Finally, Saturday 26th November arrived, the day had finally come, we were setting off on an adventure that for ages had been no more than a dream, yet had been planned in detail for over a year.
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Having driven to Heathrow, returned the hire car, caught the Hoppa bus to terminal 5, and dropped our bags at BA’s bag drop, by 0900 we were sat having breakfast in departures and by 1130, we were in the air bound for New York.
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Following our arrival at JFK Airport, we made our way by “Airtrain” and the Metro including one hell of a long walk to our hotel (must confess the walk was our own fault as we got off at the wrong station!!)
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Our hotel was budget, but clean and totally adequate, with a really good continental style breakfast. Neither of us had been to New York before and we were determined to see as much as we could during our three day stay there. Our whole time whilst in the “Big Apple” we were determined to find our own way around by metro, bus, boat or on foot, and we did do a lot on foot. In fact we walked and walked and walked. We did buy tickets for the “Hop on Hop off” tourist bus, which we found great, not just to get us around, but also as a tour of many parts of the city we would not otherwise have seen, also the guide commentaries were excellent.
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During our first day we visited Time Square,
before catching
the “Hop on” bus to the Art Museum. We didn’t actually go inside (not really being art lovers) but instead bought for our lunch, an “American style” Gyro, from one of the numerous stalls outside. It was fine, but bore absolutely no resemblance to the real Greek Gyros we are so used to, and love.
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We then walked through – really enjoying the atmosphere – Central Park, stopping for a coffee at the Boathouse, before finally emerging from the park at the very southern end.
A short run on the “Hop on” tour bus took us to The Empire State Building.
Dusk was fast coming so we bought ‘express’ tickets from a tout, which allowed us to walk straight to the lifts and be wisked up sixty seven floors. Another lift took us a further six floors, before we emerged eventually on the Observation Platform just as the sun was setting.
To obtain the full panoramic view of New York at sunset, we climbed the steps for a further two floors – the very top. A truly amazing experience. After probably an hour or more picking out the various landmarks and of
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course taking the photographs,we finally made our way down to street level.We then searched for a diner that the “Hop on” tour guide had told us was her favourite to enjoy a fabulous steak meal before we caught the metro back to our hotel …… KNACKERED!
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The following morning, it was up early, on the metro finding, our way to “Downtown Manhattan” where a very special joint birthday present awaited us. Our daughter Karen and her family, husband Dave and sons Owen and Thomas, had treated us to a helicopter flight over New York. 
It was a warm sunny day and with six of us in the helicopter, the pilot took us over all the landmarks, and more, that we had seen, from the top of the Empire State Building the night before.
Concord looked so tiny next to the aircraft carrier “Intrepid” and the Statue of Liberty was certainly impressive from close quarters.
Ground Zero” really brought home the horror of 9/11.
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After landing, we left the heliport and walked through the “Financial District”, before visiting “Ground Zero”, to see the plans and work progressing for the memorial – an extremely moving and emotional time.
We were both quite overwhelmed to see the list of names of all the Fire and rescue personnel, who lost their lives during the horror, so many many lives lost trying to save others.
Please click on the above photo to enlarge for reading the Mayor of New York’s moving Welcome.
Next, after a coffee stop, it was a wander through “Chinatown” which was fascinating with so much activity.
Then once again the good old faithful “Hop on” to The Rockefeller Centre.
Here we caught the lift and scaled sixty seven floors in forty three seconds … amazing!
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Once again, absolutely amazing views from “The Top of the Rock”, just as good as the Empire State.
TOP OF THE “ROCK”
The Rockefeller Centre was already trimmed up for Christmas and we enjoyed the fantastic atmosphere.
By the time we left the “Rock”, once again we were done for, so instead of stopping for a meal on the way home, we bought A “Sub” and enjoyed it with a bottle of wine in our hotel room before crashing out.
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The next day, Tuesday the 29th November, was the day for our flight to Los Angeles and then on to New Zealand. Although our flight was not until 1830, it was pouring with rain. Before leaving UK we both had started with a cold, which by this morning had really reached its peak for us both. We had some important down loading of paperwork to complete, sign and post off before we left NY, so spent the morning in our room doing this.
After lunch we made our way by Metro and Airtrain, back to JFK airport were we were to catch our flights.
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We had enjoyed a fantastic couple of days in “The Big Apple”. For a couple of “Old’uns” we reckon we did OK, we have no idea how far we had walked but we really relished being a part of this vibrant City for just a couple of days.
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Overall impressions? Staff in the diners and take-away fast food houses were excellent, very polite, helpful and friendly. Our hotel was clean and comfortable and whilst budget priced, value for money. Staff at the various tourist spot were very helpful. We had been told how clean we would find everywhere in New York, we can’t honestly say this was our experience. That is not saying it was any dirtier, but certainly no cleaner than any other capital city. People we met in the various shops, etc we found very helpful and polite, unfortunately, the one contact we had with the Police was, we thought, totally unbelievable. Whilst trying to find our way back to the hotel on the second night, we were lost, so, seeing a Police Officer, we asked if he could direct us.
“Can you help us”, I said, “we are looking for our hotel at this address?”
His reply was an extremely curt and angry, “How the God dam Hell do you expect me to know where your damn hotel is?”
Thank you Officer, and a very goodnight to you.
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Whilst in Time Square we had a cup of coffee in McDonalds, surely one of their flagships sites, yet, just one toilet for gents which was disgusting.
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But, we had a great visit to New York and are so glad we made the stopover.
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Now it is
“UP UP AND AWAY” to New Zealand. Follow our story there as we take our seats aboard a Qantas Airways flight via a one and a half hour stop over in Los Angeles
Why not join us for our flight, and the next stage of our adventure
Part ll
ARRIVAL NEW ZEALAND
Pete and Margaret