Week 1 Blog
The big day had come, the day I was due to fly to New York City for my 3 month adventure in the USA. Packing and saying goodbye was sad, but it had to be done. Dad took me to the airport - Heathrow Terminal 3, and I checked myself into the flight via DIY Check in and dropped my bags at the drop off point. It saved waiting for ages!
Me and Dad got a sandwich and then I had to go through to the departure lounge via security. It was quite emotional and it was hard not to get upset. I went straight to the gate to board flight VS009 to JFK. I was seated at the back of the plane in the middle row. Wasn't as sad flight as I thought it would be as I was sitting next to a great girl called Kirby. We had a wicked time and got on really well. The food was ok - a curry - and I took advantage of the free drinks by having 3 cans of beer. I felt really light headed lol. I watched Family Guy on the plane as well as playing some games. I was general knowledge champ in the Quiz game I played with others on the plane! hehe! After this myself and Kirby started using the seat to seat messaging service which was a right laugh. We were texting randomers on the plane! The flight seemed to go really quickly and next thing I know was that we were landing at JFK!
Security was no problem, I had a Stone Cold Steve Austin look-a-like stamp my Visa, and I was officially in the USA. Luggage was waiting for me when I got through but then had a long wait for the bus because after the luggage belt broke down. Eventually it was time to go, said my goodbyes to Kirby, exchanged details, and boarded a bus to our hostel.
The drive was wicked because it was at night and we could see the Manhattan skyline lit up! We had the radio on and the first song I heard was this Q ueen mix with 'We Will Rock You' and 'We Are The Champions'! got me psyched! We arrived in our hostel (in Harlem!!!) and had a meeting with Bunac. We were assigned rooms and then a group of us went to get some food. Ended up going to a corner shop (with gangs standing around offering us ganja! lol) and getting a pastrami sub from their deli. Was well nice and well cheap. We went back to our rooms and one of my room mates, Jon, asked if I was up for getting a taxi into Downtown. I was too tired to be tired so I thought "why not?!" and we got in a yellow cab at 1am to Times Square. When we got their it was absolutely amazing. I thought Piccadilly Circus in London was amazing, but this is something else! So bright! We had a wander around the city, saw Grand Central Station - amazing - and decided to go to an Irish bar for a pint. We didn't even get carded. So it was nice to arrive in NYC and finish my day with a pint of Bud! We were watching the street artists who were painting amazing pieces of art and then returned to the Hostel.
In the morning we had a bagel for breakfast (you can't have anything else for breakfast in NYC!) and then had an orientation with reps from Bunac. I met the other Camp Harlamers who were with Bunac - Ash, Tara, Simon and Suzanne - and we all got a cab to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. We then met up with the other people who were getting on the onward coach to camp. Had a good laugh on the bus but we did have to wait 3 hours at JFK to pick up another member of staff which was a bit shit! We got to camp at around 4, were welcomed by Camp Directors Shane and Frank and given a little tour.
I can't really write about camp as there has been so much going on. There are some great people here - the yanks are so friendly and do love the English accent and also the Isralies are a right laugh. My challenge is to make everyone love Rihanna - Umbrella. There have been so many memories already in such a short time. Things like Umbrella, Jamie's chant of 'Frank The Tank' and his video of 'Do You Want Some Of My Lollypop' have been great!
I've had a little time off Camp in my first week - 1 Evening and 1 x 24 hour. On the evening out, the whole camp went to a mall, via school bus!!, and then to a bar called Crocodile Rock. In the mall we had a Chinese and then me, Jamie, Jimbo and Ash bought walkie talkies to have a laugh around camp! Everything was so cheap in the clothes places! The bar was really cool. Had a boogie with some banging tunes etc etc!
On the 24 hour session, me, Jamie, Simon and Ash went to Philadelphia. We got a lift from Camp from Reini to Fort Washington Station. Was really weird taking the train into Philly but was cool! Dead cheap too! $3.00 for a 45 minute journey! When we got to 30th Street Station we got the Metro to 2nd street and then managed to find rooms in a hostel. It was relieving to find on so last minute and on a Saturday! As me, Ash and Jamie were under 21, Simon went to a bar and got take out beer! We drank them in the room and then went out. We managed to get served in one bar without being carded which was cool! After a little wander, we went into Club 27 (which was opposite the hostel) to end our night! Was a cool club but we were the only white guys in there! Was a laugh and Ash turned 19 at midnight! At 1am they dropped money from the roof and I managed to get a Dollar! Wow!! LOL. Then off to bed - Simon was proper wasted. We chatted to some people who were on the road in the Hostel lounge before hitting the hay!
