25/5/23 - Hello again, London!
After a little Covid19 global pandemic grounded travel for a while, I'm back on a plane, and have flown as far from NZ as you can possibly get!
Heathrow Airport has a public train to Paddington Station now! The Elizabeth line has recently opened, and you can use your Oyster card on it. It's been so long since I've been to London that my old Oyster card is long lost, but it's easy to buy one at the airport Tube station, and they have helpers there if you can't figure out the machines. So all sorted to ride the Tube and DLR trains for the next week now - I do love trains! You can also use the card on buses, but I didn't really bother as the Tube network meant no traffic jams.
I had a few hours to kill before my room was ready (handily, straight across the road from Paddington Station). So I zipped off to the Natural History Museum to see the dinosaurs (I also love dinosaurs!), including a Titanosaurus! Went to lunch at Pick and Cheese at Seven Dials market - it's a sushi train full of cheese! Then to my personal holy grail of handbags, the Vendula shop at Gabriel's Wharf. And finished the day with a photo with a local celebrity (photo below...), before the jetlag hit me and I crashed out (I had left NZ around 40 hours earlier). It's so nice to be overseas again!!
Heathrow Airport has a public train to Paddington Station now! The Elizabeth line has recently opened, and you can use your Oyster card on it. It's been so long since I've been to London that my old Oyster card is long lost, but it's easy to buy one at the airport Tube station, and they have helpers there if you can't figure out the machines. So all sorted to ride the Tube and DLR trains for the next week now - I do love trains! You can also use the card on buses, but I didn't really bother as the Tube network meant no traffic jams.
I had a few hours to kill before my room was ready (handily, straight across the road from Paddington Station). So I zipped off to the Natural History Museum to see the dinosaurs (I also love dinosaurs!), including a Titanosaurus! Went to lunch at Pick and Cheese at Seven Dials market - it's a sushi train full of cheese! Then to my personal holy grail of handbags, the Vendula shop at Gabriel's Wharf. And finished the day with a photo with a local celebrity (photo below...), before the jetlag hit me and I crashed out (I had left NZ around 40 hours earlier). It's so nice to be overseas again!!
26/5/23 - markets, magic, and being a bit posh, part 1
Today was FOOD DAY! (Actually, a lot of days on this holiday ended up being food day!). I headed up to Camden Market (along with trains and dinosaurs, I also like markets!) and headed straight for the arepa booth (a central American tasty snack), then to Chin Chin Labs ice cream, which is frozen using liquid nitrogen. Watched some boats come through the locks, observed the punks (had a giggle at the sign 'help a punk get drunk'), and also the street art, which is pretty cool in this area. Camden Market has a great food section, but also a quirky vibe - great for emerging clothes designers!
Stopped off at Kings Cross Station, Platform 9 3/4 on the way back, which EVERYBODY knows is the start of Harry Potters journey to Hogwarts. Couldn't decide with house I was, so decided on generic 'Hogwarts'. And drank some butterbeer, which was surprisingly good!
Went wandering down Regent Street (posh shopping) and discovered Hamleys toystore, which was fantastic! I was in London 3 weeks after King Charles' coronation, so everything was still decorated, and Hamleys had created a Lego King Charles. So I kept walking a bit further, past Carnaby Street and Piccadilly Circus, until I ended up at Buckingham Palace. Would be rude not to see the monarch, after all!
Stopped off at Kings Cross Station, Platform 9 3/4 on the way back, which EVERYBODY knows is the start of Harry Potters journey to Hogwarts. Couldn't decide with house I was, so decided on generic 'Hogwarts'. And drank some butterbeer, which was surprisingly good!
Went wandering down Regent Street (posh shopping) and discovered Hamleys toystore, which was fantastic! I was in London 3 weeks after King Charles' coronation, so everything was still decorated, and Hamleys had created a Lego King Charles. So I kept walking a bit further, past Carnaby Street and Piccadilly Circus, until I ended up at Buckingham Palace. Would be rude not to see the monarch, after all!
On my to-do list was to visit a place called Dom Dom Ricard (Soho location). Two reasons - they serve Chateau d'Yquem by the glass! And secondly, they have a 'Press for Champagne' button! Turned out there was a third excellent reason - the golden chocolate ball dessert! All FABULOUS, and I don't regret at all the $$$$ it cost. :)
It turns out there is more than one Paddington Bear in London! I also found him at Leicester Square... and Blue Paddington around the back of Paddington Station, near the canal. :)
27/5/23 - more markets, more food, and some pink
Today is Saturday so my first call is Portobello Market - specialty antiques. Why? Because the last time I was here (nearly 20 years ago) I ate the most amazing Middle Eastern snacks mezze food here. And luckily, there's still a stall here! So after (fighting through the crowd) selecting my hummus/pesto/feta/stuffed peppers, and a loaf of bread, it was off for a picnic brunch in the sunshine by the round pond outside Kensington Palace at Kensington Gardens. Quite nice!
