Where it took me first was to Times Square, where I dropped into the AT&T store to buy a SIM card for my mobile. I now have my very own American phone number... oddly, it doesn't start with "555".
From Times Square I headed to Park Avenue. Park is unusual in New York as it is double wide and the traffic runs in both direction. The other avenues are one-way heading either Up- or Down-town. Another reason to check it is Grand Central Station which is at the Uptown end.
Grand Central is a huge rail terminal building which, despite the general disdain the Americans have for rail travel, is kept immaculate and has a very beautiful main concourse, covered in marble.
I carried on down Park Avenue, and was very pleased when I realised I was getting a grip on the Street layout and knew that I'd be able to cross over to Madison Avenue and walk down it towards the Flatiron District.
Tribute to Kirsty MacColl
It also meant that I could finally be "Walking Down Madison", a lyric which has been going around my head for two days! I don't know the song well, but I'll download it so I can relive the moment.
When I reached Madison Square Park (as opposed to Madison Square Garden which is several blocks away, round and the fourth building to have the name) it was lunch time so I went the the reknowned "Shake Shack". I waited in line (trans: queued) for 30 minutes before I got my 5 dollar shake and double cheeseburger which I ate sitting in the shade of a tree surrounded by tourists, sun-bathing New Yorkers and business types on lunch. Both burger and shake were delicious...though I just realised they forgot the onion on my burger. Too late now.
I schlepped around lower Midtown as far as Union Square before heading back towards my hotel. They were storing my baggage for me so that I could be free to enjoy my last day in New York... until October of course.
"Sorry Lady, I don't got time to go to Jersey..."
In London, asking a taxi driver to go "South of the River" can get you a rude answer. The equivalent in New York, apparently, is asking one to go to New Jersey.
So, having flagged down and loaded my bags into one Taxi, only to be thrown out a block later, then have a second one refuse to even entertain the idea, I walked with all my luggage to the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd and 8th (which makes Victoria Coach Station look nice by comparison) where is got the 320 Bus from gate 231.
To be fair, the service was pretty bloody good and, like the vast majority of New Yorkers I met, the staff were helpfull, kind and direct. Plus it only cost me $3.10 instead of $50 by cab.
A word or two about New Yorkers
I really like New Yorkers. I do. They are good people. From what I have seen and felt from them, they love their City and enjoy sharing it. They are blunt, but rarely rude. They are in a hurry, but will stop to help. I was the glad recipient of many acts of kindness, especially today, including a wonderful guy who carried my 20+ kilo bag up a flight of steps at the Bus Terminal. He was warm and friendly and pointed out "that's some weight you got in there!".
They are also keen to know what you think of their City and are happy when you enthuse about it to them.
Thanks guys. I'll be back.
New Jersey
New Jersey is just the other side of the Hudson River. The guy in the AT&T shop asked me not to judge Jersey by first impressions as I came out the Lincoln Tunnel. Don't worry I said, I judge New Jersey by Kevin Smith movies, a reference that he appreciated.
And New Jersey is where I am right now, quietly completing this Blog entry. Quietly, because in one fo the two beds next to me, is my trek room-mate, sleeping soundly. She is from The Netherlands, 23, has perfect English and is sweet, engaging, warm and funny. I hope we continue to share as I think we've hit it off very nicely. She flew in from Europe earlier today so has stayed up as long as she could to beat the jet-lag, but didn't make it past 8:00pm local time... 2:00am Euro time.
I too will get an early night as I had no mid-afternoon rest today and I covered a good few miles of New York sidewalk today.
Goodnight.
Stats - Day Four
Distance Travelled (as the crow flies) - 4.2 miles: Midtown Manhattan to Secaucus, NJ
States entered - New Jersey
Total states count - 2
Hotel count - 2
Burgers eaten - 2
5 Dollar shake count - 1
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