Category: new york

So on 31 march I completed all the tests and documents so I could fly from London to New York to get on the Norwegian Epic for a 15 night Transatlantic cruise to Barcelona. My dear friend Deb sent me a message “you know there is a quicker way to get to Barcelona from London”. She was being funny because she knows me very well and knows how much I love cruising. First I took a 2 hour train from Preston to London, then a couple of tube trains to Heathrow, then a very uncomfortable 7 hour flight to New York. Customs was slow as normal and it took a round 1 hour to get through but with no issues as I still have my USA 5 year visa for unlimited entry. I had a car booked to pick me up and proceeded to the Terminal pick up area. 10 minutes later they called me to say that they would not get there for 45 minutes. It was already 11pm, zero degrees with New York’s bitter cutting wind. I said no thank you and then had to work out where the cab line was as I was in the Uber and limo area. Itook a couple of deep breaths to remind myself to stay calm and I asked a man nearby where to get a cab. When I explained my SIM decided to stop working I couldn’t get an uber he kindly said “here is my Uber ride. Jump in and I’ll drop you on the way to my place”. Now I am always defensive of Americans when people say awful things (but sorry that doesn’t extend to Trump). This young man is a Jewish New Yorker and his kindness saved me $100 plus. He said he has experienced kindness when he has been in a similar predicament when travelling and people have been kind to him. I agree if you pay it forward karma looks after you. I got to my hotel at midnight dropped bags checked google maps and Times Square was a 12 minute walk. I could not go to New York and at the least go to Times Square. So I got my photo out front of the Times Square NYPD.

Walking around New York after midnight, even though the bitter cold wind continued, it didn’t stop me from wishing I was staying for a few days. This city has a feeling you get nowhere else in the world. But I was going to board my favourite ship, the Norwegian Epic in 10 hours, that was my reason for being in this fabulous city and I just cannot do everything, although I do try to.

I got back to my hotel around 2am and got to sleep finally when a friend from the UK rang to tell me he is so disappointed he was not travelling on the Epic. Maf is another solo traveller I met on the Transatlantic on the Epic in 2018. We had an impromptu dance on the board walk of Cadiz Spain and it is one of my fabulous travel and dance memories. The song was “in the school yard” and upon seeing the children in the school, we just had to dance. I’m hoping to make more of these lovely memories once I board the Epic.