From there I wandered down to Harrods, and decided I couldn't afford anything there haha. But I did have an ulterior motive - across the street is an El&N Cafe that I wanted to visit. Everything is decorated girly pink, and it's all so pretty! So after a pink macaron, a pink cheesecake, and a pink turkish delight hot chocolate... I went back to the hotel for a long nap, as my feet hurt after all that walking.
Oh and for dinner, it turns out there are some barge restaurants in the canal alongside Paddington Station and one of them is The Cheese Barge, sister to Pick and Cheese! So I wandered down for a tasty toasted sandwich on a barge and watched the swans, and people going past having picnics on their hire putt-putt boats.
From there I wandered down to Harrods, and decided I couldn't afford anything there haha. But I did have an ulterior motive - across the street is an El&N Cafe that I wanted to visit. Everything is decorated girly pink, and it's all so pretty! So after a pink macaron, a pink cheesecake, and a pink turkish delight hot chocolate... I went back to the hotel for a long nap, as my feet hurt after all that walking.
Oh and for dinner, it turns out there are some barge restaurants in the canal alongside Paddington Station and one of them is The Cheese Barge, sister to Pick and Cheese! So I wandered down for a tasty toasted sandwich on a barge and watched the swans, and people going past having picnics on their hire putt-putt boats.
28/5/23 - that time I represented NZ at the World Poohsticks Championships...
My whole trip has actually been formed around today! I was sitting around in the middle of last winter, thinking, it would be nice to represent NZ at a sport... but I'm not very sporty... so I started googling obscure sports, and came across 'The World Poohsticks Championships'! And I thought, that sounds like me! So I booked my plane ticket, and here I am!
My ex-workmate Adrienne now lives in London, so she came with me also. We headed to Sandford Lock, south of Oxford, on the River Thames. A super cute location, but a cut throat sport! Only the winners of each round went through to the finals - and we both came 4th, so we were sadly out. So we went to the cute pub instead, and watched some boats coming and going through the river lock. Wandered back to find out the overall winner and world champ was a 2 year old, and the trophy was a Winnie the Pooh soft toy! A really fun event, and I recommend anyone to go!
We had to go back to Oxford to get the train back to London, so we popped into the Story Museum, which is probably pitched at kids but we loved it! You get to be interactive with kids story books, i.e. go through the wardrobe to Narnia, and ironically, play poohsticks! Highly recommend, if you like kids books. :) We didn't get a lot of time in Oxford, but what we saw was really pretty, and we'd both like to go back sometime!
I had one more thing on the to-do list for today that I needed a partner in crime for, so I didn't tell Adrienne where we were going, just told her to bring something formal-ish to wear, and we wandered off to 'a secret bar that I won't disclose the location of but you have to enter via a fridge'. If you figure out where it is, go! The cocktails were delicious!
My ex-workmate Adrienne now lives in London, so she came with me also. We headed to Sandford Lock, south of Oxford, on the River Thames. A super cute location, but a cut throat sport! Only the winners of each round went through to the finals - and we both came 4th, so we were sadly out. So we went to the cute pub instead, and watched some boats coming and going through the river lock. Wandered back to find out the overall winner and world champ was a 2 year old, and the trophy was a Winnie the Pooh soft toy! A really fun event, and I recommend anyone to go!
We had to go back to Oxford to get the train back to London, so we popped into the Story Museum, which is probably pitched at kids but we loved it! You get to be interactive with kids story books, i.e. go through the wardrobe to Narnia, and ironically, play poohsticks! Highly recommend, if you like kids books. :) We didn't get a lot of time in Oxford, but what we saw was really pretty, and we'd both like to go back sometime!
I had one more thing on the to-do list for today that I needed a partner in crime for, so I didn't tell Adrienne where we were going, just told her to bring something formal-ish to wear, and we wandered off to 'a secret bar that I won't disclose the location of but you have to enter via a fridge'. If you figure out where it is, go! The cocktails were delicious!
29/5/23 - getting my geographic geek on
So I've stood at the Equator (3 times!), and the border of North and South America, and today I'm at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich to stand on the Prime Meridian! 0 degrees, 0 minutes, 0 seconds. The geography nerd in me loved it! (Even if it was quite windy). It's well worth going through the museum also (if you like maps and astronomy) as there's a fantastic exhibition, and you can see some incredible telescopes.
I was really taking advantage of my Oyster Card today, as I Tube'd down to the DLR, then DLR to Greenwich, then bus to the cable car, then cable car back over the river to the DLR, back to the Tube! The cable car offers quite a different view of London and is a quirky was of getting back over the Thames, if you are in the area.
Today was also a TWO market day, as I went to Greenwich Market in the morning - specialty arts & crafts - (and had another arepa, yum!), then went to Spitalfields market - specialty, upmarket - in the afternoon, on my way to Brick Lane. They are only a street or two apart, but could be worlds apart, as Brick Lane is much more gritty. It's mostly famous for curry houses, but also for street art, and it's well worth visiting for both.
And that's my London trip over! I had a great time exploring, and I can see why people love living there so much!
