New York, New York, it is my favourite city, it has a magnetic energy and I always feel so happy here. Even in the winter, despite my intense loathing of cold weather I feel enlivened by the big apple. Today though, it is a hot summer day as I sit in Bryants Park on 42nd St overlooking a patch of perfect green lawn, surrounded by New Yorkers enjoying a "can't feel the weather" summer evening.
Being back in the US has made me feel more homesick for Melbourne and my wonderful family and friends that I have since I left almost four years ago. I think it is because of the similarities in culture and the familiarities of a Western lifestyle.
After jetting halfway across the world I touched down for a six hour LA layover; spent at Manhattan Beach, eating pancakes and toasting in the Californian sunshine with the ever fabulous Jamie and Alex… now thats the way to stopover! Wearied from my 20 plus hours in transit I boarded yet another plane for an overnight flight to Florida where I was greeted by a wall of heat and humidity as I trudged out the airport doors.
The US segment of my adventure was set to bring education and new skills but first I was to be reunited with some of my new friends of the past six months. I was welcomed to Florida by J Lee who I had met during my first week in Costa Rica back in January, after a much needed disco nap a night of Sushi, Southern style rock and much cheap beer ensued.
After a week of cheese grits, collared greens, macaroni cheese, biscuits, iced tea, beer, a not half bad attempt at throwing my first pot and tubing Blue Springs it was time to meet up with Howard (who I met in Argentina in April) and Aponte (the super cute K9) and make my way towards NYC.
Orlando, Florida to New York City is around 1700km of Interstate which features pretty much just highway framed by a wall of woods on either side and dotted with fast food stops and gas stations. We made our way through Georgia and stopped in South Carolina for some good ol' Southern seafood and to check out the pretty city of Charleston. The next day we headed for North Carolina, but not before a sweltering stop at "South of the Border", a crazy mexican themed roadside tourist complex. Escaping the scorching heat we continued North, through Virginia and onto Washington DC to meet the President…well not really but I did get to see The White House which was pretty cool!
As always I was bewitched by the big apple and spent my week there traipsing the streets of Manhattan, biking the beat of Williamsburg, being initiated to PunkRope, catching an off Broadway show, stuffing myself silly with Sass at Smorgasburg (the über delish Brooklyn Food Flea Market) and enduring a stifling New York heat wave… 103 degrees is Hot in the City!
After a few weeks of good times, old friends and new, halfway around the world and the US and a great seven plus months of mostly lollygagging it was time to apply myself to something and switch gears from N to D… Wilderness First Responder training (http://www.wildmed.com/first-response/wilderness-first-responder.php) and Colorado was calling…
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| J Lee and I high above the oldest city in America! |
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| Never too old for the carousel |
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| Sunset over Florida waters |
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| Aponte and I barely escaped a gator attack at Disneyworld! |
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| A big ass Southern bridge....everything's bigger in...oh that's Texas |
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| Sweltering @ South of the Border |
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| Hello Mr President |
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| New York...how I love thee |
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| Completely Ukrainian... actually just the High Line |
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