New York - the first day

Dear New York, you are the craziest, busiest, noisiest, most amazingly vibrant place ever! Wow!  You really don't ever sleep, do you.

The first thing I have to say about New York is that it is farking far from South Africa.  The flight is loooooong.  16 hours from Johannesburg.  The second thing I would like to say is:OMG SAA - your seats are bloody uncomfortable!  Have you ever heard of padding or lumbar support?  A foot rest wouldn't be a total waste either.  It's a long time to spend in a tiny, hard chair.  But it wasn't too bad.  I actually handled it better than Marko, he got very uncomfortable. He has less padding on his arse so by the time we got to New  York, he could hardly walk.  I slept for about four hours only, so we were pretty knackered by the time we arrived.  

We then spent 2.5 hours in the queue to clear customs.  TWO POINT FIVE HOURS. In a queue in the arrivals hall with no air conditioning and 27,000 crying babies and toddlers.  On that note, Dear President Obama - please could you arrange so that there is a special queue for parents who are travelling with kids under 10.  It really isn't fair to expect a little child to come off a 16 hour flight and then stand in a hot queue for almost 3 hours.  Even if it is the weekend of 9/11.  It is even less fair for their poor parents whose nerves must be frazzled and their arms aching from carrying the crying toddler for almost 3 hours.

We finally got out arrivals an additional 30 minutes later (baggage / customs / more queues) and then had to wait another 30 mins for our shuttle.  Which took 90 minutes to drive (and by drive, I mean force his way) through the crazy early morning traffic.  In the end, he dropped us off a block away from our hotel and we dragged our suitcase along the sidework for the last bit. It would have taken him 30 minutes to drive one block.

We were early for our room, so we sent to Starbucks for their free wifi and a coffee.  By this time Marko and I were exhausted, stinky and in serious need of a shower and a nap.  We got back and the lovely, lovely hotel (Intercontinental Times Square booked through Priceline for a really good rate) had upgraded our standard room to an executive studio on the 21st floor.  The view is AMAZING!  We are so lucky to be at this hotel.  The service is outstanding, from everyone.

We had a shower and then had a nap. Well, Marko had a nap and after listening to his snoring for 45 minutes, I gave up and did some work.

We then for a walk through Times Square and along 5th Avenue.  Unbelievable! I have never seen so many people / tourists everywhere. Like swarming ants.  We went into the flagship Apple iStore on 5th Ave - you would swear they were giving away free blow jobs (or ever better, free iPhones) - millions of people swarming around with rapturous looks on their faces. We stayed for 2 minutes.  Too hot, too busy.

As for the shops along 5th Ave - not my scene.  I am not into designer stuff, but it was very cool to see it all like we have seen in the movies.  We walked past one store that was having a fashion show kind of thing with lots of anorexic looking models and fancy shmancy important people air kissing each other.  We looked through window and Marko took a photo.  

We then went to FOA Schwartz and overpaid for three Angry Bird toys that were 3 dollars cheaper at Toys R Us down the road. I am a bad shopper. But the experience was fun.  

It is Saturday morning now and we managed to sleep until 5:30am, which is cool considering SA is 6 hours ahead. We had a toasted bagal with cream cheese and a coffee from Starbucks at 6am.  We have a full day today, one in which I am meeting some friends in the computer later - very exciting!!

I will write some more later about my impressions of New York and also about being here for the anniversary for Sep, 11.

Off to get ready to the day xx

 

Comments

[Janine]

So very envious, but loving the updates and photos. Keep them coming and carry on having the time of your life, lady. You deserve it. x

[Jenty]

Man, I'm jealous!! Not of the flight or the customs debacle.. but everything else... wish I could do it. Have a blast!

[Adelaide]

It's "Fashion Week" in NY. All of the designers are showing their spring lines at shows at Lincoln Center, so you might see more than one fashion-related thing going on. As a New Yorker, I hope you love my favorite place in the world.