I was really taking advantage of my Oyster Card today, as I Tube'd down to the DLR, then DLR to Greenwich, then bus to the cable car, then cable car back over the river to the DLR, back to the Tube! The cable car offers quite a different view of London and is a quirky was of getting back over the Thames, if you are in the area.
Today was also a TWO market day, as I went to Greenwich Market in the morning - specialty arts & crafts - (and had another arepa, yum!), then went to Spitalfields market - specialty, upmarket - in the afternoon, on my way to Brick Lane. They are only a street or two apart, but could be worlds apart, as Brick Lane is much more gritty. It's mostly famous for curry houses, but also for street art, and it's well worth visiting for both.
And that's my London trip over! I had a great time exploring, and I can see why people love living there so much!
A selection of London street art
30/5/23 to 2/6/23 - Slovenia: Ljubljana and Lake Bled
A couple of years ago I worked with a guy from Slovenia. He was super chilled out and relaxed, and completely sold me on visiting his country. So, here I am!
I'm staying in the capital city Ljubljana (pronounced Loob-larn-ya) at Cha Cha Rooms beside the famous Dragon Bridge (so pretty!), beside the river. It's a lovely location, I can see the castle, the boats coming up and down the river, and it's a 5 minute stroll to the main square. Unfortunately for me, the stroll along one side of the river is all the riverside dining, and the stroll along the other side of the river is foodmarkets, so it's more eating haha. And excellent eating it is also! I fell into the habit of visiting the market stalls each morning for my bread/feta/hummus/pesto fix. Slovenia also loves their sausages, as do I... and I would highly recommend the Sarajevo '84 restaurant! And if someone offers you a taste of 'Dragons Blood', accept it! The food is a mix of Slovenian/Bosnian/Hungarian. All good with me!
The city has a small Museum of Natural History, with cave bear and mammoth skeletons. To be fair I just chilled out along the riverside most days. It's very relaxing! But also tourist central, as the buses and tour groups were rolling in daily. So many people!!
I'm staying in the capital city Ljubljana (pronounced Loob-larn-ya) at Cha Cha Rooms beside the famous Dragon Bridge (so pretty!), beside the river. It's a lovely location, I can see the castle, the boats coming up and down the river, and it's a 5 minute stroll to the main square. Unfortunately for me, the stroll along one side of the river is all the riverside dining, and the stroll along the other side of the river is foodmarkets, so it's more eating haha. And excellent eating it is also! I fell into the habit of visiting the market stalls each morning for my bread/feta/hummus/pesto fix. Slovenia also loves their sausages, as do I... and I would highly recommend the Sarajevo '84 restaurant! And if someone offers you a taste of 'Dragons Blood', accept it! The food is a mix of Slovenian/Bosnian/Hungarian. All good with me!
The city has a small Museum of Natural History, with cave bear and mammoth skeletons. To be fair I just chilled out along the riverside most days. It's very relaxing! But also tourist central, as the buses and tour groups were rolling in daily. So many people!!
Ljubljana has a breakaway arts area called Metelkova. It's a bit rough there, but interesting to visit (in the daytime, for us older-than-40's!) for the alternative art on display. But it does have an interesting back story, which you can read about here.
... and here is some other art I saw around town. The fox and the dragon are both by underground artists with quite cult followings!
You will have seen pictures of the church on the island in the lake at Lake Bled before, and it actually is just as pretty in real life as it is in [photoshopped] pictures. The bus takes around 90 minutes, so it's an easy day trip form town. It's around 6km to walk around the lake, and easy walking paths. You can catch a small boat ('pletna') across to the island (you need to catch the same boat back, as you pay the boatman on return). Tip - walk past the past boat stand about 5 minutes from the bus - walk another 15 minutes around the lake clockwise, and there is another boat stand there, with a shorter boat distance. The lake water is incredibly clear - you can see fish through it! - and weirdly, the closer you get to the island, the bluer it is. The best photos are at the far end of the lake, so you will want to go there! There is a small train-bus you can catch also. Finish the day with a Bled Cream Cake at the Park Hotel. It's well worth a day trip! (But get near the front of the queue for the bus back, it gets full fast and you don't want to have to wait for the next bus...)
Go to Slovenia! It's lovely!
Hot tip! As there were so many tourists, I made sure to buy my bus tickets for both Lake Bled and Venice a few days early. Both buses were full on the day, so it was a good thing I did! The bus station is an easy 10 minutes walk from town, next to Metelkova, so no drama doing this.
Go to Slovenia! It's lovely!
Hot tip! As there were so many tourists, I made sure to buy my bus tickets for both Lake Bled and Venice a few days early. Both buses were full on the day, so it was a good thing I did! The bus station is an easy 10 minutes walk from town, next to Metelkova, so no drama doing this.
3/6/23 to 4/6/23 - A bus, a train, and a lot of gondolas!
I want to see Venice before it sinks, and it's only a 4 hour bus ride from Ljubljana, so, off I go!
