New York!

I arrived in New York late last night. The head steward on the plane came to greet me, knowing my name and the company that I work for. He wanted to know that I was happy and that everything was ok. Not quite sure why I was selected for the special treatment. He was either under the misguided opinion that I am a big wig or contract negotiations are going on with BA at the moment.

The flight was fairly pleasant and uneventful. I was surprised by the number of families in Business Class at the weekend, not something I have seen before, but then I wouldn't class myself as an expert in these matters!

I decided to fly to Newark as I had heard customs was more efficient than JFK. I had disembarked, been through immigration and collected my luggage all within 40mins which I thought was pretty good. Sadly the drive into the city was slower with a 1hr queue to get into the Lincoln Tunnel.

I was hoping to meet my friend Nick for a drink last night, but when I called his number there was no answer. I decided to pop out for a short walk to check out the local area. When I got back to the flat I discovered that my shampoo had exploded all over the contents of my suitcase. I then had to spend a couple of hours cleaning everything up.

This morning I have been for a two hour walk round the city. I bought a map of NY before I left, which I now realise was a complete waste of money. It is virtually impossible to get lost in a grid plan city! The streets are quite empty and it is a bit chilly, but nothing a hardy Brit finds too tough.

The photo is the view from my lounge looking south down Third Avenue.