Sunday 25 August 2019.
Highlights: Easy Immigration into the USA

As one leg of the trip closes the final leg commences. Today I said goodbye to colourful Colombia and hello to the United States of America.

The day started with an early morning pickup from our Santa Marta hotel. Both Xavier and myself joined Katie for her organised transport to the Simon Bolivar International Airport at 6 am.

After some initial problems getting checked in, there is a lot of extra security for flights too the USA, I was on my way on Avianca AV9267 Santa Marta to Bogotá (review here). Immediately on reaching Bogotá it was obvious I was back in the colder climate that Bogotá at higher altitude provides.

After a relaxing 3 hour plus transit at El Dorado International Airport it was time to catch my final flight for the day Avianca AV244 Bogotá to New York (John F Kennedy International Airport). When landing at this airport you can easily be stunned by the multitude of airplanes waiting to land (review here).

I’ve never gotten though USA Immigration faster, I wish Los Angeles airport had a similar setup. After landings a 19.40 I was though security and immigration and had my bag by 20.35.

I then caught the AirTrain at 20.48 and transferring to Howard Beach Station at 21.01. It costs $5 USD for the AirTrain and from there $2.75 USD for a one way Subway ticket. Luckily the station I need get to, the 42 Street Port Authority Station, was on the A Line that leaves from this station.

About half way into this 40 minute ride into New York City I ended up sitting next to a crazy, but harmless, drunk who keep talking to himself. Welcome to New York Nathan. It took me a while on exiting the Subway to find my bearings but eventually I found Hilton Times Square hotel. At 22.16 I was safely checked into my hotel and looking forward to the next few days.

Forty Minutes before landing at JFK