New York, New York!

Grrr, bloody Vodafone. Had to ring them twice from NY since they seemed to have cut off my international data package a day early - they assured me it was sorted and any charges would be deleted from my account, then promptly cut off my internet access when I reached the limit that would have been set had I not had said data package. Thank god it was day 4 not day 1, otherwise I may still be lost deep within the bowels of the excellent New York subway system.

Well, I say excellent, it's a bit confusing eh - numbered and lettered trains, which may or may not stop at your station according to a mythical timetable which New Yorkers just seem to have hard-wired into their brains but which baffles your average tourist (well, me anyway). But enough griping, what's been occurrin'?

Having re-packed my worldly goods in the morning, I wandered off to the subway in search of the High Line. It's an old section of elevated railway line over towards the Meatpacking district which used to carry freight into the city, but which had been abandoned and, in 1999, was transformed into a public park.

I started my walk at the top (30th St) end and made my way back down to Gansevoort St. Much has been, and is being, built up around it, but there are some fantastic views inland along the long, straight streets, and over to the Hudson River in the other direction. As you might imagine, much of the grassy parts of the walk (and by "grassy" I mean pampas and the like, not lawn!) is past its best at this time of year, but there are some beautiful reds, yellows and oranges to be seen on the bushes and trees, and bright red berries aplenty. It was a beautiful morning too - I've been really lucky with the weather, bright and sunny apart from that first morning and the snow flurries of Saturday night. Judging by the forecast, I've had a narrow escape too, as the snow is due with a vengeance on Tuesday/Wednesday!

A couple of blocks up from Gansevoort St, on 9th Av, is Chelsea Market. Mainly a huge variety of foodstuffs - chocolate and pastries, bakeries, delis, restaurants, you name it, there are also little curio shops and even a bookshop all housed in this vaulted brickwork that almost makes you feel like you're underground. It's got such a fantastic atmosphere - buzzing but not overly crowded that I swear, if I lived in New York, I'd be there every week - I loved it! Had a tasty sandwich lunch of NYC goat cheese, roasted tomatoes and eggplant and black olive tapenade at Amy's Bread, followed by a caramelised peanut bar nom nom. And homemade lemonade :-)

On then to the Lower East Side - I'd seen part of it on the food tour on Friday night and it looked like such a cool place - and I saw a stamp shop on East 11th St. I got the subway to Union Square and, lo and behold, there was a holiday market in the park. Well, it would've been rude not to look...

So I spent a couple of hours there - I'd already seen some if the booths in Bryant Park, but there were more too :-) I also had a bit of a sit down with a hot chocolate and my Kindle (I love my Kindle - all the books, none if the poundage!). The next time I checked the time I thought, "Pants, I'd best get a wriggle on"! And that was when I figured out I had no internet access... Got back to the hotel anyway (with a bit of judgement and a bit of luck lol), picked up my bags and headed for the airport.

I forgot to ask if there was any chance of a birthday upgrade at check-in (which is a bit of an odd beast at JFK) so asked at the gate - no chance for business class, but I did get an extra legroom seat (which, I'd checked, would have cost £75) woo hoo.

It was a long long flight home, with quite a long spell of dodgy turbulence (I'm paraphrasing the pilot there) in the middle but I'm home now (Tuesday morning) - washing on, heating on, pot of tea made and Charlie out re-exploring the territory he'd forgotten he had.

THE END (of that particular adventure).

:-) x