New York - Sunday, sightseeing part 2

Where were we?

Oh yes. Wall Street.

After I left the 9/11 memorial I was at a loss as to what to do next. It was gone 5pm and it was cold. Did I mention that? It was almost summer weather on the Saturday too! I had my 'stars' version of the sun and stars ticket to the Top of the Rock to use up. What to do in the mean time, what to do?

I walked for a little while. I visited Wall Street. Well you've just got to. It was quiet and I shared my visit with a busload of Japanese tourists. Photos were snapped and I went on my way.

Wall Street

NYSE

I made my way to City Hall as I knew the Brooklyn Bridge entrance was close by. Once I got there I decided it was far too cold to cross that bridge today so I found a coffee shop and Facetime'd mum and dad. I was so glad to be sitting down, even just for fifteen minutes. My back was aching. I'd walked a fair bit since I woke this morning. My fingers were numb from taking pictures and from using the maps on my phone. All I wanted to do was lay down on that super comfy bed back the Refinery. But I was downtown, waaay downtown.

City Hall

Welcome to Chinatown

After I'd warmed up enough I set off on my journey back to the hotel. I walked to the subway station but it was out of order today. Damn. I checked my maps again and walked and walked and walked and eventually ended up in Chinatown. On my way there though, I came across a line of trailers parked in a street. It looked like some sort of filming had taken place just an hour or so earlier. They were clearing up now. Anyway, I found an open subway station and hoped on to get back to the hotel. I've never been as glad of a seat and a little bit of warmth as i was then. I got off at Park Avenue and found a pharmacy to buy some plasters (or Band Aids!) for my blistery feet. Luckily, I passed a cupcake shop too and popped in to buy one. I thought I'd eat it later on but turns out I still had it when I came home. Result.

Rockefeller Centre, always look up

Back at the hotel I freshened up and relaxed. Once I was ready I put on my scarf and hat and headed back to the Top of the Rock. There was a long queue outside and I wasn't sure if they were waiting to go up or waiting on a TV show recording. I headed inside and ended up getting straight into the lift to go up. Perfect. I skipped the queue at the fake NYC background again as I was eager to see this view at night time.

windy up top!

Wow. When I emerged front the lift I went around to the good side and yes, it was worth the wait and also worth the sun and stars ticket price! I'd really recommend a night visit. You see all of the lights flashing at you from Times Square. You see the buildings twinkling far off into the distance. I'm sure the golden hour sunset would be magical in the summer time (note to self!)...

Wandering in and out of the cold and windy viewing deck I got my picture taken again by a lovely Kodak lady. "These are really good" she laughed as she snapped away. When I was sure I'd taken in the view from every possible angle I headed inside and back down to the photo collection area. When it was my turn the girl showed me all of the pictures that had been taken on my morning and my evening visits and I chose quite a few. I got one printed and my free digital print, then I bought some more digital prints. They give you a coded receipt and you go to a machine, scan the barcode and enter your email address. A minute later the pictures are in your inbox. Voila! They really are pretty good.

It was still early, well about 9.30pm, and so I decided to have what may be my last walk through Times Square at night. Soaking in everything I made my way back to the hotel. I needed to pack. Tomorrow was my last day. I had to plan it to perfection. And so I did...

Angela x

Adventures

Are you not going on any more adventures? climbing any more mountains?...

The question I get asked quite a lot from people who don't really know me. And occasionally from people who do know me. When I get asked it my insides tumble and I ache to be back on a mountainside. Or on an adventure. That's the thing when you do something like that, you get loads of questions and they're great and stuff and it's great that people are interested but, looking back, I was broken on my return from Nepal. Both physically and mentally and it was only in the months that followed I realised just how much. You see that adventure was in the planning for 2 years and I put my everything into it. The fundraising, the making of Christmas cards to sell at a Christmas fare, the baking of cakes to sell at coffee mornings and the walking those mountainsides in the every changing Himalayan conditions. For you see, I did put my all into it. It was tough. Real tough. There was a point we might not even have gotten as far as we did so erratic were the weather conditions from Kathmandu to Lukla. It was the first time I'd travelled so far. It was the first time I'd met my companions on the trek. It was the first time I felt scared, so scared that I was wondering what people would say about me back home when I didn't return. This was an adventure, of a lifetime, of my lifetime. Well so far anyway. I wrote in my Moleskine and tried to put into words what each day meant to me but I don't think I can convey how my heart broke when I realised I couldn't actually live out this dream. I couldn't go to Everest Base Camp. I was too sick. No matter how much I wanted to go on I just wasn't physically able to. And do you know how that feels? To have your dream taken from you. Being so close to your dream then *KAPOW* it's gone in a flash. If you've read my story you might get an idea of my thoughts and feelings and fears then. But now, when I get asked that question... well I still get the tummy tumble, the ache in my gut that says you never made it. I know on the whole it was a fantastic achievement and to this day I always say it was the single greatest thing I've done in my life so far, but it hurts. Like no other hurt. It just does.

Who knows what the future holds? I may return (I would bite your hand off at the chance if I had the funds). But for now I'm satisfied with the fact that at least I tried.

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything.

Angela x

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