Raising The Curtain On New York

When did this Aussie girl fall in love with New York? I have absolutely no idea, only that I have always felt like this, as long as I can remember. Why New York and not some other city? I cannot answer that either. In my lifetime, I have been fortunate to travel extensively, and while both Paris and Vancouver hold special places in my heart, it was always New York that was my ultimate dream destination.

It was more than just wanting to go to New York, it was a need, a deep desire, as if a part of me was missing. Something was pulling me towards that particular destination. Unfortunately, life, studies, marriage, children and finances all got in the way, and it was like living with an insatiable craving that could not be filled. My physical body was stuck in Australia, but my heart and soul wanted to be in New York.

I remember the tears I cried and the desperation I felt as time ticked by and New York was still not on my agenda. My 35th, 40th, and 45th birthday came and went, and I still wasn't one step closer to landing in the Big Apple, half way around the other side of the world. I was beginning to think my biggest and worst fear may come true - I would die without ever having set foot in New York City. I couldn’t let that happen.

With my 50th birthday looming in 2020, my partner Stephen, and I, made the commitment that we would go to New York for my birthday. My dream was finally going to become a reality. Or was it? As everyone knows, life can’t help but throw a spanner in the works.

We planned, we put in for leave, we researched hotels, where to go, what to see, what to avoid, how much funds to take with us. Being a perfectionist by nature, I had no intention of letting anything go astray. Plans, details, schedules - all had to be organised, booked, checked, and checked again. I don’t like surprises and I did not want any on this adventure of a lifetime.

And then the Universe came knocking with other plans. No, just no! This wasn’t happening. I refused. I cried. I screamed that life was unfair! All to no avail. If we wanted to go to New York we would have to do it one year earlier than planned.

The race was on! Everything had to be rescheduled and rebooked. And we had less time to save. I was heartbroken that I would not be able to spend my 50th birthday in New York. Stephen said to consider it an unexpected early birthday present. Sadly, I had no choice but to do so.

The day we left for New York was an adventure in itself. I am NOT a morning person at the best of times, and never have been, and I really don’t function well on minimum sleep. So you can only imagine how thrilled I was to have to get out of bed at 2:00am to get ready to catch our flight from Adelaide to Sydney, and then on to Los Angeles, and New York. Thirty four hours later we finally stepped into our hotel and promptly slept for eighteen hours.

There is one piece of advice I will give to any traveller who is flying for ten hours or more - book the extra leg room!!! It is worth every dollar for that extra room and to preserve your sanity! I can live with crying babies, people bumping me as they go past my seat, annoying travel neighbours who steal the arm rests, but I cannot cope being squashed in like a sardine when flying halfway around the world.

We arrived in New York in early November as temperatures were beginning to drop. I spent three glorious weeks exploring this city that had stolen my heart. And I did most of it on my own because my partner was in pain by the second day. Unbeknown to both of us, he had an infection in his bloodstream. Nope, this definitely wasn’t part of the plan.

Being a seasoned traveller is probably the only thing that prevented me from freaking out about having to explore this monstrous city on my own. And I am truly grateful and humbled by the experience. Let me share some of my greatest lessons learnt about life in New York.

Lesson One - there is more to coffee than just Starbucks, and not all coffees are created equal. If you want fantastic, enjoyable, well balanced coffee, go to Gregorys Coffee. This place was a lifesaver for this coffee addict who cannot function without her morning caffeine hit. Fortunately for me, their store was less than two minutes walk from our hotel.

Lesson Two - there are TWO different subway systems. The first is the New York subway, the second is the New Jersey subway. Both operate on different transport cards and railway lines, so come prepared. On the upside, navigating the subway is so much easier than I expected, and not once did I have an anxiety induced meltdown because I thought I was lost (I was certain this would happen to me).

Lesson Three - pumpkin spice is EVERYTHING you never knew you needed. Seriously. I could not get enough of the pumpkin spice donuts and lattes. Every single freaking day I had to try another one. I walked extra miles to wear off all the calories I consumed because of those damned donuts! How my clothes still fit when I returned home I will never know.

Lesson Four - Macy’s is bigger than any department store we have in Australia. It will take a full day to explore so come prepared in comfortable clothes and shoes. And don’t forget the extra credit card and a empty spare suitcase. You will thank me later for that tip!

Lesson Five - learn to walk like a New Yorker, otherwise accept that you will get knocked and pushed around without apologies. Head and shoulders back, walk with purpose, and don’t look like a tourist. If you look like a tourist you will get treated like a tourist. New Yorkers don’t give ground to anyone - get used to it or move out of the way.

Lesson Six - LAYER! If you are visiting in late fall or winter, learn to layer your clothes. You will have to take everything off when you enter a warm building, so layers make it easier to maintain a comfortable body temperature. If you are from the northern parts of Australia you might want to start practicing now. Seriously.

Lesson Seven - tipping is a way of life in the United States. Learn to carry a small amount of notes on you at all times. It will save you from embarrassment and from looking like a Scrooge. Do not be rude and not leave a tip - if you do, don’t be surprised at the reaction you get. As the saying goes, “when in Rome do as the Romans do”.

Lesson Eight - the Avenues run north to south, the streets run east to west, and that makes it one big grid that is relatively easy to navigate. Don’t be scared to walk. Some of the most interesting and memorable things I saw where when I just strolled around the different neighbourhoods. This really allowed me to “see” New York as it really was, rather than just the tourist attractions.

Lesson Nine - Chips or Fries? They are not the same thing. Please remember this when ordering or purchasing. Chips come in packets, are not heated, and are crunchy. If you want hot chips you need to ask for FRIES. Memorise this difference, otherwise expect the unexpected.

Lesson Ten - many hotel rooms do not have mini refrigerators or coffee and tea making facilities in the rooms. There may be a communal area available for tea and coffee, just ask at the concierge, but be prepared for cheap instant coffee and mini tubs of creamers, not milk.

For anyone who has not travelled through any United States airport, please remember that they have very strict guidelines that must be followed - there are no exceptions. For a stress free journey, arrive at the airport EARLY, keep your bags under the suggested weight, do NOT leave your bags unattended at any point, and do exactly as the officials ask.

Since returning from New York at the end of 2019, we have watched the spread of Covid-19 create havoc around the world. Hindsight has made me incredibly grateful that we made it to New York when we did, because by my 50th birthday the world was in lockdown and international travel was impossible.

*****************************************

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. This little action by you is greatly appreciated by me. If you enjoyed what I have written, please make sure to click on the heart button, and leave some love... and please feel free to share with others (if you enjoyed my story they might too), this is a wonderful (and free) way to show support for me. If you are truly impressed with my writing, tips are also most welcome (but are completely optional and not expected). :)

Contact Information:

Twitter: @JulesMcKenna13

Instagram: @theblingprincess

Facebook: Julianne McKenna