Striking Out...

So here follows a blow by blow account of the last couple of days. Spending time on my own has been lonely, bizarre and educational in equal measure. Some of this is in note form - this is for the family & me a) so I can remember what I've done and b) so I can let them know what I've been up to so might be a bit dull story-wise.

I'll probably do fewer updates & make them more interesting in the future... just getting used to this whole blogging thang.

On Tuesday I went out of the hostel feeling slightly overwhelmed and more than a little sorry for myself, to experience the sights and sounds of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I have never seen such a huge concentration of hipsters in my life and I've been to Dalston, darling. Fixie bikes, ridiculous bleached pink hair (the men) and general too cool for school attitudes prevail, but the place still retains a neighbourhood-y, relaxed feel which is actually quite welcoming.

After wandering around aimlessly and taking a few snaps, I sat down on a park bench and almost nodded off in a peaceful atmosphere of birds tweeting and fighting over scraps of bread and the babble of conversation from the uber-cool looking bar over the road. Deciding that as it was only about 7.30pm and going to bed was unacceptable at that hour, I headed up the road to a bar I had gone past earlier, The Turkey's Nest, and summoned up the courage to sit at the bar - on my own. I know it sounds silly to worry about it, but I have really never done that before.

It worked out rather well actually. After ordering a pint of Brooklyn Lager (pretty nice stuff!) the barman, a 60-odd chap called Paddy, asked me where I was from. I have never felt more grateful for human interaction before - after a day where the only words I had really said to anyone were 'excuse me' to get past them on the plane, to have a real dialogue going was bliss. He told me about his upcoming trip to South Dakota & we discussed my own travel plans - he seemed impressed but found it odd that I was going solo. I expect to come across this attitude more than a few times in Asia!

After chatting to him and a few of the regulars, including a horrendously drunk ex-homeless guy called Thomas who kept telling 'hilarious' stories that were anything but, he gave me a pint on the house and I chatted and observed in equal measure as the bar filled up slowly with people. I decided to call it a night pretty soon though, as I was falling asleep, and alone in an unfamiliar place with no real sense of direction to the hostel. After stumbling about a bit, I found it, and wobbled into the main area where two Aussie girls were packing a LOT of stuff into suitcases - Dimi and Laura were to become compadres after this moment. Hooray! I had met people - actual people in the hostel. Feeling good about this, I went to sleep off the jetlag with some plans in place for Thursday night.

Wednesday I set off early to walk (in the cycle lane by mistake...) across the Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan. It was a gorgeous day and there was a cooling breeze which made for a pleasant walk. Manhattan is CRAZY. Having only really experienced a Brooklyn suburb, the assault to the senses was pretty shocking. Noisy, dirty, buzzing with all sorts of life - I could see myself enjoying it in small doses.

As I'm feeling pretty unwell today - here follows a summary of Weds & Thurs. I may edit this later when I'm feeling better!

Weds:

- Experienced Whole Foods, probably the best and most expensive grocers in the world.
- Went on the subway to central Manhattan - Times Square - incredible, bit like Piccadilly
Circus on acid, and bloody ENORMOUS. Generally just wandered about, getting lost. Went into Central Park and decided it was too big on foot so booked a bike tour for Thursday.
- Met up with Hamed, a friend of a friend who I discovered was across here at NYU - got to go to the NYU dining hall - the food was incredible and all you can eat, and it was free (thanks Hamed!). Hung about in Washington Square, met Lindsay and Leila, two friends of Hamed's for drinks in St Mark's Place. Almost fell asleep at the bar having been up since 6.30am and walking all day.

Thurs:

- Went to visit a friend of Mum's at Framestore NY in Spring Street. Chatted to a couple of people there & got some pics of the rooftop.
- Wandered about, and ate a massive Reuben bagel - (pastrami and swiss cheese...)
- Foolishly went on a bike ride shortly after this - in 32 degree heat across Central Park. Met a couple from Kent who were on their honeymoon.
- Went out with Dimi & Laura from the hostel for Thai food - their friend Sophie and Hamed and his friends joined us and we headed to The Turkey's Nest - I had a frozen margharita in a 16oz cup which was so full of tequila it was ridiculous. We managed to bust into a random pool game and left for karaoke at about midnight - but not before getting the world's biggest slice of pizza and taking it onto the subway to eat on the way. NOM. (I ate well yesterday).
- Broke my flip flops on the way home just as I left the karaoke bar. Saw world's biggest rat run across in front of me on the way home.