The bus takes you to the train station at Mestre on the mainland, and you have to buy a ticket for the 10 minute trip over the water to the Santa Lucia station on Venice. Both train stations are madness! But arriving at Venice is an experience, as you walk through the train station and out the back to the boat station (Ferrovia) on the canal. So many people, but an amazing sight!
Now unless you have won the lottery, you'll want to take vaporetto, not gondolas (essentially, the bus, vs the limo). First go to the ticket office at the canal and buy a pass for the number of days you'll be there, as this will give you unlimited vaporetto trips for those days (I bought a 2 day pass as I was staying on the island). Hopefully you've checked what station you want to go to, and which route to take - just the same as with a bus. And then it's pretty simple after that. Don't forget to tap your pass before boarding boats - you don't need to tap off. To be fair you'll probably walk a lot as well, as there are a maze of back alleys to explore.
I didn't want to splash out $$$$ on a gondola ride, but I did the budget version of catching a traghetto across the canal (handily, I was staying near the Giglio boat stop). It around $2 and you get the same experience, even if it's only about 5 minutes, so you have to be quick to get a photo!
To return from Venice to the airport, you can either take the bus (yawn), OR take the Alilaguna water bus. It's a different operator to the vaporetto so you'll need to pre-buy tickets to secure your spot. The boats are fancier, but not as big as the vaporetto, but still cheaper than a private boat!
The bus takes you to the train station at Mestre on the mainland, and you have to buy a ticket for the 10 minute trip over the water to the Santa Lucia station on Venice. Both train stations are madness! But arriving at Venice is an experience, as you walk through the train station and out the back to the boat station (Ferrovia) on the canal. So many people, but an amazing sight!
Now unless you have won the lottery, you'll want to take vaporetto, not gondolas (essentially, the bus, vs the limo). First go to the ticket office at the canal and buy a pass for the number of days you'll be there, as this will give you unlimited vaporetto trips for those days (I bought a 2 day pass as I was staying on the island). Hopefully you've checked what station you want to go to, and which route to take - just the same as with a bus. And then it's pretty simple after that. Don't forget to tap your pass before boarding boats - you don't need to tap off. To be fair you'll probably walk a lot as well, as there are a maze of back alleys to explore.
I didn't want to splash out $$$$ on a gondola ride, but I did the budget version of catching a traghetto across the canal (handily, I was staying near the Giglio boat stop). It around $2 and you get the same experience, even if it's only about 5 minutes, so you have to be quick to get a photo!
To return from Venice to the airport, you can either take the bus (yawn), OR take the Alilaguna water bus. It's a different operator to the vaporetto so you'll need to pre-buy tickets to secure your spot. The boats are fancier, but not as big as the vaporetto, but still cheaper than a private boat!
I took my sisters advice and splashed out some cash to stay on Venice island, at Domus Superior with a room with a canal balcony, and it was TOTALLY worth it not to go budget on this once in a lifetime visit, as not only was the view fabulous, but gondolas came past frequently, some with singers or accordian players; plus Venice in the evening without the crowds it a much more relaxing experience, and the best time to visit St Marks Square! And I got to see a fantastic lightening storm at 2am!
Anyway, enough about transport and accommodation. Venice is absolutely breathtaking, and I was happy I booked accommodation on the island as it gave me somewhere to go to when my legs got tired from exploring. It's definitely a rabbit warren - I used maps.me to find my way around - but while there were places I wanted to see, it was also nice to wander not knowing what I'd find.
So, the touristy sights I went to included:
And the touristy food included:
Venice is just as beautiful as in the pictures and movies, and definitely a once in a lifetime experience! (For us average folk; if you win the lotto, then go whenever you want haha).
So, the touristy sights I went to included:
- Libreria Acqua Alta - all the books at this bookshop are kept in boats or bathtubs, so when Venice (regularly) floods, they float and the books don't get wet!
- Rialto Bridge
- Bridge of Sighs
- Piazza San Marco (St Marks Square)
- Burano Island (it's painted so brightly is looks like a Carribrean town!)
And the touristy food included:
- An evening hot chocolate at Cafe Florian, which has been operating at Piazza San Marco for over 400 years!
- Tiramisu (the local dessert!)
- Pasta (obviously!)
- Prosecco (the local drink!) - and my introduction to Limoncello, yummm!
- and, cicchetti from the local bacaro (bars), which are similar to tapas. Definitely the cheapest eats in town at $2-$4 each, so great for a brunch nibble, and definitely helps the budget here! Also are quite acceptable to pair with a prosecco :)
Venice is just as beautiful as in the pictures and movies, and definitely a once in a lifetime experience! (For us average folk; if you win the lotto, then go whenever you want haha).
5/6/23 to 10/6/23 - the Big Apple, New York! And my holiday stalker returns...
5/6/23 - arrival
I visited New York back in the mid-90s when a friend was nannying there. I was there for a few days and left thinking a needed at least a month to explore everything! So I'm back to have another look!
