All I can say is it’s a good job we had a hearty breakfast at Nerds and Nibblers!! So much for thinking that it would be quicker to get from D.C to N.Y.C by train than have the faff of security etc if we flew.
As I type we are about 2.5 hours late departing on the Amtrak from Union Station in the Capital thanks to some donkey leaving “a suspicious package” on the train track one stop up from us. Consequently no trains have been allowed to depart north or south.
I have to say though that the train itself is brilliant; spotlessly clean and enough room to accommodate even the tallest, lankiest basketball player. Our conductor was also the loveliest guy, keeping us updated very frequently as to what our estimated departure would be.
We’ve finally just left Union station and are NYC bound; yeah, baby! I think it might be buffet car next, seeing as I scoffed my journey stash of goodies during the delay, oops. I’ll keep you posted when we get into the Big Apple, bye for now :)
You know when you wish you could just re-start the day? I am so getting that feeling right now. After a brilliant taxi ride from Pennsylvania Station to our Hotel, The Manhattan on Times Square, we had our cases taken into the gorgeous smelling reception by Joe and headed over to the check-in desk. That’s when I wanted to turn back time. Apparently our reservation (booked via Hayes & Jarvis) had been cancelled; erm, no, I don’t think so.
I have to say that the reception were really good, they allocated us a room after swiping our credit card and said that it would get sorted out; too right it would, we rang our fab travel councillor Louise who said to leave it with her. As we were stood at the desk there was a sign saying there was some kind of “steam system” repair happening that would knock out the air-con from about 10pm; ruddy marvellous. Not. At least it was only for one night though.
We had got tickets for a New York Yankees Baseball game, and thanks to all the delays it was going to be a case of dumping our suitcases and heading straight out to catch the Subway to Yankee Stadium. Leaving the lovely reception behind us we waited for the lift doors to open on the 10th floor where our room was. The doors of the lift opened and I honestly thought I’d stepped into the Twilight Zone; faded carpets and maids’ carts blocking the hallway were what we were confronted with. There was literally enough room to get your suitcase through, talk about a fire hazard!
Our luggage was literally dropped on the beds, and we went straight out to watch the Baseball. To say it was busy at Yankee Stadium would be a colossal understatement; IK don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people in one place in my life before! The stadium staff were fantastic though, and we sailed through bag security with no snags and we were directed to our block of seating.
The skies were looking a bit ominous and rain was predicted later in the evening, but the game started well and we sent His Nibs off to get us all Hot Dogs; well, you can’t go to a game and not have a ‘dog and beer can you? When one of the Yankees’ players hit a home run the stadium erupted with cheers and roars, you could feel the rush of wind created by the fans across the other side of the stadium. This must be what music stars experience when they have fans cheering at them; it’s incredible.
At one point the heavens opened, and I mean really opened! The crazy thing is though that it remained warm, so although you get wet, you don’t get cold. We had got seats really high up so they were covered over but the view was still phenomenal. I had to chuckle at the scramble by the fans up into the back covered seats; it was like watching rats desert a sinking ship!
We waited for the rain to slow and headed down to the merchandise shop before trundling back to the Subway station to come back to the Hotel.
Again, as soon as we stepped out of the lift onto our floor our hearts sank a little. I hate to be a “Debbie Downer” but the fact that there is a crappy shower curtain (the kind that clings to you when you’re in there) bugged me, as did the fact that there are only paper cups to drink out of. I’m old enough to drink alcohol guys; I think I can manage an actual glass when drinking don’t you?
The bed is low down and beyond ridiculously creaky; and don’t even get me started on the sound-proofing, or rather the serious lack of it. You might as well just have your bed on the street and experience the noise because there is no diminishment of it in your room.
The final straw though was the discovery of not just mould in the bathroom, but dried on vomit around the loo-roll dispenser; it pushed me over the edge. There is no way on this damn earth that I’m having my baby exposed to someone else’s bodily fluids, however inert they may be; house- keeping need a serious talking to.
Management on The Manhattan at Times Square have been informed and will be moving us to another room as soon as possible this afternoon. In the mean time we have picked up our New York Passes and are heading out to Central Park for a Horse-drawn Carriage ride :)
