Hello from the BIG APPLE!!!

I arrive in New York after having had to sit next to a massively obese lady who took up her seat and half of mine.. I couldn't even put my tray table down... common virgin Atlantic move her to premium economy or something.. Think of the other passengers.. Anyway that's my rant over.. what I forgot to mention in my London blog is when I woke up in the middle of the night because I forgot to do my visa waiver for the US... smart traveller says you have to do it 3 Days in advance and this was one and a half.. crappooo.. I do it straight away and get a confirmation and check with Nathan back home who confirms I should be right.. phewwww

Anyway so clear customs with ease even though I was probe sweating bullets and get a taxi to my hostel.. I try to check in and press the buzzer... no answer.. It is about 10pm now.. There is a second address 10 blocks away so with my bags I lug my ass over to the other property.. No one there either.. There are some locals sitting on the steps who can tell I was a little lost and panicked and asked if I needed help.. My phone wouldn't call numbers so they used theirs and called the hostel.. He said he was at the first property.. I walk the 10 blocks back and there he is sitting on the steps.. After a bit he finally admitted he went up the street... I glared at him unimpressed so he gave me $20USD off my accomm and as I was at a different property again he drove me.. I checked in at home and went to sleep.. A very lame first night in NYC I know but as I had about 3 hours sleep the night before in London and it was about 3am in London I was wrecked..

I wake up in the morning to my American room mate playing that Alicia Keys song.. New York.. I laughed and chatted to them all. There was a girl from Melbourne, Hannah it was her second full day. We went to time square which blew my mind and had breakfast at a nice restaurant.

I then headed to explore and she went to central park.. I walked for 6 hours and saw the empire state, Chrysler building, flatiron building, Madison square garden's, Rockefeller centre, grand central station, new York times building and everything in between.. After the 6 hours I went back to the hostel to rest for a couple of hours and as I was going to Greenwich Village to meet mark my second cousin for drinks... Hannah came home about half hour before I left so invited her along.. The two of us made our way the 50 blocks Greenwich Village via this cool international night market where we got tacos for dinner that were amazing.. We ate as we walked along and met Mark at Washington Park.. As we headed in to the village we saw a movie set that was filming.. Now that was a wow I'm in New York moment.. we kept walking and then seen the bar that Lady gaga first played under the name lady gaga and was discovered before finally stopping at a bar with over 300 beers on tap... we went in and had a few drinks and he gave us some pointers from a local as he currently lives in new York playing music and working in an aussie pie shop.

After some drinks and banter Hannah and I catch a taxi back to our hostel.

The next day we get up and decide to hit the statue of liberty and the high line.. We walk along 8th ave and get some breakfast then continue on to the high line which is an old unused over ground railway that is suspended about 10 metres above the road and they have turned it into a walking path and garden.. It is amazing.. It isn't really known so if you ever go to New York be sure to check it out.. So worth it.. After the highline we catch a subway to ground zero.. Unfortunately we didn't get to check it out though as you know need to have a reservation.. But we saw the freedom tower which is the new world trade centre and then we walked to Battery Park to catch the Staten Island ferry to see the statue a little closer.. You can do a tourist ferry that's about $20 but we just for the Staten Island as it is free.. We got our snaps and then continued on.. we were pretty b*****ed at this stage as we had been out and about for about 5-6 hours and went back to the hostel for rest as we wanted to go out in the lower east side that night.. umm so we woke up at 9pm.. And then our American roommate thought she heard gun shots.. So we decided to call it a night.. I fell straight back asleep.. And woke up at 8am the next day.. Loooong sleep.

Hannah and I all refreshed headed out for breakfast and then went to the Brooklyn Bridge.. We walked across it which was a surreal experience. When we got to Brooklyn we went to DUMBO which I think stands for Down under Manhattan Bridge Overpass..We saw the Manhattan sky line and the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and Washington Bridge.. It was an amazing view.. We wandered back ducking into a few shops and decided to head back via the Manhattan Bridge which doesn't have quite as good view as the Brooklyn and also is double the size.. Or so it felt.. We wandered through china town and little Italy..Before getting to the lower east side where Marks Pie shop was.. We find it and he was working.. We ate a pie watching the footy it was the pies hawthorn reply.. Yep this is the 3rd time I watched it.. I ended up eating 2 pies as they were that good and reminded me so much of home.. We sat there talking to mark for hours till nearly 6 before heading back to the hostel and getting ready to head out.. We headed out in Greenwich Village again that night bar hopping our way along.. Exchanging war stories... we end up at a shisha bar and after we left there we were trying to find where we were the other night.. These 2 guys asked if we were lost and we were like Na no way was all over this.. We give up on finding lady gaga bar and Hannah gets pizza.. An American guy came in that was a bit of a douche and was talking about how he lived everywhere and has done everything.. I took the piss out of him and the best part is he had no idea... After an hour of this we call it a night..

Next day was Friday and the weather was really nice.. Hannah left in the morning to fly to Australia and Kerry and Sheree who are my clients from home arrived in New York the night before we were going to watch the grand final together that night so messaged them seeing what they were up to. We met up at 11 and headed to see the statue of liberty again as the other day the weather was pretty crappy.. I got a bagel for breakfast which was awesome.. After liberty we went to central park.. This was amazing.. We saw some break dancers do a performance, say strawberry fields and the famous fountain.. We then go back to our accommodations and meet back up at 6 to go see the grand final.. We head to a place called the Australian.. It doesn't start until midnight so we were getting an early start on things.. We had some food and drank... I have never laughed so much in my life.. The 6 hours went as quick as we talked so much crap and picked on everyone and everything.. Meet fellow Aussies.. Then all of a sudden the MCG comes on the screen she's about to begin.. So exciting.. The national anthem comes on and every single person in the pub sings it loud and proud.. Sheree, Kerri and I look at each other and have a very proud to be Aussie/ homesick moment.. Malcolm blight Bruce macavaney matty loyd all come on the screen and then do the boys first cats then pies.. The siren, first bounce and then it was on.. The next three hours were nerve racking and frustrating as I was surrounded by non cats supporters who were following the cats screaming in my ear.. I can take crap but not from ppl whose teams didn't even make it.. I mean come on give me a break.. Anyway we all know the score we lost but I was so dam proud of my boys I expected to get slammed after the week befores game as we had a hard tough game and Geelong smashed the eagles in a cake walk..

Anyway on the way home we went to time square to cheer myself up.. It was 4 am by this stage

The next day was spent in bed.. I got up once and got maccas and went back to bed.. Hungover and tired.. Had a home sick moment spoke to Sarah and a few others.. Anyway I met up with Kerri and sheree at 8:30pm and we went to time square I got a Yankees jersey and a dodger's hat for rob and then we headed to the Rockefeller centre where we went to the top to see Manhattan from 67 stories up.. It was amazing all the lights.. The empire state, the Chrysler.. Time square and central park.. Amazing.. We took photos pretending to be King Kong on the empire state.. By this stage it was about 11pm and we called it a night.. We said goodbye as I was heading to Colombia in the morning..

I got home packed my bag and spoke to dad... by the time I went to bed I had to be up in 4 hours to get to the airport..

I woke up walked onto the street jumped in a cab and headed for JFK.. Next stop Bogota Colombia..

New York was amazing..