Off to the Big Apple

First leg of my 2019 trip - Glasgow to New York - and I have to fly via Manchester, as Thomas Cook doesn’t fly direct to the USA until later in the season. An early start to catch the 06.35 flight from Glasgow (thanks for the 04.30 lift, Mags) on a busy propeller Flybe aircraft.

All going to schedule until we are sitting on the runway at Manchester Airport ready for take off, when a passenger takes unwell and we have to taxi back to the stand and wait for almost two hours till they find and remove her luggage from the hold, and then empty and search the overhead lockers in case she had left something.

Ready to partake of a tasty mid morning snack, I had to forgo this due to the announcement that another passenger had a nut allergy. Ah well, mint humbugs and San Pellegrino it was till dinner was served.

The large, black lady seated along from me opened her carpet bag and produced an enormous bundle of leaflets, and when she saw me looking, she offered me one entitled ‘Do You Think You Might Need Jesus?’ I politely declined, and she spent the next 7 hours reading the Psalms of David in a huge font on her laptop. Frequently she would find something really amusing and would burst into uncontrollable laughter, with an occasional ‘Hallelujah’ thrown in for good measure.

From JFK airport I was advised to take the Air Train and change at Jamaica for the E line subway to Manhattan. This reminded me of a restaurant at the Clydeside in Glasgow called Change at Jamaica which stayed open into the wee small hours, and where we sometimes went with Dixie Carr from the Apollo Players after a late rehearsal. I hadn’t realised it was probably named after this travel instruction from JFK.

Given the length of this trip, I felt I should economise on accommodation where possible, so my NYC digs were at the YMCA - I can hear you singing along Y-M-C-A. My room is small but clean and comfortable, and thankfully, given the heat, it comes with air con as well as free WiFi.

Tonight I hit the town and discovered Times Square awash with the military, all posing to get group photos taken. Fleet Week in NYC is a seven-day celebration to honor the members of the United States Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps. Well hello, sailors!

A Broadway show next was a must, and I managed to get a good single ticket at the TKTS Half Price Booth for TOOTSIE - The Musical. It was terrific - well deserving of its current 11 Tony Award nominations. My American Adventure has well and truly begun!Read more