5 Nights In New York

A year ago a workmate said let's go to New York and Vegas.. Usually I'm a tropical island or camping girl but I thought- Oh yeah why not.

Well it was my first and now last trip to NY I'll ever do. 
The lead up was exciting. Google, Pinterest and Trip Adviser got a good work out. My Pack List was a full page with all columns filled with coloured coordinated sections and I still had 11 months and 28 days to go. 

I tried to save money - but with escalating bills and a lack of work, this wasn't easy. 
A month out and I decided to dust off the suitcase and start to plan what wear. I'm pretty daggy - only really living in shorts and singlets, red shirts and my trusty flanno pjs. I own like 3 nice dresses that fit. Being a fatty everything nice shows my rolls. And ain't nobody wanna see that. 

2 weeks to go and I've decided to pack the clothes I don't normally wear into the suitcase. Crossing off those items from my list. 

I've starting writing notes to remind me to buy things for the animals. Skivy needs feeder fish and Tia will need extra food and a full page with pictures explaining how fussy she is. 

It's now a week to go and I've lost all excitement. I don't know why. Lack of fun funds and maybe a touch of nerves and stress has filtered down from the people I'm going with. Maybe leaving Tia is upsetting me. I don't know. But I'm sure I'll snap out if it. 

I'm pretty much completely packed now.

I put the feeder fish in with Skivy - which he devoured. 
Tia knows something is up and has become super smoochy. My baby girl. I'm going to miss her so much. Mummy wants to cry. Which I did. 
My countdown calendar on my iPhone has clicked over to under 24hrs now. Shits getting real. 
Righto I better go to bed. Gotta get up at 4.30am. I hate getting up before the sun. 

I pick up old mate and we head to the airport. Traffic was fine (told ya so). We arrive 5hrs before our flight. Lucky for free wifi.

*Traveller Hint – make sure everyone is well away from the taxi hatch door before closing it. As I experienced when I collapsed to the ground in a state of shock, pain and embarrassment. Holy shit, what just happened. Instant bump on my head as I struggle to find my feet while looking around to who saw me. Thats going to be on camera for sure. Never did get an apology from old mate. Just said he felt bad. Not as bad as my head feels buddy.

We all shuffle onto the plane and set off on our 13hr long haul flight to LA, land and then walk what feels like 500 miles (ok not that many) to the next terminal where we board our plane for another 5hrs. No free wifi. 
Get me off this plane. I'm so over sitting down. 

We catch a yellow cab to our hotel. We made it in one piece. They drive like maniacs over here. 
Checked in and the room... What a view of the Empire State Building!! I'm going to the bar (rooftop of course). HOW MUCH for a glass of bubbly.. (Quickly do conversion in my head that's Au$23.. Shit) I'll be having A drink tonight. 
Now I've never been to the Big Apple where my travel buddy aka Old Mate has (this is important). I had a list of all the things I wanted to do . All the tourist things and eat all the shit food the Americans eat. 

After day one of walking around and seeing the sights - things went downhill. 
I don't know of it was the disgusting amount of rotting garbage strewed alongside the streets that turned me off from this city or being surrounded by a concrete jungle. The smell of hell knows what and just the state of well EVERYTHING. I felt like I was in a 3rd world country by the state of the buildings and streets. It was utterly appalling. 
They need a 350m high tsunami to wash away all the filth.

Gee I miss the beach.  

Now travelling with older people you expect them to get tired and stuff - but by 1pm the day was over and it was bed time. I thought maybe it's jet lag - but every day I found myself by myself. Are fucking kidding me - isn't this a group trip?? Sure they have done this city many times but I haven't. The closest ive been is the pics I like on Instragram.
I might as well have come on my own.

The tourist attractions like ESB and old love the Statue of Liberty was good. I nearly died waking up to the crown. Wouldn't do that again. 126 stairs of HELL. The boat trip was nice. I think I needed some fresh air even though it was filled with diesel.
At this stage I felt left out from the group of 6. I wasn't family and the hatred towards me was very apparent. 

Day 3 of 5 and I've wandering around the city on my own and looking for things to eat. I tried to try some of the foods - I had pizza every day. Their coffee is FUCKING DISGUSTING. They don't sell Vs and Dunkin Donuts are yuck. I wasn't game to try the street food carts as they looked as dirty as the streets. 
I came back to the hotel and the others were sound asleep. Well this is boring. They woke up for dinner and then by 9pm it was lights out and sleep time. Righto. 
I felt bad for being on my phone as its gives out a bright light. Oh well I spose I'll go to bed too. Maybe tomorrow will be different. 
Nope. 

I was completely over seeing the dirt and filth. Central Park was, a park. Needed a good mowing and weeding. But was nice to be in a green-ish environment.
Then we went to the zoo. Maybe they don't have regulations in the States regarding enclosures and animal welfare. 

*Tourist Tip – Don't go to the zoo.
The horse and carriage was fun. I made a new friend - Butterscotch. He was a beautiful horsey. Our horse Sunny tried to eat my fingers. 
911 memorial. It ones I of those things you have to do. A sober and quite eerie experience. I could have stayed longer - if it wasn't so bitterly cold!! 
The One World tower is a must. Spectacular views of the whole city. Lunch (yes pizza again) on my own was good and finally found decent coffee. 

It's family birthday dinner tonight (the reason we are here). So I head to Times Square. So many sights there and the billboards were very pretty. I didn't know the M&M store was there. Fuck it. 
The temperature is dropping and I'm starting to freeze my toes off. I wish I wore socks and a hoodie. Better head back and get some pizza for dinner. Got my photo with Pappa Smurf – cost me $1. Gee it was nice to have the room to myself for a while. So I ate all the "turn down" chocolates. 

It's our last day in New York. Everyone has the shits everyone is doing their own thing. It's raining and I wasn't going to stay in bed like the 2 old farts who were in the same room. After a few heated and nasty words - I couldn't wait to get out of there. 

I head to the Flatiron Building and then the Brooklyn Bridge. Took selfies. Saw squirrels – which are sooo cute. Then went back "home". My turn for a turn for a nap. I was woken up a few mins later but went back to sleep as they decided it was again nap time. 
Old love went to the bottlo and decided she'll get smashed in our room. I wanted to go for a walk but was getting dark. We got dirty old Chinese food and by 9pm again it was tv off and lights out. What a way to end my only trip to NY. Boring. 

Bags are packed and ready to go. Half of the other group (who are my age) came to our hotel and told us all the things they did and bought. I was shattered. I was with the wrong group. I missed out on seeing so much cos I didn't know it was happening. So much shopping and sightseeing all lost cos my roomies were at least twice my age. Oh well. Not much I can do about that. At least I did everything on my to do list. But I would have like to have gone to the ice-cream shop or burger place where you make your own burgers and the discount shoe and clothes stores.


Everyone said "You'll love NY" - I didn't. 

There won't be a next time. 

Now I'm on a flight to Las Vegas eating my cheese and caramel popcorn.