So the last day of the trip has arrived. 4 months has gone really quickly, it only seems like yesterday I was struggling to get the hang of the subjunctive around the dinner table in Buenos Aires.
Another bad night's sleep meant an early start - first port of call was Radio Shack which is a bit like an upmarket Tandy's. I bought a case for my new iPod which I needed and an iKaraoke for the aforementioned, which I didn't. Still it's Christmas. Kind of.
Met Caroline, she went off to the MoMA and I scaled the Rockefeller Center (sic). Well, I took the express elevator which was also fun as they make the ceiling transparent so you can see the entire lift shaft. At the top it was cold, very cold. Must have been at least zero degrees. My finger nearly froze holding the memory card door shut. Took some pretentious black and white and sepia shots and then made my way to the nearest coffee shop which ironically was Pret-a-manger.
Had a very tasty and cheap meal in "Bread" between Moot and Elizabeth in Soho near Little Italy. Bread, olives, salad, lasagne, strawberry lemonade all for a tenner. Met up with Jase and Hannah at Battery Park as I'd hoped to take a photo of the Statue of Liberty but it was sadly still too far away for my 11x magnifying lens.
Bought my ticket for the bus to take me back to Newark Liberty Airport and I suppose it has finally sunk in I am going back to the UK. Caroline was off for a facial and to meet her friend so I waited the hour in her room before I had to scoot.
Bloody bus stop was nowhere near where the map said it was and the sub-zero temperatures not helping. Also the sign to "Form line here" was next to a sign that said "Airport Express line across street" but in the end a chap with a clipboard appeared and all was well.
The airport was pretty dull and even baggage check passed without incident. Had a huge pile of nachos and a vanilla milkshake for about £7. (Also it has just occurred to me that is the first time I have been able to use a pound sign for 4 months)
The flight was late leaving and we were still on the ground when my head slid forward and hit the seat in front walking me from a dream about iPod karaoke microphones. Passed on the gorgeous Continental Airlines food, had a Sprite and a water and went back to sleep and stayed like that until 40 mins before our descent into Gatwick.
London was cold but still warmer than NYC. I waited for the Chavs to get off the place first and then headed straight to Immigration. The toilets adjacent had piss on the floor and no paper hand towels - it's great to be back home.
Met the folks at the gate which was nice. They haven't changed a bit and look very well. We had a quick cup of tea and I attempted the abridged version of the last 4 months. Arrived at the flat ok, the car isn't covered in bird poo as I had expected so I will have to let Archie off that one. We had soup, cake and coffee and then they went back to Bham.
So that is that. The flat looks the same, albeit a lot cleaner. I have returned jobless and potless and the DVDs I ordered are still en route to the Midlands. This is the final entry for this blog so to those who have supported me over the last few months whether playing Scrabble, organising tours, checking on the flat, passing on mail, reading the blog, but most of all making the trip extra special for me in your own little way and so finally...
... a big thanks to family and friends, old and new.
Steve 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
1st January - New Years Day
The head is banging. I have tried to get out of bed twice but rushed back for fear of vomitous. Finally made it at around mid-day. I have decided to have a "Steve day" today and chill on my own. With all the cafes and restaurants in the city I headed back to the tried and tested La Parisienne and had the same food as 2 days ago - bacon, cheese, burger, fries, milkshake and coffee. No cheese-cake though. Seems I wasn't the only one with that idea as 5 mins later Jase and Hannah and then Caroline turned up. Seems the "Steve day" isn't going to plan. After a very subdued meal we all went our separate ways. Jase and Hannah to bookshops, Caroline to the Rockefeller Centre and I headed for the Natural History Museum.
Despite the incredibly long seasonal queue the museum was well worth it. Amazing dinosaur exhibition and a great one on the history of the universe etc. Also paid a nostalgic visit to the history of the tribes in South America. Sigh.
Took in the winter sun and air in the park before heading back to the hotel. It was about 5pm. Had a latte to go from Starbucks and then sought the fluffy pillows of my hotel room. Got a txt from Caroline asking about take away for dinner and we met and strolled up to a Times Square. Fought off the temptation of another burger as we found a nice deli and ordered pizza to go.
Ate ham and cheese and peperoni on the bed watching Family Guy and Ladder 49. Fell asleep during the final stages of the latter (anyone know how it ends?). Tomorrow is my last day of 125 so an early start is planned.
Despite the incredibly long seasonal queue the museum was well worth it. Amazing dinosaur exhibition and a great one on the history of the universe etc. Also paid a nostalgic visit to the history of the tribes in South America. Sigh.
Took in the winter sun and air in the park before heading back to the hotel. It was about 5pm. Had a latte to go from Starbucks and then sought the fluffy pillows of my hotel room. Got a txt from Caroline asking about take away for dinner and we met and strolled up to a Times Square. Fought off the temptation of another burger as we found a nice deli and ordered pizza to go.
