My flight touched down at New York's JFK Airport an hour and a half late, after a reasonably dull 7 hour flight chasing the sun. I've had 4 hours extra daylight today but am staying up till bedtime to beat the effects of jet-lag. As I type this it is 4:20am in England, but a warm, clammy 11:20pm on the East Coast.
Immigration have it in for me
So, what can I tell you about my first few hours? Well, the adventure began at JFK immigration desk, where after taking my prints and taking my photo (they do that to all visitors) the guy behind the desk quizzed me on how long I'd be staying."89 days" say I, cheerilly. "Hmmm" he says, then types some notes and plonks my Passport and accompanying paperwork in a special red folder and sends me to "The Office".
"The Office" turns out to be where the suspicious, dubious and nervous people are quizzed in further detail on the purpose, length and means of your visit. The people who quiz you have guns. I was very polite... they let me in. However, I have a card in my Passport reminding me to get the hell out of the USA by 23 October.
New York was Misty
I caught a Hotel Transit bus into the City (which I somehow neglected to remember to pay for) and it was just before we got a view of the skyline that I saw my first "Landmark". The 1964/65 World's Fair was held in Flushing Meadows, New York. The remaining structures are some UFO looking things on towers and the huge Unisphere globe. If you have seen the first "Men In Black" movie, you'll recognise them from showdown at the end of the film.
I was very pleased to have a landmark ticked off so early into the trip and was grinning happily when we rounded a bend in the Freeway to catch my first glimpse of the New York skyline, romantically veiled in a thin mist. It was stunning, and somehow enhanced by the lack of blazing sunlight. Seeing the unmistakeable outlines of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings was quite moving for me.
Dolphins and other Myths
I love Skyscrapers. I'm not good with heights, but I love emblematic tall buildings. There are taller structures then the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, but I can't imagine there are any more beautiful. I hold them in the same regard as Dolphins, Whales, baby deer and Unicorns. Somehow they have taken on a near mythical status in my mind... and now I've seen them. In fact, I could walk to my hotel window right now and see The Empire State. No, really, I can... I just did.
Bam!
Nothing can prepare you for New York after dark. It's not just the fact that you are in possibly the most famous city in the world. It's not that it's still bustling and awake so late. It's all of that plus the smells. The smell of the Subway blowing up through grate; of smokey-steam billowing from man-hole covers in the roads; of Pretzel, Hotdog and goodnees-knows-what meat-that-is carts; of people; of the grass in Bryant Park; and a hundred other smells that smother you.
No Pickle
And as my day drew to an end and I started getting the hang of Streets vs Avenues and how East / West is dictated by which side of 5th you are on, I found that I was hungry. Now, I know I should have gone for something of the city from a New York Deli, but I needed comfort food. So I went for a MacDonald's. Terrible isn't it, but I tell you, that was the best tasting Quarterpounder (No Pickle) I have ever tasted.
Goodnight
Well, the A/C in my window has brought the temperature down from the low broil it was a few hours ago and I am getting properly tired.
Stats - Day One
Distance travelled (as the crow flies) - 3,542 miles: Dursley-Heathrow-JFK-Manhattan
States entered - New York
Total states count - 1
Burgers eaten - 1
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