuff since we have been here. I highly recommend if you’re into a trip to NYC coming around this time of year. It’s been amazing weather and I have really enjoyed being out and about all day. Last time I was in New York it was over the Christmas New Years time. Absolute mayhem and the coldest I have ever been in my life.
So we wrote quite the list of things we wanted to see and do. And I am impressed with our navigational skills. I have always always ripped on my little brother for having a fancy iphone but we have relied upon that thing! With free wi-fi at McDonalds and Starbucks allowing us to google what subway line we should be taking, the address of the next place we wanted to go, call people off skype to meet with them …. Its been a little shiny black lifesaver.
We’ve seen all the tourist check points, Empire State, Statue of Liberty, Chinatown, Little Italy …but some of the things I have enjoyed the most is the music in Central Park, the amazing little restaurants and coffee shops you find, subway performers, finding bargains from street venders. And having opportunities to help people out, give money to people who need it, try and help people with directions. One of things that we did made me crack up, this guy had parked his scooter right in front of this ladies car and there was absolutely no way she was going to be able to get out. So she’s standing there looking at it when we walked by and I caught her eye. We started laughing at the predicament she was in and asked if we could help her move the bike. So the four of us pick up this awkward scooter and move it along. She was really grateful and it was hilarious.
Due to a few circumstances on the weekend of the anniversary of 9/11 we spent the entire day with an NYPD cop….HA not because we did anything bad butttt friends from home Erin & Dan met Je-C Yang in Fiji (oh how small the world really is) so we got to hang out with her – it was a lot of fun to hear about her life and great to have a Chinese tour guide to find us probably the best Chinese icecream Ive ever had (correction…the ONLY chinese icecream I’ve ever had)
Monday turned out to be another one of those “how-small-the-world-is” moments. A friend of ours that we met when she was living in Australia lives in upstate New York and decided to come in and spend the day with us which was great. We were working out how on earth we were going to find each other and she mentioned she always leaves her car at her friend’s apartment in Harlem. I told her the address of where we are staying and would you believe her friend lives on the 6th floor of the apartment building we have been staying in? WEIRD. So we spent the day with Cass and her friend Courtney.
Tomorrow we are off to see The Lion King on Broadway. Can’t wait. This is my little treat of the trip. Caleb and Abby have been laughing and hanging their heads in shame as after every meal purchase I pull out my notebook and jot it all down so I can stay under my daily travel budget. It’s been kind of interesting to see how little you really need to live.
Wednesday is our last day in New York before we head out to Vancouver. I’ve actually really loved New York so I’ll be a bit sad to leave. We are just starting to fully figure out the subway and the money.
So pray for us on Wednesday we have a looong (ish) flight across to Vancouver with a few stops on the way and we don’t want to lose any more luggage. And pray that Abby’s suitcase turns up. It’s got my promite in it !!!(that’ll teach me for jam-packing my stuff so I can’t really fit it all in)
Sorry to bombard you with such a big update…I honestly feel like we have been in New York for a month and I could rave about this city forever. X
i saw lion king in london ... so good, Hope it goes well..
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