New york – Page 2 – ThePassportPrincess

Day 38 – New York City (Day 5)

September 20, 2015November 28, 2016SarahLeave a comment

Friday morning, I woke up at a semi respectable time.
I organised to meet a few of the girls from my hostel downstairs after breakfast so we could go to Coney Island.

Coney Island, from our hostel is like a 1 hour journey walking/subway – ing.
It’s in the south Western part of Brooklyn. It used to be an outer barrier island, but kind of became connected to the mainland by land fill.
They have a community of around 60,000 people in its western part, with Sea Gate to its west,Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach to its east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and Gravesend to the north.

When we arrived at Coney Island we soon came to realise that all the rides that they have on the boardwalk were closed!!
Apparantly with labour day the other day, and there being another Jewish holiday they kept the park open so decided to close it on Friday. We didn’t even know :|:|

Usually they have 2 amusement parks on Coney Island where they have The Wonder Wheel ferris wheel, The Cyclone Rollercoster, The B&B Carousell and also other boardwalk games that people play. *sigh*
They had a beach at least.

We walked the boardwalk for a bit and then decided to chill out on the beach. We did dip out feet in and it was freezing haha, even though the weather was so warm.

Once we’d sat in the sun for over an hour (and me not getting burnt which is great over here!)
We went down the boardwalk to get something to eat at this diner/type place. The other NZ girl I was with Alicia – we both orders sweet potato fries and normal french fries with cheese.
It was so average.
They don’t have Aioli here which is always a disappointment, and the sauce tasted disgusting for some reason.
The shakes we got were good though but went down too quickly.

When it was time to leave, the owner took us up to the rooftop area and we took some nice pictures of Coney island from up there.

Around 5pm we ended up in Times Square and decided to go up and buy tickets for Top Of The Rock. The line was so long and the earliest tickets we could get to the look out were for 8pm. Mine & Alicia ‘s cameras don’t take very good photos at night time so we wernt really keen to do it.

The other 2 girls agreed so we all headed on our way and stopped at Saks on 5th Avenue to have a look.
Aka. The rich rich version of smith & caugheys or Kilkaldies. I ended up going to the MAC counter (what’s new) and buying my Volcanic ash exfoliant!

When our feet were aching we went back to the hostel and got yummy Ben and Jerry’s on the way home.
Ahh, I just love that place. Triple Caramel chunk is my absolute fave.
We felt like the biggest fatties afterwards.

We all decided to go out that night so went across the road and got some alcohol after we’d dolled ourselves up a bit.
You’re not meant to drink at the hostel but we all sat at a table with a few others and drunk our Smirnoffs haha.

The hostel recommended a club out in Chelsea for us to head to so we took the subway and ended up there. I can’t remember exactly what the club was called but it was pretty fancy.
You didn’t have to pay to get in, but since there ended up being 11 of us (6 guys, 5 girls) they tried to get us to get a table for $1200. I was not keen! And so wernt the other girls.
Some of the guys we were with actually were so I think they ended up paying a bit less and getting one for themselves.

As it was a rooftop bar, the views were amazing. Not that my camera did it any justice again…
The Californian girl Amy who was with us took some amazing photos though. She has one of those Samsung Cameras that’s like a phone as well but it’s got the lense and everything like a camera.
Her night photos were just amazing! And she said she got it for like $250 so I’m desperate for the same camera now.
I dont have any of her pictures so I can’t show what she took 😕

We had a drink (coz that’s all we could afford haha) And then headed off to another pub that 3 of the others went to. Alicia is 20 so she couldn’t get in with her ID. 😧 And my old mate Rob from my Contiki (who’s staying at my hoatel) went with her and this German girl Maria.

The pub they were at was alright, it was real casual so me and London Andra had shots of Tequila and the rest of us decided to call it a night.
I was going to go home with 3 of the girls but then decided to stay with Robert as he messaged me and said he was at some dive bar.