[Heather]

Have a great time Tertia, sounds marvelous despite the delays, discomfort and lack of sleep! Be safe on the anniversary of 9/11!

[Jean]

Oh, no, 2.5 hours to get through Customs!! Poor thing. That is unusual, and they usually do (unofficially) let people with kids cut the line, but its the whole 9/11 anniversary thing. There apparently have been "credible threats" of terrorist activity for NYC this weekend, but please don't worry, it just means there will be extra security everywhere.

That Apple store is crazy, it is always crowded like that. Don't get. FAO Schwarz also is always insanely crowded, as is the Times Square Toys R Us. But all of NY is NOT crowded like that, I swear.

Can't wait to hear more of your updates, and your impressions of NYC.

[MacLeod House]

Oh good for you girl! Embracing the NYC experience (and by that I'm talking about the bagel/cream cheese thing)! Can't wait to hear more! I can't remember which show it is, er...could be West Side Story, where they start singing about "N Y C!" (en-wy-see) and dancing around all over. I'm willing to bet you feel like doing that at some point on your trip, complete with starting a flash mob (Fame style) somewhere in Central Park.
Oh...and it's just ocurred to me, that I am now only 7 hours flying time from one of my favourite places in the world. *clicks over to Virgin Atlantic to price flights*

[Woody's Girl]

Hooray! Tertia made it to this side of the world! I feel like I could practically reach out and touch you (I would refrain from actually hugging... you're welcome), despite the fact that I currently live about 1000 miles away from NYC. I USED to live up there, though, and have been in that very same FAO Schwartz. Very cool to envision you being places with which I am familiar!

I hope you enjoy your adventure - know that *all* of the US isn't as busy and crowded as NYC, but it's a fabulous place to visit with so much to see and do!

[mar]

Between Fashion week, the crazy weather we've been having, 9/11 anniversary, road blocks because of a new terror threat - just another day in NYC! The hustle and the bustle is what we are about here.

I will say that they do often let parents w/children go ahead in the customs line, and usually about an hour or so is the normal wait - with this new terror threat, they're being extra vigilant right now.

In many ways, you will see NYC at her best this weekend - not the security checks, and the military men w/rifles on the corner, but it always seems that around each 9/11 anniversary, we remember to be a little more patient, a little kinder and gentler to each other, remembering how it brought us all together on that day - letting someone borrow your phone to call a loved one, helping a scared parent cross the street with her kids, sharing a tissue with the person next to you on the ferry, not complaining about delays and dirt and crowds. We weren't just New Yorkers on that day, we were Americans, and as divided as we can be now, over politics or religion or money or even our favorite sport teams - we were so very united then.

Welcome to New York, T!

[Debbie]

So jealous,sounds amazing.

[Daryl Faure]

Sounds fabulous! So jealous. I would love to visit NYC one day. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy and hope the ceremony tonight is brilliant.

[Sara]

Sorry about the queue at immigration. That is insane! I've never experienced anything like that, except at Heathrow in 1979, but that's another story. I'm glad you survived and hope you aren't too much the worse for wear.

About bagels--do be sure to try a "real" NY bagel at some point--Starbucks is just a sad excuse for the real thing. Look for a little local bagel shop. Absolute heaven in the form of carbohydrates.

Have a great trip!

[Tine]

It's so fun to think of you here in the U.S., even though I'm half a continent away. Have a great time today! :)

[maddy]

Hope you have a wonderful visit! NYC is an amazing place.

On behalf of the USA, I apologize for the horrible line at immigration. UGH.

[Alexicographer]

Yay! Welcome to both you and Marko and hope you enjoy your visit!

[Cecily]

WHAT AN AWESOME NIGHT. Although I feel like we could have spent a few more hours chatting. Nothing like being able to see face-to-face the people I've known so long. I just wish I could have squished your kids too. :D

[Beth]

So jealous! I wish I could have been at your party, Tertia! Hope you had a great time. :-) ~Beth

[LarsonOphelia33]

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