New York New York. It is funny, I always thought it was just a line in a song. Not the city and the state but after my first day in New York, I think its more than that…. its New York, NEW YORK!
With so many expectations I was a little concerned it may not live up to my expectations. How silly of me. What an amazing city and so sad that we are short on time. We will be back.
We had lunch with a friend Kate from New Zealand and as we left the city for the night I feel so envious of her, living here. I cant wait for a repeat day tomorrow.
Not to say there weren’t tensions. TOH (The Other Half) insisted on wanting to drive in New York. Not a problem if you are a little car but the truck? I did “have” to point out that there were hardly any TRUCKS to be seen in the city but he managed, and managed well….(You have to be quite aggressive to get anywhere, bumper to bumper driving) while I as freaking out beside him…. I mean to say, all he had to do was drive, I was the one trying to navigate. Actually the navigation didn’t stop with the driving, we then had to find our way to where we were to start the tour. Again the tension was running high particular as TOH happened to be happily chatting to “somebody” back in New Zealand on the ONLY phone with data that could guide us to the right spot but we made it on time, although murder was not far from my mind at one stage.
The rest of the day was fun, saw lots, caught up with an old friend and walked heaps (certainly got the step count in today) until we started to head home. GPS was loaded and set for home and …. Oh TOH decided he wanted to drive some more in New York. So we ended up at the Brooklyn Bridge and then back into the centre of Manhattan. We found our way back to the Holland tunnel and headed home, happy to soak the feet, have glass of wine and head to bed to be ready to do it all again tomorrow.
We headed back in to New York City early again, and after a gorgeous early morning stroll (before the heat hit) down through Battery Park, we headed off to see Central Park and a drive around Harlem, Millionaire Row, then back to Times Square. For Lunch we met up again with Kate in China Town and she took us on our own private walking tour of China Town (Vanessas Dumplings for lunch, awesome) and Little Italy then on the subway to Grand Central Station and then the Chrysler Building for photo op’s for TOH. Then through to “The Vessel” – wow what an amazing structure. We finished off with cocktails before we had to say good bye and head back accross the Hudson to Ellie-Mae. Now that in itself was a feat, thanks to the trusty GPS. But we saw more of the country so shouldn’t complain.
Then is was time to leave the Pocono Mountains and set out for our next location. Must say it was hard leaving (not the campground which is a story all in itself) but because I would really have loved to spend more time in New York, but the travel in and back out each day has taken its toll. So for that fact I am happy to move on for now and come back another time.
We booked ahead, to a campground half way between Philadelphia and Harrisburg. My thinking was we could spend a day or 2 in each as the campground was half way between the two. The bonus being it was only a 2 hour drive from where we were staying in the Pocono Mountains, so not too strenuous a drive for TOH after such full on days in New York City.
But it seems we just cant get it right. An hour away from our destination we had to be detoured due to a road closure. At first it was funny, and interesting as I got to see some new fire hydrants (my new pet love to photograph). But after 3 hours of not getting over 5 miles per hour the fun really did start to seep away. 4 hours after being detoured we were both extremely happy to see the campsite and wow what a camp site it is. First class this one.
The scenery as we travelled down has changed quite drastically. Since we have been in and around New England, the scenery has been large wooded areas (nothing like ours forests at home) and rivers. Then before we realised we were in the farming district of rolling hills with large fields of crops and what amazes me is the lack of fences.
On the detour we had to go through some rather small towns (again), and as we came close to where we are staying we came around the corner to discover that we are in the heart of the Amish Country. The farmers behind their horses ploughing their fields, the houses with the clothes lines full of clothes (where we haven’t seen clothes lines anywhere else). And the horse and buggies on the roads. Believe me there isn’t much room to pass them on these roads, but they didn’t seemed fazed by us at all.
The new campground in comparison to the last is a five star resort and while out talking with the “neighbours” last night I had to ask why they had flashing lights in the grassed area. The neighbours were amused and told us that they were Lightening Bugs (Fire Flies). I felt like a small kid again as I watched in awe. The neighbours grandkids happily ran around chasing them to catch them to bring them to me to have a look at. What amazing little bugs (and one I am not afraid of). Tonight the neighbours grandkids and I are going to catch some and put them in a jar, so I can watch them over night. I have read books where the characters have done just that, and its an incredible feeling thinking that here I am going to do the same thing. I feel like a kid and am so excited for tonight.
We may just have to extend our stay here, as there is so much around here I want to see and do.