I left the girls to go and meet Robert but couldn’t find him in the end so took the subway home by myself again!
I met up with the girls when I got off though and we all headed back to the hostel together.

So yeah, that was my Friday in New York!
Without my daily bus naps these days are getting more and more tiring.

Day 37 – New York City (Day 4)

September 19, 2015November 28, 2016SarahLeave a comment

On Thursday morning I had a bit of a sleep in because I got home so late the night before.
I missed out on breakfast because of the time I take to wash my hair and do my make up 😅

When I was eventually ready, I took the subway downtown to see the 9/11 memorial in Tribeca.

I stopped and saw the North and South pool which was built in memory of the twin towers.
Everyone who died on that horrible day has their names engraved around the pools which is nice.

I was considering getting the New York City Pass where you get unlimited visits to all these places around NYC for 2 days for $140 and get to the front of line but I didn’t.
I was actually faster in the normal line than the people that bought the pass.
I also took like 3 hours at the museum so I don’t know if it was actually worth it in the end. Like, how many places can you actually properly experience in 2 straight days by buying the pass?

Anyways, it cost $24 to get in to the museum which was worth it. There was so much to see!

The museum is about 21 metres below ground and houses two tridents from the Twin Towers. One of the museum’s walls is an exposed side of the slurry wall retaining the Hudson River, which remained intact during (and after) September 11th.

Other stuff that I saw in the museum were wrecked emergency vehicles like this fire engine

There were also pieces of metal from all seven World Trade Center buildings and recordings of survivors and first responders (including 911 phone calls) which are quite sad to listen to. Ecspecially the recordings of people on the plane that knew they were being hijacked who called their loved ones.

They also had a room with pictures of all the victims and an audio telephone where you could click on a person and listen to a snippet of audio from their loved ones describing what they were like.

I also saw photographs from the wreckage and other media detailing the destruction (including the crashes, collapse, fires, those who jumped and the clean up)

You walk out of there feeling pretty sad and you really feel for America. Like so many people lost someone and that day was so horrific. The people on the street who thought they were going to die from inhaling so much dust is even scary to think about.

When I had eventually had a good enough look around, I left the museum (partly because I was freezing in there. They really blast the air-con!)
And I went outside in the warmth and headed to an ice cream truck for my first meal of the day. A sprinkle cone…

Please girlfriend, I’m on vacay!
😋

I wasn’t sure what to do with myself after that. I wanted to see the statue of liberty but didn’t know when the ferries were running and couldn’t really be bothered walking down a few blocks #lazy

Instead, I went to Chipotle and had some proper lunch. Chicken tacos for like $8

And then I headed to a nail bar and paid $10 for a basic manicure haha. (Plus $4 tip)

It was nice at the time, but I’m currently writing this the next day and 4 of my nails are already chipped. Average!!!

I was also in desperate need of my eyebrows being done so I Googled the nearest Benefit Eyebrow Bar and it turned out there was one like a 15 minute walk away.
I walked the few blocked and got my eyebrows waxed for like $25. (Not that cheap I know but they always do such a good job)
Now my make up looks heaps nicer when I out it on without all these stray hairs!

When I was done, it was literally like after 5pm so I headed back to the hostel.
I changed my clothes and topped up my make up then headed downstairs for the $7 dinner they had.
To be honest, I don’t know why I bothered. It was another BBQ and since I’m so picky with the meat here, I got a burger but basically pulled out the pattie and just had a bit of bread and some salad.
At 9pm there was a pub crawl going on so I joined up with that.

We all took the subway and hit up 3 different pubs.
I tried to drink and get into it but I think I was just way too tired. I couldn’t really be bothered making conversation with anyone and even playing beer pong I just wasn’t enjoying it.
I guess every night I can’t be a party animal! Haha.

I ended up heading home with another girl who lives in Cali and is here for a Wedding – Amy.
And a couple of the other guys.
We did a McDonald’s stop where I got fries and then we headed back to the hostel. Very Un exciting night for me then! Haha.

