| JOSS' DIARY |
 |
| LONDON TO NEW YORK - 01/09 - 07/09/2003 Well we've survived one week in the Big Apple (and haven't killed each other yet...), here goes the first leg of the tour - enjoy!! Got working visas for NZ no problem at all and spent a few hours at SKY with Em and Murray which was good. The flight over from the UK was good -had lots and lots of leg room - upgrade was worth it!! Landed at JFK on time (although we left the UK nearly an hour late!!). Waited in line for nearly an hour to get through customs etc and was met by Martyn on the other side. Weather was pants!! Raining again!! Got up on the Tuesday and went into NYC by bus which was ok, had some lovely cheese topped bagels with sundried tomatoe flavour cream cheese which were gorgeous for breaky. We walked to the Crysler Building after arriving at Port Authority and from there went to the Empire State building but because visability was so poor decided to wait until Friday before going up the top. From there made our way to Grand Central Station which was blinding and had a wee wander, made our way to the Rockefella Centre and saw where they put the ice rink in the winter months. One of the highlights of NY was a `naked cowboy' in Times Square, that was cool, walked to Central park and made way back to Hoboken where we were staying. Went to a bar in Hoboken for a few beers which was cool. Wednesday - got the ferry across to the Financial District and went to Ground Zero which was surreal as you could tell of the huge void that's been left and when you look at the skyline can see where the towers should have been. Saw where people had written messages. Walked along Wall Street and went past the Federal building and the NY Stock Exchange, went past the NYPD Headquarters while finding our way to Chinatown which was pretty cool, saw Little Italy as well on way to Greenwhich Village, where they film some parts of Sex and the City. Had a HUGE cheeseburger - 10oz of meat!! with loads of chips too, saw NY Uni and Washington Square Garden - weather was still pants today!! Thursday - Went on a food tour round Greenwhich Village which was really good, would highly recommend it - thanks to Charlie for telling us about it. Saw the outside of the Friends building which was cool, Ells took a good piccy of it. Had lots of yummy food on tour as well although it didn't stop raining all morning!!! Went to Macys afterwards which was awesome and to Madison Square Gardens but couldn't see the ground as it was shut and the tours had stopped for the day. Wandered around a wee bit more and made our way back to Hoboken on the subway which was an experience!! Got back to Hoboken and stopped off at a bar called "Duffys" (which was near to where we were staying) for one beer but as most of you know us too well that one beer turned into about 6 each, went back to apartment, got changed and off we went again to another bar. Got peckish so decided to go and get chips and BBQ sauce from the supermarket at about 12.30am at night!! Friday - Stopped raining at last - yipee!!!Took the bus to Port Authority and from there walked down to the harbour's edge to catch a 90 min tour of the NYC skyline. Went thru a few dodgy streets on way to ferry. The boat trip itself was blinding saw so much of the skyline and the views were fantastic as the sun was out and hardly any clouds in the sky. From the boat you could blatently see where the twin towers should have been and it seemed strange, we realised on the way back to shore that the ferry trip we'd just done and the sites we saw we had done by foot, no wonder we were knackered at the end of each day!! Saw the Statue of Liberty which was wonderful although now you can't go up it, was smaller than what we thought it would be. Took a bus to Central Park where we paid $34 for a carriage ride round it which you've gotta do whilst in NY. Had a chicken wrap thing for lunch from a stall holder which was nice. Walked thru the park and got to the boating lake where they filmed part of the film "Ransom" where the little boy gets taken. Saw the Alice in Wonderful memorial which was wonderful, had our photo taken and took photos for other people, saw "Strawberry Fields" but was a bit disappointed as not what i was expecting. Went to Bloomingdales and then onto Tiffanys which was fantastic could've spent a fortune in there easily if I'd had the money!! Empire State was good, the views were magnificent and was there as the lights of the city started to come on. To get there from Tiffanys got a "Rickshaw" which was highly amusing - nearly got hit by one or two taxi drivers!! Went out for dinner in Hoboken to a Thai place which was lovely and then to Duffys where we met up with Martyn and then onto a sports type bar. I bumped into a guy and consequently he dropped one of his drinks he was carrying therefore i hid rather quickly. Saturday - didn't do much, wandered around Hoboken and went down to the waters edge where you get fantastic views of the city. Went out to Greenwhich Village for supper and drinks which was really nice. Had a Manhatten cocktail in Manhatten which you've gotta do - probably wouldn't have another one though!! Got back to Hoboken and generally got plastered!!! Sunday - Had a bit of a hangover and got bus down to Port Authority and got Greyhound bus to Washington DC which is where we are now. Weather has improved dramatically!! Well thats the end of the essay, log on for the next installment coming soon.... Have drunk, eaten and seen lots and walked for miles and miles!! |
 |
| Yup thats us with Brains our trusty stead for the carriage ride |
 |
 |
| Statue of Liberty 05/09/2003 |
 |
| Brooklyn Bridge with the Manhatten skyline behind it |