My final day in Paris was sad, but I had so many last minute things to do that i didn't really give myself time to worry about it. I spent the day racing around the city posting things and saying goodbye to good friends that I won't see for years. I arrived at the airport with no problems, traveling quickly on the RER it took me about an hour. The french security guys were friendly at the airport and I didnt have my bags checked nor get any trouble going through the metal detectors. My flight to New York first stopped off at London and I needed to change planes and I was lucky enough to not have anyone sitting in the seat nect to me on either flight. Both flights were delayed but I found them pleasant enough and didnt sleep. I watched a number of movies including The Illusionist, The Departed, and Love Actually. The Departed was really good, but I was disappointed with The Illusionist because the plane landed before the movie finished, so now I will need to borrow the dvd and watch it all again. Before the plane landed everyone fllled out a green or white customs form. I filled out a green one because I don't need a visa for the US. The landing was nice and there were no problems. At this point it was strange to think that I was in a new continent, one of which I had never visited before. It was exciting to imagine how far away from Paris and from Melbourne I was and the amount of distance I have covered so far on this trip.
I expected the worse of American customs because they hat terrorists and they hate illegal immigrants and they hate non-allowed foods and liquids. With this in mind I was wary but I ended up having no trouble with customs and I found everyone I encounted to be very friendly and interested in my origins and travels. The gentlement in charge of checking my passport and allowing me passage into the US actually watched Aussie Rules some nights on US TV after 2am. Incidently, when they check your passport, they also get a fingerprint of your left and right index finger and a photo of you. After this I picked up my bags and walked to the real test at customs where they rummage through your bag for bad things. Luckily I was ignored and I walked straight through with my contraband Vegemite.
The trip into New York was relatively painless except for the fact that it was about 12:30 at night and I hadn't slept for 22 hours. First I took the Airtrain to Howards Shore stop where I changed for the New York metro, then took a long trip on the metro to 57th St stop. From there I walked with my stuff for 7 blocks to the hostel for the first night. The whole trip from the airport taking me about 2 hours. By the time I got to bed it was about 3:30am. The hostel was called Broadway Hotel and Hostel, and it was definitely a hostel, although it looked like a hotel from the outside. I was in a clean four bedroom and I never met my roommates. I left early the next morning and I caught up with my friend Fiona for breakfast.
The breakfast was great. We went to a cool local diner where you get about double the food for less money than a typical Paris breakfast and unlimited topped up bad coffee. It was awesome and it was my first opportunity to tip american style, that is 15% regardless of service. We walked around the city and explored some of its best sights. I spent a great deal of time as I looked around trying to find a bank or american express office that was open so I could cash some travelers checks or change some money. There were none open, but at the end of the day after asking countless people I did find one bank open that I could cash a travelers check. That day we visited battery park and finished at the end of the night in the NYU area where we grabbed a $2 felafel and a $3 pint of Hoegarden, a different world to Paris (4eur felafel 6.5eur pint = $13).
I'm falling in love with this amazing city and I am constantly seeing new things that I want to explore more. I know the next week is going to go really quickly and I'm gonna need to visit again. Next post: Metro cards, Bagels, Central Park, and Times Square.
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