and so it begins...

FINALLY arrived at my hostel in N.Y at 3am UK time last night. The journey was a bit of a nightmare, from about Edinburgh to half way over the Atlantic I was thinking, shittttttt what am I doing???? Was v home sick and alone and it was kinda sinking in that I wasn't going to be in my nice cosy, safe bed for 6 months. (I am really mourning my bed, hostel mattresses are about as good as sleeping on the floor) So anyway, arrived in JFK and the customs computers had broken so it took about and hour to get through. Then I had to find where to get a shuttle bus, and then waited for that on a very bum numbing bit of marble for another hour. Finally got on the bus, a bit nervous about being the only one walking away with this strange man but what can you do! Spent another hour slowly touring all the other departure gates so he could fill his bus to the brim. Then spent another half hour driving backwards and forwards (he clearly had no sense of direction and his driving was mucho more dangerous than mine) across uptown N.Y until he finally dropped me and an Ozzie guy off last at the broadway hotel n hostel. Checked in, got a room to myself, pretty chuffed cos I really wasn't in the mood for making convo with foreigners. Had one scary moment when an Argentinian guy thought he would help me go up in the lift, which is about the size of a small cupboard and judders all the way up. So we squeezed in and he took me up to my floor at which point I said thankyoubye and ran off. I'm going to have to learn the difference between genuine niceness and taking advantage... for now I'll just be a bitch.

Woke up early this mornin (N.Y time) at 9 so just got up and wandered downtown through central park. Was really nice and quiet, just tootled along listening to my ipod and enjoying the architecture. I think one of the best bits of advice my dad ever gave me was always to look up when you're in a city. Got to John Lennons place, Dakota building n Strawberry Fields. It was a bit nondescript but I had a wee think and sit on the bench n took a few snaps. Then looked on my pop up map (I hate getting it out cos I look so touristy but it is a life saver) and saw a museum of art n design. It was only like 10am by then so thought I might as well. Turned out I might as not, cos it hadn't been built. So wandered over to Central Park Zoo which was so worth $8 (almost half my daily allowance!) There was this amazing funny fat piranha, and a big high, open room full of trees where all these exotic birds fly about and pose. Was cool, got some snaps but had a bit of an issue with the lens clouding up due to it being as hot as a rainforest in there. There were cool tree frogs n skanky snakes too. Saw some red pandas and poor polar bears which looked so bored. Oh and a big seal thing which LOVED posing for the camera, literally it came out the water every time it saw a camera pointed at it and tilted its head. Saw a baby monkey too, it was cute. Got some lunch there, then wandered back up the West Side and to the hostel, stopped off to buy some fruit (it was out in the street n looked yummy) in a lil shop thing. Just been reading since, can't wait til Fee arrives cos I am quite bored/lonely atm.

I know some of you were a bit shocked by the stuff below, but thanks for all the messages. Its nice for me not have to pretend everythings fine when its not all the time.

Anyway 2 minutes left, must dash, paying for the internet is so not cool.

Love,
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