Next morning we visited the steps of the Art Museum - where they filmed the famous Rocky scene! Was a right laugh and we got some nice pictures. Then we were back on the train and back to camp!
What a great first week in the USA!!
Jambo
Me and Dad got a sandwich and then I had to go through to the departure lounge via security. It was quite emotional and it was hard not to get upset. I went straight to the gate to board flight VS009 to JFK. I was seated at the back of the plane in the middle row. Wasn't as sad flight as I thought it would be as I was sitting next to a great girl called Kirby. We had a wicked time and got on really well. The food was ok - a curry - and I took advantage of the free drinks by having 3 cans of beer. I felt really light headed lol. I watched Family Guy on the plane as well as playing some games. I was general knowledge champ in the Quiz game I played with others on the plane! hehe! After this myself and Kirby started using the seat to seat messaging service which was a right laugh. We were texting randomers on the plane! The flight seemed to go really quickly and next thing I know was that we were landing at JFK!
Security was no problem, I had a Stone Cold Steve Austin look-a-like stamp my Visa, and I was officially in the USA. Luggage was waiting for me when I got through but then had a long wait for the bus because after the luggage belt broke down. Eventually it was time to go, said my goodbyes to Kirby, exchanged details, and boarded a bus to our hostel.
The drive was wicked because it was at night and we could see the Manhattan skyline lit up! We had the radio on and the first song I heard was this Q ueen mix with 'We Will Rock You' and 'We Are The Champions'! got me psyched! We arrived in our hostel (in Harlem!!!) and had a meeting with Bunac. We were assigned rooms and then a group of us went to get some food. Ended up going to a corner shop (with gangs standing around offering us ganja! lol) and getting a pastrami sub from their deli. Was well nice and well cheap. We went back to our rooms and one of my room mates, Jon, asked if I was up for getting a taxi into Downtown. I was too tired to be tired so I thought "why not?!" and we got in a yellow cab at 1am to Times Square. When we got their it was absolutely amazing. I thought Piccadilly Circus in London was amazing, but this is something else! So bright! We had a wander around the city, saw Grand Central Station - amazing - and decided to go to an Irish bar for a pint. We didn't even get carded. So it was nice to arrive in NYC and finish my day with a pint of Bud! We were watching the street artists who were painting amazing pieces of art and then returned to the Hostel.
In the morning we had a bagel for breakfast (you can't have anything else for breakfast in NYC!) and then had an orientation with reps from Bunac. I met the other Camp Harlamers who were with Bunac - Ash, Tara, Simon and Suzanne - and we all got a cab to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. We then met up with the other people who were getting on the onward coach to camp. Had a good laugh on the bus but we did have to wait 3 hours at JFK to pick up another member of staff which was a bit shit! We got to camp at around 4, were welcomed by Camp Directors Shane and Frank and given a little tour.
I can't really write about camp as there has been so much going on. There are some great people here - the yanks are so friendly and do love the English accent and also the Isralies are a right laugh. My challenge is to make everyone love Rihanna - Umbrella. There have been so many memories already in such a short time. Things like Umbrella, Jamie's chant of 'Frank The Tank' and his video of 'Do You Want Some Of My Lollypop' have been great!
I've had a little time off Camp in my first week - 1 Evening and 1 x 24 hour. On the evening out, the whole camp went to a mall, via school bus!!, and then to a bar called Crocodile Rock. In the mall we had a Chinese and then me, Jamie, Jimbo and Ash bought walkie talkies to have a laugh around camp! Everything was so cheap in the clothes places! The bar was really cool. Had a boogie with some banging tunes etc etc!
On the 24 hour session, me, Jamie, Simon and Ash went to Philadelphia. We got a lift from Camp from Reini to Fort Washington Station. Was really weird taking the train into Philly but was cool! Dead cheap too! $3.00 for a 45 minute journey! When we got to 30th Street Station we got the Metro to 2nd street and then managed to find rooms in a hostel. It was relieving to find on so last minute and on a Saturday! As me, Ash and Jamie were under 21, Simon went to a bar and got take out beer! We drank them in the room and then went out. We managed to get served in one bar without being carded which was cool! After a little wander, we went into Club 27 (which was opposite the hostel) to end our night! Was a cool club but we were the only white guys in there! Was a laugh and Ash turned 19 at midnight! At 1am they dropped money from the roof and I managed to get a Dollar! Wow!! LOL. Then off to bed - Simon was proper wasted. We chatted to some people who were on the road in the Hostel lounge before hitting the hay!
Next morning we visited the steps of the Art Museum - where they filmed the famous Rocky scene! Was a right laugh and we got some nice pictures. Then we were back on the train and back to camp!
What a great first week in the USA!!
Jambo
