5.30 am. That’s 5.30 AM!!!
We are on holiday and had the alarm set for this time! Reason? We had to be checking in for our flight to New York at about 7.30, definitely by 8,
We made it despite taking a wrong turn or two on the way to the Car Rental drop off. Once we had got the monorail into the terminal we headed to check in.
One bag was 5lbs overweight. $100. Nope. We set about repacking and with a bit of moving things around, we got it down to smidgen over the 50, so he accepted it.
We then set about finding a snack before board. First placed we stopped at was $11 for a sandwich. No, I don’t think so. We ended up buying a couple of egg bagels for $6. Better.
We boarded and were sitting right at the back on row 42 of a 44 row plane. The flight was packed, and there were only one or two empty seats so no chance of stretching out.
Max was really tired even at 9.30 when we took off, but he still fought sleep until 30 minutes before we landed.
And what a landing! It must have been really windy as there was swaying and bumping and more swaying. Everyone must have been a bit on edge as when we touched down and started slowing down there was a round of applause! Except from Max. He slept through it all.
Suzanne tried to carry him the length of the plane to his buggy but he woke up in a bit of a bad mood so that was that.
No customs so getting through and collecting the luggage was a breeze. We were already for the transfer into Manhattan. Suzanne was going to get a cab with all the bags and Max and I were to take the train and subway and meet her at the hotel.
That was until we stepped out of the terminal and there was a company called the NYC Airporter.
$18 dollars each.
Max was free and it took us to within 4 blocks of our hotel, and they laid on a little shuttle transfer to drop us at the hotel door.
Cheaper than the taxi and we could all go together.
After checking in to our basic room, we went out to hit the streets. We walked into Times Square, the across to 5th Avenue, up to Central Park and back down to our hotel.
It was FREEZING.
During the walk we stopped at a Scottish pub (obvioously) for an early tea and we’d had no lunch as nothing was provided on the plane.
We love this city and could easily spend hours just walking the streets. There’s something about it……
Enroute we stopped off for a drink in a place called the Wayfarer, on 101 West 57th Street. Expensive. $52 for 2 cocktails and 2 beers.
The alcohol inspired our plans though, and despite having been to NY many times we had never done the hop on hop off bus tour, so that was planned for the next day. Open top bus ride in near freezing weather. Perfect!!
Hope you’ve enjoyed the Snaps & Stories of our first day in Manhattan.
