Day 0 - we arrived at the airport and took sooooooo long to get through customs that by the time we got to the hotels it was about 10.30pm and too late and knackered to do much, so we just checked and got as much sleep as possible for the next day.
Day 1 - met up early and went for a fantastic breakfast at a diner in the centre of Manhatten, which has singing waitresses and the food was superb also.
After breakfast we went on a movie style guided tour of the island, where our guide would point out the locations and sights that had been used in hollywood blockbusting movies and also successful tv shows like Seinfeld, Friends and the Cosby Show.
Following the tour we went up the Rockerfellar Centre, took a few photos and admired the view. What was very cool is that just when we chose to go they were doing a live outdoor weather forcast and so we loitered around and managed to become part of the crowd scene making this my first ever time to be shown on live tv around the world. Yay, go me.
From their we then split up our little band for the day as they were off to watch a baseball game and I chose instead to grab a stage show of Avenue Q, not being the greatest lover of baseball.
Day 2 - met up early as we had a stunning helicopter ride all planned, but it was pushed back due to poor visibility in the uncharasteristic morning fog. So instead we grabbed another diner breakfast and went to see Wall Street and ground zero { site of the ill fated twin towers } before going back for the helicopter ride, which was awesome.
After the helicopter ride we did some shopping and investigating the city before we all headed off back to out rooms to get changed for the evening. The rest went to see the stage show Mary Poppins but I had already got my sights set on watching the movie Bourne Ultimatum { going to the cinema is something I always try to do in a foreign country }.
The film was good, and the cinema itself was plush and well looked after and then we all met back up again for a meal and drinks til we all fell asleep. The rest eventually wanted to go nightclubbing but I had an early start that morning so I took off.
Heading off from the meal a little drunk I got a bit turned around and totally lost track of where the underground train station was and once I found by bearing I started walking to where I wanted to go and hoped that I would bump into an entrance soon. However once I got started walking I was like Forest Gump, I just kept on going, and ended up arriving at my hotel room about 3.15am after walking almost the entire length of Manhatten Island.
Day 4 - Sadly I had done so much walking the previous night that I totally overslept and missed my tour bus departing for Boston, and as it was a day trip the others already had made other plans and were gone from their hotel room by the time I woke up.
So instead of a 12 hour round trip to see the sights of Boston I just did more of the same walking, movies, shopping and sight seing.
We had all arranged to meet up at the top of the Empire States Building at 10pm this night, however I had overused my cellphone as a camera and by the time I got there the queues were so long and thick I was unable to find them in the throng, so I just did the top myself, bought a few soveneirs and postcards { that I have still yet to post ... arghhhhh } and then headed back to my room for a good nights rest.
The next day the gang were again up before me and already at the port to see the Statue of Liberty when I was calling them to see what the days plans were, so we agreed to meet up later while I made my own leisurely way down to see the famous lady myself.
After the river cruise round Ellis Island, I chose to grab a bite to eat in Little Italy and sample China Towns own authentic foot and back rub specialists. The massage was good, but a little too firm for my liking and I very much doubt I will ever ask to be walked on again for as long as I live.
Then again more of the same, before I ducked back to my room to grab some rest for the night clubbing. This was all arranged for the last night to keep us all awake in time to catch the 3am bus ride back to the airport as we had a very early flight the next morning and I doubted my chances of normally waking up at 5am if I was not already still awake from the night before.
The night clubbing ended up being a Karioke bar called the Black Cat Pussycat Club, which was funky and the only thing that spolied it was that I got too drunk and ended up knocking some poor guys drink all over the floor as I was leaving.
Day 5 - met up again with the gang before a very quick ride to the airport where I had grossly overestimated the time needed to arrive in time for the flight and so we all ended up falling asleep, me on the floor as the seats were not as confy as my padded rucksack and bomber jacket.
It was a shame that my flight back was away form the others and also that the Virgin flight attendants seemed to have it in for me, as they would not let me sleep no matter how many times I tried to ignore them and their stupid rules about what I could or could not do during take off and landing.
Arriving back in the UK late I had just enough time to say a quick farewell to the others before catching a trian home, arriving around midnight and still jetlagged from an exhaustive week away.
All in all, it was a good holiday but it could have been better if we had managed to meet up as a group more, but then it was the first time I have done a group holiday and learned many things through the experience.
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