New York, New Memories

So here I am, on my flight from San Diego to New York. It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything but to the joy (of some) I will be renewing my activity on my blog. Why you ask? Because I’m going to Southeast Asia!

Update about my flight. I got no. Sleep. At. All. That’s because while at the moment he is adorable, there is a 1-year-old child in the row in front of me who cried the entire flight.

Getting to Claire’s

Now to hear the story of my fretful mishap/adventure getting to Claires

Due to miscommunication, I have to find my way from JFK airport to Claire’s house in Rye, NY. Counseled by my friends over messenger I was told to get myself to Grand Central station. to do so I had 2 options:

1. Take one bus to a second bus to Jamaica train station then a train to 53rd street where I catch another bus to Grand station
2. Or take a lyft/uber/taxi

Considering it was already nearing on 8pm and the train from GC to Rye would be an hour, I took an uber.

I then purchased my train ticket to Rye, double checked with the train conductor I was on the right line and snuggled down for the ride. 30 minutes into my train ride the conductor comes around asking for tickets. I give him mine and he says “where are going trying to get to?” “Rye” I answered” “we just passed Rye he said” then he began to berate me for “not using my head”.

We just passed rye? What did he mean we just passed rye? I showed him the map on my phone and he continued to tell me that I wasn’t thinking and I shouldn’t rely on my phone so much

So I start freaking out and calling the group chat I’m about to cry, the poor people around me have to hear me freaking out. Luckily two different people tried to help me at the same time as Michaela and Claire were trying to help me

Long story short turns out I was on an EXPRESS train which NO ONE TOLD ME and the signs didn’t say anything about that and so it wasn’t stopping until Stamford. What does that mean? I don’t know but everyone else apparently knew what it meant.

I won’t bore you with the rest of my stressful figuring out what to do at 10:30pm in northern New York but long story short Claire’s parents saved the day and came and picked me up from a train station

I arrived at their house a bit frazzled by the journey but happy to walk into see all my lemons together

Day 2

We went into the city. We had a great day not doing any overly tourist sites but still going to some great places, here are the highlights:

• First, we arrived in Grand Central and we were pretty touristy…
• we went to The Met

Then we walked through Central Park

Then we went to Levain Bakery, a tiny but well-known bakery where the cookies are HUGE and gooey and delicious

However, as I ate said cookie I got pooped on by a pigeon 🙁 (however according to myth/superstition, it is good luck to get pooped on by a pigeon so HA to everyone currently laughing at me.)

We went to the Chelsea Market where we all grabbed lunch. The majority of us got tacos.

We walked along the Highline–it used to be a train track but now serves are a plant-filled/decorated walkway over the city

We ate dumplings for dinner (ironic since I will be eating Asian food for the next 2.5 months)

Times Square (bc of course)

We ended up having to run from Times Square to grand central to catch the train home (don’t worry, right train this time)

By the time we got home, we were WIPED, but we topped off the night by doing facemasks, as is the custom of our group.

Day 3

The next day we slept in, ate a hearty breakfast and caught up. We spent some time painting watercolor since the Claires and Eleanor are both really artsy. Then, unfortunately,  Michaela, Eleanor, and Garrett had to leave early so the rest of us went to Claire’s grandmother’s house to swim in her pool. We then decided to make a healthy dinner of pancakes and dessert of crime brûlée brownies as we watched Pirates of the Caribbean

The following day Claire has to leave, we got to meet one of her moms best friends who picked her up and we said our goodbyes. The rest of my time was spent with Claire and George, properly third wheeling but still having a great time. We shopped for food, fun home gadgets, clothes, a travel notebook for myself, and by the end of my fourth day, we said our sad goodbyes as they put me on a train to the airport.

I’ve done the touristy New York thing before, so this weekend was perfect for just reconnecting with old friends and as a warm-up for my backpacking trip. As if Scotland had not been enough, I got lots of experience on how to take public transportation (and how to mess up on public transportation)

I sit here writing this in the Newark airport, 20 minutes out from boarding my plane for what will (hopefully) be a summer to never forget!

P.S. @all you lemons I am still bitter about my pun-limit