After an 8 hour flight from Venice, and 1 1/2 hours at JFK customs (argh) I'm on a 90 minute Subway adventure to get from the airport to my hostel at West 103rd St, upper Central Park. I did the budget route: take the airport train to Jamaica Station (you can pay on arrival there), switch to the Subway proper and buy a Metrocard from the ticket booth before getting on your train. (I actually bought from the newspaper agent opposite because I couldn't figure out the ticket booth, and he was super helpful!). I bought a week pass and didn't need to worry about top ups or anything for the rest of the week. Very convenient! I had also studied my routes before leaving, but ended up taking a photo of a map to make it easier from me to figure out which lines to use. Once I did it once, it was easy to figure out after that.
I stayed at the Hostel International, possibly the most budget friendy accommodation in New York. It's a huge hostel (3000 beds!) and caters to everyone from 18 year olds to 80 year olds, also family groups, and is near two Subway lines. It's clean and super convenient and I highly recommend it. But it was also around 9pm when I finally arrived, so I popped over the road for a slice of NY pizza (looks grim, but definitely yum!), then off to sleep, ready for a big week!
After an 8 hour flight from Venice, and 1 1/2 hours at JFK customs (argh) I'm on a 90 minute Subway adventure to get from the airport to my hostel at West 103rd St, upper Central Park. I did the budget route: take the airport train to Jamaica Station (you can pay on arrival there), switch to the Subway proper and buy a Metrocard from the ticket booth before getting on your train. (I actually bought from the newspaper agent opposite because I couldn't figure out the ticket booth, and he was super helpful!). I bought a week pass and didn't need to worry about top ups or anything for the rest of the week. Very convenient! I had also studied my routes before leaving, but ended up taking a photo of a map to make it easier from me to figure out which lines to use. Once I did it once, it was easy to figure out after that.
I stayed at the Hostel International, possibly the most budget friendy accommodation in New York. It's a huge hostel (3000 beds!) and caters to everyone from 18 year olds to 80 year olds, also family groups, and is near two Subway lines. It's clean and super convenient and I highly recommend it. But it was also around 9pm when I finally arrived, so I popped over the road for a slice of NY pizza (looks grim, but definitely yum!), then off to sleep, ready for a big week!
6/6/23 - mid-town exploring
New York is HUGE and you need to have a plan otherwise you'll never really see anything. My plan today was midtown to see all the iconic sights - the New York Public Library (the building is BEAUTIFUL and a museum in itself - and ironically, the home of the original Winnie the Pooh toys in their history display!), Grand Central Terminal (it has the star constellations on it's ceiling!), Times Square (insanely busy). Food included the Liberty Bagel rainbow bagel (which set me off on a week long bagel binge - sooo goood!); two hot dogs, one at Times Square for the hell of it (it was terrible) and the second as an entry ritual to get into a secret bar (it was excellent, and I had a 'Paddington' cocktail that included marmalade as an ingredient!). And because the bar was in the evening and close to Brooklyn, I caught the subway over for the night time view of Manhatten from the park under the Brooklyn Bridge (you can walk across the bridge also if you are keen). Super pretty! And great ice cream from the ice cream shop there also, I hear.
7/6/23 - a colourful morning and an interesting afternoon...
Today I hit lower Manhatten. I had pre-bought tickets for the opening timeslot at Color Factory (an immersive museum dedicated to colour!) and it was insanely fun. I had strategically planned for first slot in the morning on a weekday to avoid the crowds, and it was fabulous as I had most rooms to myself for at least a few minutes before others came in. Go! It's not cheap, but well worth it! (I think the gold silent disco room was my favourite!).
Then I caught the subway down to the Staten Island Ferry, the budget way to see the State of Liberty - it's free, and goes right past it! I timed this for around lunchtime, as even though the ferry holds 2000 passengers, I didn't want to be on it at rush hour in the morning or evening. (I applied this logic to the Subway also - and booked a flight out for Sunday morning for the same reason).
Weirdly, a fog was coming in as I went past the Statue, and on the return trip it was even foggier! I thought it was odd, fog at lunchtime, but after catching the subway back to 103rd Street, it was thick and orange! It turning out that the smoke from Canadian wildfires 2000 miles away had blown south and hit New York, and for the next 2 days the air quality was so bad it was technically the most polluted air in the world. Exciting things always happen to me on holiday... and, post Covid, it was back to facemasks for a few days. So didn't do much the rest of the day. But I DID go up the road for my first ever Five Guys burger for dinner, which was delicious - and enormous! (I mean, I did say that about most of my food this trip...).
Weirdly, a fog was coming in as I went past the Statue, and on the return trip it was even foggier! I thought it was odd, fog at lunchtime, but after catching the subway back to 103rd Street, it was thick and orange! It turning out that the smoke from Canadian wildfires 2000 miles away had blown south and hit New York, and for the next 2 days the air quality was so bad it was technically the most polluted air in the world. Exciting things always happen to me on holiday... and, post Covid, it was back to facemasks for a few days. So didn't do much the rest of the day. But I DID go up the road for my first ever Five Guys burger for dinner, which was delicious - and enormous! (I mean, I did say that about most of my food this trip...).
8/6/23 - DINOSAUR DAY!