Day 35 – New York City

September 16, 2015November 26, 2015SarahLeave a comment

🎶Neeeew Yorrrrrrrk, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothin’ you can’t do
Now you’re in Neeeew Yorrrrrk
These streets will make you feel brand new
The lights will inspire you
Let’s hear it for New York, New York,
New York!! 🎶

Did you know I’m in New York?
Has my snapchat and facebook been clear enough? 😯
Haha!

After my night last night you’d think I’d wake up in a terrible mood but I can’t when I’m waking up in Nyc!
I did eventually get out of bed around 9am-ish. So much for my run at Central Park this morning.

I showered and washed my hair under a shitty – ish stream of water.
I think I just got a bad shower to be honest, the other one I used last night was fine.
The bathrooms here are always clean and nice, I don’t know why people wouldn’t stay in a hostel if you’re by yourself or even with 1 other person. (You can get private rooms) they’re honestly so much cheaper and funner!

Every hostel I’ve been to so far has an outdoor area, game night’s, comedy nights, pub crawls, beer pong, laundry and even a cafe of some sort usually.

The hostel here in Nyc has all those things (but the beer pong)
Tonight downstairs in the movie room they have a comedy night going but it was too cold down there so I came up to my room instead.

Anyways, I’ve gone off track…

Once I was ready for my day, I headed downstairs (for the second time coz I lost my room key some where in between showering and going back to my room) and had a bagel for breakfast with lots of cream cheese.
And of course a lemonade! 🍋🍋

I headed down to the subway after that and took the train to Times Square.
Even sitting in Times Square is amazing in itself.
There is just shops and lights everywhere!!
I was meeting my friend Diogenes from the Contiki but first off I was off to MAC cosmetic *my fave* to buy some make up.

I ended up getting a new concealer because I lost mine (or someone took it) in Washington.

And a new blush as I’d just run out

And some bronzer

I also got one of their new Vamplify limited edition lip gloss colours that the girl just raved about.

Next stop was Sephora.
I just want to buy that whole store when I’m there 😥
I ended up buying another Naked Urban decay eyeshadow pallet.
If you’ve never used the Naked Pallets and you love eyeshadow, It’s seriously the best eyeshadow out there! (Even if it’s a bit spendy)

Once I’d bought my stuff, I met Diogenes at toys’r’us. I’ve never seen a store so cool for kids before haha.
They had a ferris wheel inside and an ice cream shop, a jurassic theme part with a dinosaur that moved, a barbie section and a candy store!

Diogenes bought some gifts for his sister and cousin and then we headed off somewhere else.
I ended up stopping at a Macaroon store and buying one along with another lemonade because I was so thirsty.

Everywhere we’d walk I swear I had to stop and “just quickly have a look” in one of the stores.
We even went to the Tiffany & Co. Store where I just felt extremely poor when I had to ask the price of everything.
Anyone got a spare $6g? I’m really in love with this bracelet.

After we’d had a look around, we took the Subway to central park and got some street food. I had a falafel (again) but on rice and we went and sat in the park on the grass to eat.

Basically our day was just filled with shopping and alot of walking.
I still feel like I have so much to see though it’s crazy!
But I’m quickly running out of money so I need to find out cheap things to do in New York haha.
Tomorrow I’m meant to be hanging out with my friend who actually lives in New York so I’m not quite sure what we’re doing (if he replies!)

Now that I’m back at the hostel, I’ve spent the afternoon sitting outside updating my blog. Which is why there’s like 4 new blogs at once.
I started getting hit on by some mexican guy that added me to facebook (and I promptly deleted) when I got inside. I must be looking bloody lonely today coz a guy asked me for my number on the subway too just as I was about to get off. I quickly shook my head no and jumped off. Awks!

I think it may be time for a quick shower and some sleepy time. I’m really keen for this run tomorrow!

Sweet dreams from New York! 🌉
X