On my way to NYC, on a plane at an altitude of 11,885m a mere 1,149km while my sister happily snoozed next to me; while watching city after city pass by underneath the plane I was so so excited. Not normal excited; crazy, stupid, kid-at-Christmas time excited. As someone who struggles to sleep, heading to the city that never sleeps - was potential disaster! I couldn't. Fucking. Wait!!
From the very first glimpse, I was not disappointed. The black rectangle of Central Park amid the neat grid of the most organised city I have ever been to made my heart race. With the Hudson to the left and East River on the right, the Big Apple was a sight to see. I was amazed that you could even make out Harlem River from the air. I was bouncing in my seat like a toddler who had been told they were getting a lollipop. I gawked out of the plane window (ignoring the motion sickness) and I am sure my eyes were popping out of my head. They were like that for most of the trip!
When I was fourteen when I read Dickens' account of his first trip to America when he and his wife spent a month in New York; I was hooked. A dream was born that would take over twenty-five years to come to fruition. Planning was required. A four year saving schedule was set. Six months out flights and accommodation were booked. Slowly but surely throughout the start of 2016, I started scheduling in all the essentials - Broadway show (The Phantom), high tea at the Plaza, the sun and stars tour at Rockefeller, a fourth of July boat cruise and the ever impressive Lady Liberty crown tour. I planned to the nth degree so as to ensure time to take in all the must-see sights - Grand Central Station, Magnolia Bakery, the High Line, Central Park, Times Square and the September 11 memorial plus a trek to the heart of Brooklyn for one of their world famous rainbow bagels complete with funfetti with an obligatory walk across Brooklyn Bridge on the way back.
The bonus was a short stay in San Fran where Golden Gate (complete with a foggy walk along Baker Beach) and Alcatraz were ticket off the bucket list with side trips to Lombard Street, the painted ladies, Pier 39 and Coit Tower; a sundae frm Ghirardelli's, breakfast at Mamas plus a trip on the infamous Powell-Hyde tramcar.
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