Handily, with the air quality issues, my pre-booked activity today was indoors. I was very excited about this place; again I had booked for bang on opening time; and off I went to the American Museum of Natural History! Pre-booked tickets was definitely the way to go, as the queue on the street looked to be around an hour wait - where I was inside about 2 mins after opening time, straight to the top floor, and had the dinosaurs all to myself for around 5 minutes! Within about 30 mins the museum was heaving with people. But it was fantastic, I ended up spending about 4 hours there as there was so much to see! I would have stayed longer but my feet hurt haha.
Highlights included:
It's so, so, so good. Go!
Highlights included:
- ALL the dinosaurs - including another titanosaur, and a giant sloth!
- seeing a piece of moon rock
- touching a meteor
- meeting an Easter Island moai
- but in general, eveything!
It's so, so, so good. Go!
I chilled out the rest of the day, hung out for a bit in Central Park, which is across the road from the museum; went to Sesame Street!; then went to Magic Hour Rooftop Garden bar for a cocktail with the Empire State Building in the background. Lovely!
9/6/23 - West side
Today I was 'keeping in West-side' and wandered over to Hudson Yards which has been repurposed to a fancy-ish shopping centre. I bought a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery, as seen on Sex in the City; yes it's an awful TV show, but car crash viewing! To be honest, the cupcake was not that great and overrated - like the show haha. The 'Vessel' structure outside was worth the visit though, amazing architecture!
Hudson Yards is also the start of the High Line, a raised rail track that has been decommissioned and repurposed as a Public Park walking track through some of the Lower West neighbourhoods. Quite a nice walk, away from the bustle of the street below, but not very wide, so can fill up quickly with groups.
I walked down to an art gallery on 20th Street, as they had a Yayoi Kusama exhibition. I didn't know her work before this trip, but was googling things to do, saw this, and became an instant fan! As with everything else in New York, go outside peak hours to minimise queueing time. The infinity room is quite something!
I wandered back to Times Square and then headed south, seeing where I'd end up. By the time I got tired, it turned out I was at Little Italy! So seemed like a great place to stay for dinner (spoiler alert - not as good as Venice haha). But a nice way to spend the evening, as they block off the street of restaurants (Mulberry Street) and have loads of twinkly lights, so quite a pleasant atmosphere!
Hudson Yards is also the start of the High Line, a raised rail track that has been decommissioned and repurposed as a Public Park walking track through some of the Lower West neighbourhoods. Quite a nice walk, away from the bustle of the street below, but not very wide, so can fill up quickly with groups.
I walked down to an art gallery on 20th Street, as they had a Yayoi Kusama exhibition. I didn't know her work before this trip, but was googling things to do, saw this, and became an instant fan! As with everything else in New York, go outside peak hours to minimise queueing time. The infinity room is quite something!
I wandered back to Times Square and then headed south, seeing where I'd end up. By the time I got tired, it turned out I was at Little Italy! So seemed like a great place to stay for dinner (spoiler alert - not as good as Venice haha). But a nice way to spend the evening, as they block off the street of restaurants (Mulberry Street) and have loads of twinkly lights, so quite a pleasant atmosphere!
10/6/23 - Muppets, and an(other) evening with my stalker...
After finding actual Sesame Street in New York I wondered if there was any sort of Sesame Street museum - and there was! The Jim Henson Exhibition at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens. It's a quirky little 'museum' almost in suburbia (but still Subway accessible), and along with muppets and history you can also do things like build a replica muppet, animate a muppet, and create movie sound effects such and background music and foley artistry. Is it the best museum in New York? Far from it. Is it a fun way to spend a few hours? Most definitely, and a nice tribute to Jim Henson's work. The neighbourhood is lovely too, a nice contrast from the crazy bustle of Manhatten. Hang out for a while at a coffee shop or restaurant if you are in the area.
So back when I was trip planning for things to do in New York, I found my holiday stalker was doing a concert on Saturday night. So for the THIRD time in my last 3 holidays, I'm off to see Ed Sheeran again! In the biggest venue yet though, the 80,000 seat Metlife Stadium in New Jersey (an easy train ride from Port Authority station). Ed worked the crowd as usual, but it's my first time at an American stadium and that is an experience all in itself! A great way to finish my New York trip.
So along with the touristy stuff ($$) there was some cool free stuff around as well. Central Park obviously, but NY is full of really cool street art, and the busking is top notch - I recommend just hanging out inside the Time Square subway station for excellent entertainment! Though you probably don't want to take photos with the dressed up Elmo's etc at Times Square - I saw one on a break with their 'head' off, and yeah, I don't want to be hugging that person - and definitely not paying them to hug them! Just saying...
Though I reckon I still need a couple more weeks to explore, there's so much to do here!
Though I reckon I still need a couple more weeks to explore, there's so much to do here!
11/6/23-13/6/23 - Vegas, baby!
Holy moley, Vegas is like an attack on all your senses at once! I arrived around 7pm, went straight to In-N-Out Burger, conveniently 100m from my hotel (naturally!), then hid from the world the rest of the evening as it was way too frantic out on the street for me to deal with!
