22nd & 23rd August – When You’re Curious, You Find Lots of InterestingThings to Do.

After my last post I ended up struggling to get time (or decent wifi) to update regularly while on my trip, then since returning I’ve ended up being so ill and jet lagged that it’s only really been yesterday and today I’ve felt up to doing anything more than lying around! But I will be bringing more updates over the next week or so including photos from my adventures. I can’t believe it’s all over now! It still feels very surreal!

On the morning of the 22nd, despite not going to bed until after 1am, I got up at 6am to catch the 8am bus to Manhattan from DC. I had to tackle the underground with my suitcase and find my departure point in Union Station (which is massive by the way and feels way more like an airport than a train station!) It was so hot and muggy that by the time I got on the bus I just wanted to sleep although since it was a 4 hour journey I did manage to blog a bit as the bus was insane and had free wifi and plug sockets! I arrived in Manhattan Port Authority the back of 12 and went to my hotel. I was upgraded into a room that was ready so I could leave my case before going out to explore.

I made a beeline for Magnolia Bakery to pick up some Banana Pudding before walking through Central Park to the Boathouse to get a sandwich. Then I picnicked beside the Alice in Wonderland statue for about an hour. I continued walking around Central Park because it’s my favourite place in NYC, finally finding the Hans Christian Anderson statue and the boating pond. Then I walked down 5th Avenue to FAO Schwarts as I needed to shelter from the rain. Once it had fared up enough I headed to Times Square for a little bit of retail therapy. I hit up The Disney Story, Toys R Us, Sephora and Walgreens as well as some of the touristy shops picking up Christmas presents and some bits for Little Miss.

By this point it was after 7pm, my feet were once again covered in blisters, I was exhausted so I popped into a diner that I ate breakfast on my first morning ever in NYC 5 years earlier. It hadn’t changed in the slightest and I had french onion soup and some pasta before walking back to the hotel. Although the hotel had an amazing roof top bar I couldn’t enjoy it due to sore feet and being exhausted so I had a soak in the bath & watched Two and a Half Men.

 

 

 

On Saturday 23rd my friend Namu had invited me on her dad’s work picnic to Action Park. Having been struggling with the humidity since arriving I was looking forward to a day out of the city. Obviously it was the coolest day of my trip, but never mind. I caught the train out into New Jersery (I have done the trip before so once I got on my train at Penn and I had my Dunkin Donuts coffee in hand I was good) where we had bagels before driving out to Action Park. On arriving we had lunch then took a ride on a cable car which didn’t feel too safe but the view was incredible! Then we went on this coaster, that in my opinion can’t be classed as a coaster since you had to CONTROL it yourself. It ended up being pretty awesome and such a laugh. Finally we hit the tube slides. The water was freezing but the rides were SO funny! The rapids one you had to wear a HELMET it was so crazy. We went on that one twice. I haven’t laughed so much in ages and I do really love hanging out with Namu’s family, they’re like the Indian version of mine.

In the evening Namu took me out for mexican at a place called Jalapenos. I had my first ever chimichanga which was a bit like a mexican cornish pasty and amazing margaritas. It was so great to hang out and chat since I haven’t seen her since Christmas. We then went for some frozen yoghurt where you could pick your flavour and topping! I went for Birthday Cake flavour which was bloody delicious and for once actually tasted like birthday cake. I caught a train back to NYC just after 10pm. While at Port Authority waiting on the underground, I saw the cutest guy with a playbill. He was wearing a red checked shirt and we kept catching each others eye. I was truly upset when he didn’t get on my train up town. It’s probably the first time in years I’ve felt attracted to someone on sight alone! Typical!