Our last day in NYC started early again with a wake up call from Balet telling us to get up as it was our last day in New York and we had to make the most of it! Ok then!

We decided to walk to the Metropolitan museum as it wasn't too far from the apartment. Stopped on the way to make a quick phonecall home as it was 2:30pm UK time. Dave spoke to his mam, dad and sister and I left a message for my mam and dad who weren't home. We arrived at the museum nice and early, about 10am, just in time for the 10:15 'museum highlights' tour. Our guide was a very nice man named Jeff (or Geoff) and he showed us round some of the most interesting pieces in the Met's collection of over 2 million! Neither of us are big art lovers but both enjoyed the tour, a lot more than if we'd just been wandering around aimlessly by ourselves.

After the tour we took a quick visit up to the roof garden and took some photos overlooking central park, as we were just above the trees. It's quite strange to be in the middle of such a big city but see green all around you. We left the museum and bought a few sandwiches from a nearby deli then sat ourselves down just inside central park to watch the world go by for a while. There is so much to see in there, and so many different people. We saw people running, walking, jogging, cycling, flying kites, taking their kids to/from baseball practice, mothers pushing buggies, pregnant ladies getting some gentle exercise, large groups of people having picnics, small groups of people having lunch and chatting, people sunbathing or reading a book on the grass, everywhere you looked there was more to see. So we had a lovely hour sitting there, being serenaded by a man playing Beatles songs on a saxophone.

After our picnic lunch (stuffed again!), we walked across the park to the Natural History Museum. Our ticket there included a visit to the planetarium so we went straight there and listened to Whoopi Goldburg narrating a short film about stars and stuff. I wasn't really paying attention, too busy trying not too fall asleep in the dark room in my comfy chair! We whizzed round the rest of the museum, selecting a few things to look at, mainly dinosaurs and the giant whale - took a photo of our little Whale next to the giant one but it didn't really come out properly. For those of you who don't know - the school Dave works at is called Whale Hill so we've brought a little toy whale with us to take photos of in front of famous attractions and send back to the school (although we keep forgetting to take him out with us during the day!).

After the museum we took a quick look at Strawberry Fields in central park which is dedicated to John Lennon who was shot in the Dakota building just over the road (although we couldn't find which building it was). Then we got the subway to Times Square and went to the Regal theatre to see the Hangover 2! We both very much enjoyed it and I think it was made better by all the Americans around us laughing loudly throughout the film - English audiences are silent in comparison!

Film finished we took the subway back, stopped off at the supermarket round the corner to get some food for tea and headed back to the apartment to update the blog and pack our bags. Quiet night in...or so we thought!

Got in the elevator (sorry - lift!) with 6 others, one got out on the 4th floor, two were getting out on 9th (our floor is 14th). Got to 9th then...nothing. Lift wouldn't move, buttons wouldn't work. Oh great! Tried to speak to the doorman downstairs who said he would call the company out. So one of the guys in the lift rang 911 and they said they would be 10 mins. Luckily, about 15 mins later the door was opened and we were greeted by 4 NY Fire Fighters in full gear who helped us out of the lift! It was a bit surreal. I did text Balet to tell him we were stuck, then I text him to tell him we were out. He didn't reply so obviously wasn't bothered ;-) We happily walked up the remaining flights of stairs and were very happy to arrive back in the apartment safe and sound!

So that's it for New York. Was an incredible start to our trip and we are very grateful to Steve Balet for his hospitality!