But after a good nights sleep, I was ready! I'm here for two days, and day 1 is all about exploring the Strip. I'm staying at the Best Western Plus Casino Royale, as I wanted something on the Strip in my budget, to make for easy trips in and out over the day.
I MAY have underestimated just how long the Strip is, and how much there is too see, as it took me around 2 hours walking south on one side of the road, and 2 hours walking back up the other side - and it was hot (around 37 degrees!). The casinos are blingy, all trying to outdo each other with their gimmicks and fanciness and you don't need to spend anything to be entertained. I breakfasted (spelling?!) at White Castle (first time, not bad, tiny burgers though!) lunched at the Hello Kitty Cafe (super cute), and then splashed out and scored a late afternoon bar seat at Gordon Ramsays' Hells Kitchen where I got to try the famous Beef Wellington AND the Sticky Toffee Pudding - which were both delicious and worth every $$!! If you can't afford to eat there, pop your head in and have a look, it's just like the TV set. I visited Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, New York New York, the Cosmopolitan (and it's secret pizza bar!), the Venetian and Treasure Island, among others. All very grand!
Oh and I had to get one of the half yard glass slushy margaritas that everyone was walking around the Strip with... yummmm!
But after a good nights sleep, I was ready! I'm here for two days, and day 1 is all about exploring the Strip. I'm staying at the Best Western Plus Casino Royale, as I wanted something on the Strip in my budget, to make for easy trips in and out over the day.
I MAY have underestimated just how long the Strip is, and how much there is too see, as it took me around 2 hours walking south on one side of the road, and 2 hours walking back up the other side - and it was hot (around 37 degrees!). The casinos are blingy, all trying to outdo each other with their gimmicks and fanciness and you don't need to spend anything to be entertained. I breakfasted (spelling?!) at White Castle (first time, not bad, tiny burgers though!) lunched at the Hello Kitty Cafe (super cute), and then splashed out and scored a late afternoon bar seat at Gordon Ramsays' Hells Kitchen where I got to try the famous Beef Wellington AND the Sticky Toffee Pudding - which were both delicious and worth every $$!! If you can't afford to eat there, pop your head in and have a look, it's just like the TV set. I visited Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, New York New York, the Cosmopolitan (and it's secret pizza bar!), the Venetian and Treasure Island, among others. All very grand!
Oh and I had to get one of the half yard glass slushy margaritas that everyone was walking around the Strip with... yummmm!
Day 2, with the end of my holiday looming, was SHOPPING DAY at the Outlet Mall! An easy bus ride up towards Fremont Street (take the Deuce bus - ticket machine is at bus stops - get the day pass), with a bus transfer at Bonneville Transit Centre (quite small so keep eyes and ears open for it!) and it's off to North Mall I go - and 4 hours later, back again. I was going to go to Fremont Street for the light show later in the evening, but there's loads of construction so the traffic is terrible, and I'd seen it before, so decided to do the Strip by night instead.
Since I had time, I thought I'd go see a show! I found one called Potted Potter at the Horseshoe Casino, which summarises the 7 Harry Potter books in 70 minutes (review here). No spoilers, go see it, it's hilarious!! I got out just in time to see the Bellagio fountain show (every 15 minutes in the evening), then raced up to see the The Mirage volcano eruption (every half hour in the evening).
So after 2 days, yes Vegas is a crazy, sensory overload, with loads to do (or just look at!), and you'd be hard pressed not to find something to enjoy. But crikey you need to psych yourself up for it as the Strip is FULL ON all day and night! And men, watch out for the showgirls, they'll be accosting you day and night for photos, but remember their minders aren't too far off and will be looking for the slightest opportunity to fleece you of your $$$!
Oh and I was so busy looking at everything, I ran out of time to visit the actual casino tables to gamble!
Since I had time, I thought I'd go see a show! I found one called Potted Potter at the Horseshoe Casino, which summarises the 7 Harry Potter books in 70 minutes (review here). No spoilers, go see it, it's hilarious!! I got out just in time to see the Bellagio fountain show (every 15 minutes in the evening), then raced up to see the The Mirage volcano eruption (every half hour in the evening).
So after 2 days, yes Vegas is a crazy, sensory overload, with loads to do (or just look at!), and you'd be hard pressed not to find something to enjoy. But crikey you need to psych yourself up for it as the Strip is FULL ON all day and night! And men, watch out for the showgirls, they'll be accosting you day and night for photos, but remember their minders aren't too far off and will be looking for the slightest opportunity to fleece you of your $$$!
Oh and I was so busy looking at everything, I ran out of time to visit the actual casino tables to gamble!
14/6/23 to 15/6/23 - LA, meh
I've never been a fan of Los Angeles - it's so spread out and doesn't seem to have any centre or soul to it. But I'd read that Downtown LA (DTLA) was reinventing itself as an arts centre, and I hadn't been there before, so I booked a hostel and stayed there (ulterior motive - after losing my bags back in 2019, I also planned this trip with minimum 24 hours in each place, so if my bags did get lost again, they had time to catch up with me).