To summarise: I am NEVER having a 16oz cup of frozen margharita ever again. Let's just say my stomach does not thank me for it today. Working up the courage to leave for the boat trip to Ellis Island...

Lots of love xxx

The Big Day

26.02.2012 - 11.12am

Here begins what I hope is an in depth, candid account of a woman alone, making her way in the world and pressing forth with vigor and gumption. Either that, or things will take a distinctly Bridget Jones turn and everything will go tits up from the off.

I'll leave out the details of my goodbye at the airport with Gordon, mainly because it's a bit raw still, and also because even if I don't write it down, I will probably remember it for the rest of my life anyway.

Pressing on, and after a couple of phonecalls to beloved friends and O2 (oh how I love speaking to the gang at their 'UK based call centres'!) the time flew by and it was time to get to the gate via one of those vaguely entertaining transit trains that takes forever to arrive and about 2 seconds to get to its destination once it's picked you up.

Once there, I hurriedly looked up how to use the NYC subway before I didn't have the luxury of free internet any more. It turns out to be horrendously difficult, so I'm looking forward to that. (N.B - was actually fine after I deciphered the map. I am now at the hostel. It's clean and bright, but there's nobody else here so I am feeling rather lonely. Will go out and explore in a bit to try and combat the homesickness).

A few Italian ladies, who I can only assume had been to Stockholm judging by the large quantities of 'I Heart Stockholm' merchandise they were carrying about, queued up excitedly in front of me while I padded morosely through to the front of the queue with puffy, swollen eyes and a glum face. What I love about the UK is that nobody asks you if you're OK when you are / have been crying in a public place. Mind you, I am just as guilty as anyone of this, and I expect this no-nonsense, get-on-with-it attitude will serve me well in the near future as I fake a stiff upper lip mentality as things inevitably go wrong in (hopefully) the most comical of ways.

I think my favourite part of the Heathrow experience (and thanking God I am not here during the Olympics!) was the moment when I rolled my trolley up to the check in desk and the manager exclaimed 'Oooh look! Mr Cookie!' in a twee & far too cheery fashion as she saw my novelty luggage tag (bought for me by one Emily Darby). Coupled with not being offered wine on the flight as they thought I looked underage, this is starting out well.

Anyway, I probably ought to get out of here and stop feeling sorry for myself.

Laters!

xxxx

Packing...

Sorry Facebook people, you'll have already seen this! 


Nine months' worth of clothing, not including the enormous down jacket or any sandals or shoes.... this is going to be an interesting day. Not forgetting having to pack medical kit and general sanitation aids like toothpaste and shampoo.


This is a massively pared down selection as well. According to packing advice I should be taking only two tshirts! (currently I have four... plus two shirts. Woops).


Taken with my new Olympus Tough camera (thanks Gordon), look forward to testing it in underwater / extreme (?!) situations.


xxx

In which panic ensues...

I'm up, awake, it's 7.40am and I'm not… on a train? This seriously does not compute. I'm sitting in our living room looking out of the window onto our decking, which has become festooned liberally with a (nearly) brand new hot tub. Suddenly, a week of packing and panicking seems a little easier to deal with! I hasten sadly to add that said hot tub is actually Gordon's, but I expect I can enjoy it vicariously through various joy-filled photos of him having fun while I'm away. 

After a pretty emotional Friday, which I began intoxicated and lying on my office sofa (I highly recommend it, it literally puts a wonderful spin on things) and ended crying on a couple of colleagues' shoulders with my snotty hungover face, the weekend has been one of 'taking it easy', which means having one beer less than usual with dinner. I have managed to pick up a pretty skanky cold and I suspect that might be more to do with the craziness of the last few days than any actual propensity to illness. This means I have woken early as usual despite having marginal sleep, unable to breathe, and with a twisting nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach as the to-do list mounts ever higher.

Not that I am in any way organised and adding to this list in a sensible, prioritised order. Oh no. This is a list I add to in an invisible notepad I keep in my head, in particular the section where short term memories are formed and then lost rather quickly. I imagine this list to be maintained by lazy mini nanobots, the kind that are on a forced work placement in order to keep their Jobseeker's Allowance. So I am also up early to add to this list in some sort of sensible, prioritised order and not have a nervous breakdown when I realise that I can't do it all in one week. 

Wish me luck…

x