Two Countries and Eleven States - 1 Travel Day
 

19th October 2017

Well the day had finally arrived and we headed off to Manchester airport for our 10.35 am flight to JFK with Thomas Cook.
We said goodbye to our eldest son who was staying behind for this trip and rest of us piled in at 6.45 for the hours journey.

Unfortunately it was not as quick a journey as anticipated and horrendous traffic around Manchester meant we didn’t check in until 9.00am! To say we were panicking is no exaggeration, all very fraught and not the way to arrive :(.
Bags checked it it was off for a delicious burger breakfast :grin:and a quick look round the shops but no purchases made, before on the plane and departure on time!
Uneventful journey punctuated by

and various of these

Didn’t buy the entertainment update as frankly nothing there to tempt me. DH read and dozed and boys played on iPads. I read and listened to Hamilton and dreamt I had enough money to get Broadway seats ahhhh :) not this time.
Anyway we arrived ahead of schedule and entered the he’ll of JFK immigration. It was a cattle market and despite us having existing ESTAS and accessing the machines it still took ages and ate up any advantage our early arrival had given us.
Eventually we were out, bags claimed and tickets bought for the air train to our stop to transfer to the metro. Plus metro passes for our stay for each of us.
I had read it was better to pay for a block of 10 air train tickets as it would work out cheaper for the 4 of there and back to the airport. Took a little working out but we managed it. Have to say it was hard work transferring suitcases, bags and kids but it was at this point I discovered just how fantastic NYC residents are. I was pulling my suitcase up the steps to the street when the load suddenly lightened and I looked back and a guy had picked up the other end and was carrying it up the stairs for me. We got to the top I thanked him profusely and smiled, he nodded and smiled and walked off.
Got to the Nesva Hotel in Queens bout 4.30.

The hotel was basic and room was small of which we knew but it was safe and friendly and near the subway so happy with our choice. There was always free coffee on the go and easy to grab a muffin and coffee to go on our early starts.
Anyway it was 5pm and it was time to see Manhattan! We were all so excited we headed to the nearer subway station and we were off.

Our first sight of Manhattan eeeek!

What is should say is this was October and the weather as you will see was amazing late 70s and 80’s in NYC - we were so lucky!
Anyway our first evening was spent in Times Sq, it just happened that’s where our train took us so we cam out the subway to all this!

The evening was spent wandering, gazing up at everything, sitting on the big red steps, grinning that we were actually here at last in the sun and looking forward to more adventures tomorrow. We had food at HRC high was ok and then back to the hotel about 10 exhausted but over the moon. Here’s a few photos from that evening. Nothing conveys the magic though and safe to say New York had us at hello! ❤️







It was time for bed for sure!


States
New York

Steps 8,019

Index

Great first day :grin:
We were there last October and yes it was lovely weather :cool2:

How lucky with the weather. We stayed near 39th St station too - so easy to get around!

I had help on the subway stairs with my case! When I looked up at the man who grabbed the case though I couldn't help but feel bad as he must have been 70 and it was a heavy case :blush:. But like you it made me think how wonderful the New Yorkers were.

Times Square looks awesome you all look like you're having a fab time. I can't wait to find out what else you get up to.

I totally wasn’t expecting New Yorkers to be so kind, we would be standing there gazing at a map trying to figure where we were and someone would always walk up and ask if we were ok and did we need any help? Lovely people. Just been to Riga and totally different story!

Fab day, looks brilliant :)