The hostel was lovely! I stayed at the Freehand - great rooms, comfortable beds and pillows, and a really great rooftop pool and bar.
DTLA - not so lovely. Up-and-coming may be better described as 'prepping to be up-and-coming'; 'Garment District' is also a stretch. I feel like Hollywood celebs aren't coming here to shop! A street in any direction from the hotel/hostel was pretty grim, and I think that there are so many homeless in LA now that authorities have lost the battle and just left them to do whatever (begging, drinking, drugs etc). It's pretty in your face. Be aware if you want to stay in the area.
The pluses of DTLA though, were transport: 1) easy access from/to LAX (catch the FlyAway bus direct to Union Station, then a 5 minute taxi. You can pay for the bus ticket on arrive at the Station. Reverse instructions to return to airport). And 2) the Freehand is three blocks from the metro, which can take you direct to Santa Monica (and the Natural History Museum is on the way also if you wanted to visit).
Which was very convenient, as I DID want to go to Santa Monica, because, in honour of the Barbie movie being released, they had a World of Barbie event! So I went and had a couple of very pink hours living my best Barbie life. And then went to Santa Monica Pier to see the ocean and have an ice cream before starting my journey back to LAX airport and home.
The hostel was lovely! I stayed at the Freehand - great rooms, comfortable beds and pillows, and a really great rooftop pool and bar.
DTLA - not so lovely. Up-and-coming may be better described as 'prepping to be up-and-coming'; 'Garment District' is also a stretch. I feel like Hollywood celebs aren't coming here to shop! A street in any direction from the hotel/hostel was pretty grim, and I think that there are so many homeless in LA now that authorities have lost the battle and just left them to do whatever (begging, drinking, drugs etc). It's pretty in your face. Be aware if you want to stay in the area.
The pluses of DTLA though, were transport: 1) easy access from/to LAX (catch the FlyAway bus direct to Union Station, then a 5 minute taxi. You can pay for the bus ticket on arrive at the Station. Reverse instructions to return to airport). And 2) the Freehand is three blocks from the metro, which can take you direct to Santa Monica (and the Natural History Museum is on the way also if you wanted to visit).
Which was very convenient, as I DID want to go to Santa Monica, because, in honour of the Barbie movie being released, they had a World of Barbie event! So I went and had a couple of very pink hours living my best Barbie life. And then went to Santa Monica Pier to see the ocean and have an ice cream before starting my journey back to LAX airport and home.
16/6/23 - a little bit posh, part 2!
So I know my 50th birthday has lasted for 2 years now, but there is one thing I saved and saved and saved to do on my 50th birthday, and that was, for once in my life, fly business class! So the longest route I could afford was Air NZ, LA-NZ (12 hours), so I booked it on the leg home, as it would be a fab way to finish my holiday.
WELL. I didn't even think about it, but it turns out with AirNZ Business Class you also get entry to the LAX Star Alliance lounge, which is FABULOUS! Along with the obvious bubbles, they have the greatest food buffet I have ever seen at an airport. I may have stopped a little bit too long at the goat cheese plate... anyways, they have indoor and outdoor areas, a movie room, plus showers if you want. And it wasn't crowded when I was there, so I had a lovely time!
Then boarding time came, and I got to turn left instead of right when entering the plane, to seat 5A and a glass of bubbles while I put my feet up on my seats footrest. After takeoff it was more bubbles plus a bread and dip selection, then a delicious meal with REAL cutlery (not plastic!). After dinner the attendants came and converted the (huge) seat to a lie down bed, and even though my plan was to stay awake all night drinking all the champagne, it was so comfortable I went straight to sleep. Absolutely the most relaxed I have ever been getting off a plane in Auckland! I wouldn't pay that money again though - very expensive for essentially one night in a hotel, I mean dorm, room. But if I got a free ticket or an upgrade I wouldn't turn it down! A great way to finish my holiday :)
WELL. I didn't even think about it, but it turns out with AirNZ Business Class you also get entry to the LAX Star Alliance lounge, which is FABULOUS! Along with the obvious bubbles, they have the greatest food buffet I have ever seen at an airport. I may have stopped a little bit too long at the goat cheese plate... anyways, they have indoor and outdoor areas, a movie room, plus showers if you want. And it wasn't crowded when I was there, so I had a lovely time!
Then boarding time came, and I got to turn left instead of right when entering the plane, to seat 5A and a glass of bubbles while I put my feet up on my seats footrest. After takeoff it was more bubbles plus a bread and dip selection, then a delicious meal with REAL cutlery (not plastic!). After dinner the attendants came and converted the (huge) seat to a lie down bed, and even though my plan was to stay awake all night drinking all the champagne, it was so comfortable I went straight to sleep. Absolutely the most relaxed I have ever been getting off a plane in Auckland! I wouldn't pay that money again though - very expensive for essentially one night in a hotel, I mean dorm, room. But if I got a free ticket or an upgrade I wouldn't turn it down! A great way to finish my holiday :)