Ate ham and cheese and peperoni on the bed watching Family Guy and Ladder 49. Fell asleep during the final stages of the latter (anyone know how it ends?). Tomorrow is my last day of 125 so an early start is planned.
31st December - New Years Eve
Surely today can't be as shopping oriented as yesterday? Wrong. Caroline was on a mission so we went to Sephora (Zzzz) and then the Nike shop. I bought shorts and socks for BMF (can't wait for Saturday - first time in 4 months am surely going to die on the Common). Caro bought a whole new wardrobe.
We then went on a wild goose chase to find "Eastern Mountain Sports" the only purveyors of North Face rucksack in the Tri-state area (or so it seemed). We walked for miles until we got back to Times Sq where people were already queueing for tonight. It was gridlock and very stressful. I took one woman out by mistake and Caro was her Parisienne best and leaving a path of battered shoppers and party-goers in her wake.
Hunger set in at about 1pm so we hopped on a tube (oops, "took the subway") to Chinatown. After a 15 min walk to find a restaurant that didn't have dead chickens hanging from the rafters we ended up in a Shanghai restaurant just off Broadway and Lafayette. We had pork balls, shrimp, beef, pak choi and tea. And it was mighty fine.
It turns out the sports shop was just around the corner and within 15 mins I had my new rucksack. Revisited Banana Republic to buy trousers for tonight and back in the hotel by 5pm.
Tonight is New Year's Eve and we are off to the Meat-packing district for dinner and festivities at Vento. We took the subway to 13th and 8th and had one drink in "Gaslight" - 4 beers = $24. Great. We then went into some posh winebar place (forget the name). Thankfully not my round so I went for pint of Brooklyn Lager - $11.
Ventos was a pretty cool restaurant with amazing women falling out of their new Xmas dresses. We had to spend a minimum of $90 but the menus were reasonably cheap and lots of choice. I went for clams, followed by pizza and then pork medallions with risotto. Shared a bottle of wine with Caroline. The food was really good, the company excellent and before long it was midnight - not celebrated NY during a meal before so I put fork down at 12, sang Auld Lang Syne, kissed a few girls, shook a few hands and then straight back to it. The only downside in a very enjoyable night was me breaking my camera - the door to the memory card now doesn't shut.
We foolishly left the restaurant at about 1ish and then strolled the streets of NYC to find a bar. We did find one very London pub and had cheaper beer. The gang wanted to leave at 2.30 but I am at the end of my holiday and a 2.30 finish on NYE wasn't going to be enough so in true travelling fashion I stayed by myself in the bar and befriended the table next to me. The ringleader of which was called Britney Smith and she was celebrating the New Year with her friends while her boyfriend and their 11 month old son were at home.
At about 4.45 I left the bar and took in the early morning air by walking the thirty or so blocks back to the hotel. There were lots of party-folk milling around and a lot of coppers so it wasn't likely I was going to be added to the annual murder stats in the city. I got in around 6 having taken a number of photos and marvelling at "The Garden" on the way back.
We then went on a wild goose chase to find "Eastern Mountain Sports" the only purveyors of North Face rucksack in the Tri-state area (or so it seemed). We walked for miles until we got back to Times Sq where people were already queueing for tonight. It was gridlock and very stressful. I took one woman out by mistake and Caro was her Parisienne best and leaving a path of battered shoppers and party-goers in her wake.
Hunger set in at about 1pm so we hopped on a tube (oops, "took the subway") to Chinatown. After a 15 min walk to find a restaurant that didn't have dead chickens hanging from the rafters we ended up in a Shanghai restaurant just off Broadway and Lafayette. We had pork balls, shrimp, beef, pak choi and tea. And it was mighty fine.
It turns out the sports shop was just around the corner and within 15 mins I had my new rucksack. Revisited Banana Republic to buy trousers for tonight and back in the hotel by 5pm.
Tonight is New Year's Eve and we are off to the Meat-packing district for dinner and festivities at Vento. We took the subway to 13th and 8th and had one drink in "Gaslight" - 4 beers = $24. Great. We then went into some posh winebar place (forget the name). Thankfully not my round so I went for pint of Brooklyn Lager - $11.
Ventos was a pretty cool restaurant with amazing women falling out of their new Xmas dresses. We had to spend a minimum of $90 but the menus were reasonably cheap and lots of choice. I went for clams, followed by pizza and then pork medallions with risotto. Shared a bottle of wine with Caroline. The food was really good, the company excellent and before long it was midnight - not celebrated NY during a meal before so I put fork down at 12, sang Auld Lang Syne, kissed a few girls, shook a few hands and then straight back to it. The only downside in a very enjoyable night was me breaking my camera - the door to the memory card now doesn't shut.
