Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

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  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 46 – New York City, USA

    Saturday 25 December 1999
    Highlights    : Traditional American Christmas Dinner

    Christmas Day 1999 and my first ever away from my family, I wonder how many times I’ll be away from family and friends for future Christmas Days (well I had Jon here this Christmas). It felt very un-Christmas like with no presents, no hot sunny day and no family. I was hoping for it to snow, but no luck 😦

    Almost everything is closed on Christmas Day but that doesn’t stop a walk around Central Park. We walked around 40 streets and saw the occasion jobber in the minus 4 degree day. Got a couple of photos of frozen water, why couldn’t it have snowed, that’s an experience I really want.

    Back at the Hostel I had a traditional (apparently) Christmas Dinner of turkey (American’s must hate turkey’s eating them all the time!) an mashed potatoes with other hostel guests and a few locals. Definitely felt a little home sick today.

    The news again focused on terrorists blowing up Times Square. Definitely a lot of anti-government people in USA. I’m not sure it’s a good idea they all have guns and a deep dislike of authority figures at the same time.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 45 – New York City, USA

    Friday 24 December 1999
    Highlights    : Rest Day, New York City Library

    Christmas Eve was a necessary rest and cleaning clothes day hanging out at the YHA New York City Hostel.

    Watching television it became very clear that people are becoming increasingly worried about terrorist acts in Times Square for New Year’s Eve. Talk that some local terrorists were caught near the Canadian border.

    We did venture out and visit the Empire State Building only to find it closed early for Christmas. A visit to the New York Library for free internet access also allowed us to experience this magnificent building, book collections and displays.

    Spoke to everyone back at home since it is Christmas already for them. Surprised to find Kara is now going out with Jason who was a topic of discussion back in New Zealand when Kara was with us. Lana and Kara were keen for a call accepting reverse charge calls. Work related message was my promotion was being held up with appeals. Earliest it will be finalised will be January, hopefully I won’t have to return home and front the appeals panel, while overseas I have a great excuse!.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 44 – New York City, USA

    Thursday 23 December 1999
    Highlights    : State of Liberty, Ice-Skating at Rockefeller Centre

    Today I got to climb the Statue of Liberty. We had to get up very early to ensure access but given we were in a room with 12 others sleeping in wasn’t really an option anyway 🙂

    While the view from the top of the Statue is not really worth the 2 hours it takes to get to the top (big crowds) since the head faces the ocean, the view from the base is outstanding. I think I got some good photos but even better memories.

    Later while walking around Chinatown and little Italy I realised you can literally buy anything here, including videos to movies that haven’t even been released yet!

    Next up was a visit to Rockefeller Centre in Midtown to watch the public ice-skating which is awesome public event. Then it was onto Times Square. It’s hard to describe the overwhelming lights, smells and mass of people. Should be an amazing New Year’s Eve in a few days.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 43 – New York City, USA

    Wednesday 22 December 1999
    Highlights: Walking around downtown Manhattan

    An incredibly cold USA winter day of around 2 degrees. First good news was our stay at the YHA Hostel has now been extended to 29 December, so New Year’s Eve in New York City is starting to look possible.

    Visited Downtown Manhattan for the first time and followed the Lonely Planet recommended walking tour commencing at City Hall, visiting Federal Hall (the site of the first USA Congress), Trinity Church (once the tallest building in New York), the famous Wall Street and finishing at the Brooklyn Bridge.

    After this we visited the World Trade Centre, which includes the famous Twin Towers. We were looking for cheap Broadway tickets (you can get then here or at Times Square). The cheapest ticket we could find for a show we wanted was $42.75 which is a little too much for this budget ticket, but we will try again.

    Otherwise we checked out how to get to the Statue of Liberty tomorrow which I’m very much looking forward to.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 42 – Washington DC to New York City, USA

    Tuesday 21 December 1999
    Highlights    : The White House, Arriving in New York City

    We visited the White House today, lining up for about 2 hours standing next to this neo-Nazi Canadian (I know hard to imagine).

    I did caused my own security scare when I accidentally bought a bottle of sauce into the White House. Set of a lot of alarms, I must have been gunning to poison the President Clinton! More likely it helped out the staff for their lunch break.

    Although the White House was great, I mean being in a place with some much important history over the past century is very cool, but it was too short for a 2 hour wait. Afterwards we headed off for the Lincoln Memorial but it was closed, have to visit next time in the area.

    After a short tour of the Holocaust Museum it was off to the bus, Peter Pan this time, and away to New York. New York City is unbelievably large. Getting in at 7.15 pm the lights were shining and people were everywhere. My first subway experience worked out and we still found the hostel but worryingly still only have accommodation to 26 December. Millennium in New York might be on the street!

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