Feb 2008

Oh my goodness me, just got 3 (from what I can tell) Eastern European people in my room. So thats all the beds taken. Not happy. Two guys and a woman, they seem friendly enough, I came down here to come online n realised I'd left my purse in the room under a pillow on the top bunk which I'd been sitting on so raced upstairs again. They'd put it under my pillow and showed me when I asked, so I guess thats good. Hope to god they're only staying one night though.

It was wet n minging today so didn't bother walking over to Upper East, just went to Starbucks again, read and people watched a bit. I'd gotten up a bit later, got back to the room and had a chat to my mum and dad which was nice. I went into a stationary shop on my way back up Broadway and had a bit of splurge. I could spend a fortune in Boots and stationary shops. Got another Moleskine except this one has blank pages, some glitter pens, a purple pen and some blue sequins. So been doodling for nearly two hours, its actually really time consuming and rather amusing, so thats good. I was in the middle of that when I got disturbed by my new room mates. Don't want go back upstairs and have to listen to them babble away, duno what I'm gona do for the next few hours.

One thing which is annoyed me here is the totally unsatisfying sirens for police, ambulance and fire trucks, which I hear rather a lot of up here in Harlem. Hahaha, just kidding mum and dad, its safe enough I promise! Anyway, they're not the exciting nenor nenor which you get at home but instead this kind of whining noise, which stops for a few seconds and then it honks a couple times, then whines again. They should definatly consider changing it.

Anyway better skoot, though might come back on later if I need to escape upstairs, hopefully they'll go out to eat or something. Oh by the way, if anyone wants to leave a comment or message of something its easier if you do it on here, just saves me going through bebo, facebook, myspace and all that stuff as well, because time is money! But whatever. (I just noticed that you have to log in to travellerspoint to leave comments so thats probably a bit too much effort, so never mind)

love,
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The stupid USB thing in this place won't connect. V. annoying. And I've realised I've brought my motorola cable instead of my big camera cable, for some reason it fits... maybe it'll work, not sure at the mo. Doesn't matter anyway tho cos I've just swapped the memory cards round.

Not a v exciting day today, the woman who was in my room got up and did her rustling trick again, except at a slightly more acceptable time of 8am. She then left about 10, whoo room to myself again. I got up and went down to Starbucks a wee bit down Broadway, had a cuppa tea, fruity yogurty granola thing and a donut. It was a goood breakfast. Sat and read my book there for about an hour. It was nice, some people might think sitting in cafes on your own is sad but I actually quite enjoy it, definatly recommend it. So then I headed back up Broadway to the hostel and watched a Greys Anatomy on my ipod, restrained from watching the rest of them cos its sooo goooood. Then read a bit more, went down to my lil supermarket place just off C.P and got some bagels, crisps, philedephia and fruit pots - 5 quid!! I was walking past the police station on my way to the shop and noticed these two signs, one said '$100 cash, no questions asked' for people to hand in guns, and then another saying $10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest or conviction of a cop murderer. Not sure what to think about it. Both of those rewards are a lot of money for people around here, but obviously gun culture is still a massive problem which means it goes a lot deeper than pockets, people would rather have protection than money and the police can't offer that... Hmm, I'm having much thought over this. The lounge is shut this evening so not sure what I'm gona do, jus read a bit more...

Not sure what I'm gona do tomo, might investigate Upper East, the posh side of town. This is a pretty boring entry, not much to report.

love
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I wasn't planning on writing this every day but theres not much else to do in the evenings - not wanting to venture out in N.Y on my own at night just yet...
Last night I sat in the lounge after coming online and shared a paper with Casey, an American girl looking for an apartment in N.Y. I also got a room mate in the form of a large black woman, who was really quite nice and friendly and kept offering me food. Anyway she woke up at about 5/6am this morning and turned the light on and seemingly unpacked all her things from her three large suitcases from very noisy crinkly crunchy plastic bags. Then put everything back in her bags again. I swear I have never been so annoyed with someone in my life. She eventually headed out at about 8am. After being awake for so long I got up and had a shower and it was warm, which I wasn't expecting...
Headed to MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) today, felt like I was walking forever but it was totally worth it. At first I coudln't find it because its tucked down a little street full of shops, but I spotted this huge grey building with no windows and figured. Inside it was amazing, you walk in and up a few steps and you're in this huge, white, open gallery with two big paintings on each wall. The ceiling goes up like 4 more floors with walkways crossing over on the right. I'm not usually a fan of minimalism but it was such a cool space. Anyway I had a little wander through all the crap abstract stuff and some other cool pieces. The architectural section was a bit of a let down, a bit technical and bland. Anyway blah blah (everything was crap in comparison to what came next) got to the top floor and spotted a Van Gogh. Couldn't remember what gallery he was in so was a bit surprised to see him. Anyway, went through into another room and it was full of blue, rose and cubist Picasso pieces, it was so amazing. Actually seeing these things for real was just so cool. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon was there too, was just wierd seeing it infront of me. Anyway, into the next room and it had The Starry Night by Van Gogh which was really one of the reasons I wanted to come to N.Y. It was so beautiful, so chuffed to see it. For some reason over here you're allowed to take pictures in art galleries, so I've got quite a few snaps of the paintings.
After MoMA I went to get a subway sarnie (thought of you Buc, at new year, haha, I didn't have sweet chilli chicken tho cos they didn't have it which sucks!) and wandered back up through Central Park. I'm getting well tired of walking now, I think it must be about 8 miles a day to get down and back to Midtown N.Y. Figured I can get the W10 bus or something so might give that a shot this weekend.
Not sure what I'm gona do tomo, might just kick about the hostel and nearby. Read my book, cos its amazing. Only problem complaints so far is that it is pretty cold in the hostel, and I'm on the 7th floor, so the stairs just about kill me everytime (I'm not a fan of the lift) and I fancy a hug.

Not much else to report and I need to try and make this silly USB thing work so I can get the pics off my camera before I end up with like 500 and have to transfer and load them all at once.

ciao for now,
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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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