We foolishly left the restaurant at about 1ish and then strolled the streets of NYC to find a bar. We did find one very London pub and had cheaper beer. The gang wanted to leave at 2.30 but I am at the end of my holiday and a 2.30 finish on NYE wasn't going to be enough so in true travelling fashion I stayed by myself in the bar and befriended the table next to me. The ringleader of which was called Britney Smith and she was celebrating the New Year with her friends while her boyfriend and their 11 month old son were at home.
At about 4.45 I left the bar and took in the early morning air by walking the thirty or so blocks back to the hotel. There were lots of party-folk milling around and a lot of coppers so it wasn't likely I was going to be added to the annual murder stats in the city. I got in around 6 having taken a number of photos and marvelling at "The Garden" on the way back.
30th December
I have shopping list of sorts. My iPod broke and the Campers (or my "Pinocchio shoes" as my mother used to refer to them) were chucked in Quito (mmm, lovely place), my jeans are so bleached Jon Bon Jovi could wear them and as the rucksack is full I will need to buy another bag just to get my ever-increasing worldly possessions home.
Met up with Caroline and we had breakfast in the hotel. This was economical to say the least. Half a croissant, coffee and juice and not much more on offer. She was enthusing about her new job. I still have to find one.
We walked down 5th towards Central Park. First stop - Banana Republic. My mum and sister have been banging on about this place for years and I have to say I was pretty impressed. Got hassled to try on a load of stuff by some of the campest blokes in the world but did manage to acquire 2 pairs of jeans and a new black pulling-shirt. $200.
Next stop Apple - exactly the same set-up as in London and all geared around quick purchases for expensive products. iPod Classic, 80GB. $250. I have spent more money than I have in a month and it is 10.34am.
Met Jase in Apple. He had to go one better with the 160GB version of the man Pod. We then made more detours to Macy's and Sketchers where I bought the Camper replacement ($70).
Met up with Hannah, Dan and Jane at 1.30pm but as expected Dan and Jane had just eaten and we were starving. Went to a greasy spoon/diner on 7th by the park. Had Swiss cheese and bacon burger, fries, milk shake and coffee. Ooh, and cheese cake. Reconvened at 2.30 pm. The girls went to Jimmy Choo's and the lads headed for the park for chats about football, women, bladder control without fear of recrimination.
Walked for nearly 2 hours. didn't make it to the park back in '96 so it was nice to see a bit more of the city. The girls joined us at about 4.30pm. Hannah has spent a grand on shoes and a bag and Caroline 500 quid on three pairs which they tell me is a bargain.
Headed back to the hotel for a shower and a kip. Caro and I met in the lobby for a cocktail before dinner and then we headed to Mesa Grill for dinner with J&H and D&J. Had a drink at the bar beforehand and the spiciest breadsticks I have ever had - bit like dynamite in all ways imaginable.
Had posh tacos to start and then a very creditable steak with a mole sauce. The guys all ordered the same and the bill was about $70 a head. We left around midnight and went straight back to the hotel.
Met up with Caroline and we had breakfast in the hotel. This was economical to say the least. Half a croissant, coffee and juice and not much more on offer. She was enthusing about her new job. I still have to find one.
We walked down 5th towards Central Park. First stop - Banana Republic. My mum and sister have been banging on about this place for years and I have to say I was pretty impressed. Got hassled to try on a load of stuff by some of the campest blokes in the world but did manage to acquire 2 pairs of jeans and a new black pulling-shirt. $200.
Next stop Apple - exactly the same set-up as in London and all geared around quick purchases for expensive products. iPod Classic, 80GB. $250. I have spent more money than I have in a month and it is 10.34am.
Met Jase in Apple. He had to go one better with the 160GB version of the man Pod. We then made more detours to Macy's and Sketchers where I bought the Camper replacement ($70).
Met up with Hannah, Dan and Jane at 1.30pm but as expected Dan and Jane had just eaten and we were starving. Went to a greasy spoon/diner on 7th by the park. Had Swiss cheese and bacon burger, fries, milk shake and coffee. Ooh, and cheese cake. Reconvened at 2.30 pm. The girls went to Jimmy Choo's and the lads headed for the park for chats about football, women, bladder control without fear of recrimination.
Walked for nearly 2 hours. didn't make it to the park back in '96 so it was nice to see a bit more of the city. The girls joined us at about 4.30pm. Hannah has spent a grand on shoes and a bag and Caroline 500 quid on three pairs which they tell me is a bargain.
Headed back to the hotel for a shower and a kip. Caro and I met in the lobby for a cocktail before dinner and then we headed to Mesa Grill for dinner with J&H and D&J. Had a drink at the bar beforehand and the spiciest breadsticks I have ever had - bit like dynamite in all ways imaginable.
Had posh tacos to start and then a very creditable steak with a mole sauce. The guys all ordered the same and the bill was about $70 a head. We left around midnight and went straight back to the hotel.
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