In the words of REM from one of their least popular albums - "Leaving New York never easy". I've had a great time in one of the world's great cities, but now it's time to wind down my trip and head back toward Boston. Initially, leaving New York isn't too bad, the weather's good and the freeway is clear. Later, however a very heavy rainstorm batters the road - a bit of personal payback for my luck whilst in Mumbai perhaps. I briefly stop off to visit m...

Immigrant communities in many countries develop their own brands of food - witness the success of Chicken Tikka Masala in England. The Italians in New York have their intriguing sounding "Penne alla Vodka" which seems as though it were created by accident. It doesn't really taste of vodka, but all the appeal is in the name, and being aged 20 in the US it's the only thing with vodka in the title I'll be having this week. Central Park on a sunny day has...

I'm sure if we rewound time one hundred years people would find modern movements of people very odd. Previously, people would be desperate to escape Alcatraz, and hope never to be sent to Australia. Now there queues to go to both those places, and Ellis and Liberty Islands, off New York City are no different - with queues approaching two hours for the ferry. In the time of mass immigration from Europe, migrants would arrive first at Ellis Island where their fate ...

I start the day with a trip to the United Nations, which has its headquarters in New York. In the queue for the tickets a German woman behind me exclaims: "But zis is ze un-guided tour, where is ze guided tour?" before the penny drops that it is in fact the 'UN Guided Tour' and much hilarity ensues. The tour is interesting, showing all the "As Seen on TV" rooms where everything and nothing gets decided. There's a meeting going on during my vis...

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today, just want to be a part of it...Yes, I'm leaving Massachusetts for New York City. The taxi ride to Boston South Station is pretty hairy as my driver doesn't seem familiar with the concept of arrows. On multiple occasions he pulls over directly in front of a sign with one arrow to Boston and one arrow to New Hampshire, and asks me to describe which way he has to turn. Miraculously, I arrive at Boston South Station a litt...