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I

arrived here on Monday from Orlando, bright early flight, rearranged

Had our pictures taken on Carrie's stoop, you get the drift....LOVED IT.

baggage due to over-shopping in Orlando and flew in over the city for

the most amazing arrival I have ever done by plane. NYC from the air

is amazing and a beautiful clear day so we could see Statue of Liberty,

the former site of the WTC, Empire State and Manhattan in all it's

glory - breathtaking but also a chilling feeling to think about the

people on an American Airlines flight four years ago who just flew

straight into those towers - how terrifying it must have been. So

day one the Contiki peeps arrived later that evening, so I just hung

out in the hood where we are staying on the Upper West Side (75th and

Broadway) until they all got here. It was so good to see everyone I

really missed them so much. Of course some of the gang had gone home

from Orlando but so great to see these guys. We had dinner at a

mexican place with margaritas that came in glasses the size of fruit

bowls and then partied at a seedy (but oddly very good) local bar! Next

morning up bright and early (Lyndall and I were still drunk and Timmy,

Pam, Sandra and Andrew were all on this tour with us as well as heaps

of new peeps) to do a city tour around all the museums, 5th, 6th

Avenues, through Little Italy and Chinatown, stopping to see the

haunting 9/11 memorials. We also went to the midday prayer for peace -

you really understand the extent and reality of 9/11 when you see these

memorials and read the letters, see the pictures - it is just horrific

that could ever happen. Then down

to Battery Park (the BEST spot for faux handbags, watches, sunglasses -

the funniest bit is watching these guys pack up and run when the 5-0

rocks up). Here we caught the ferry out to see the magnificent Statue

of Liberty. The views of Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey were

amazing and I am so happy to have seen her. Then

we walked to the former site of the World Trade Centre and down Wall

Street (Lyndall and I are heading to the financial district tomorrow

evening for Friday after work drinks hehehe - stockbrokers!!) and that

night got the subway to Times Square, had dinner at Hard Rock with Pam,

Mel, Sarah, Kiwi Tim and Karl (the best HRC I've been to by far) and

did some shopping around in the Virgin Megastore. Now I have to say

this is one music store that knows it's sh*t. even had Fat Freddy's,

Shihad, Salmonella Dub me and Kiwi Tim were most impressed! Yesterday

was pretty awesome too - went up the Empire State Building which was

great on such a clear day. Cannot help but think of Sleepless in

Seattle up there! Then we went to Macy's which is an entire block of

shoppings paradise. Then we did the coolest....Sex and the City Tour!

It rocked. We went all over New York going where the girls go, where

all sorts of wonderful SATC moments took place, restaurants, bars (the

bar that is Scout - which incidentally is across the road from Leo

DiCaprios apartment in the village), Pleasure Closet (where Charlotte

finds the rabbit), to Magnolia's Bakery (makes the most sought after

cupcakes - the best cupcakes in the world ever - you can never buy more

than a dozen at one time and on the weekend queues around the block -

love those cupcakes! We bought hepas of them), Had our pictures taken

on Carrie's stoop, you get the drift....LOVED IT.

Have

managed to get online today as we went out partying in Times Square

last night (could McDonald's Times Square - the blingest Mc'Ds the

world over be the wildest place in the world at 4am - if you wanna see

some mental crazy people this is for sure the place to go it's

insane!). So

slept in and just having a chill day now until it's time to get our

party on again (it's New York baby). Met some interesting people last

night though, the NYPD (mmmm NYPD), tattoo artists, actors, PR people,

college students, club owners and all at the Pig and Whistle Irish pub

go figure ;) The

Aussie boys are going home today so we said goodbye for now to them

last night after having a DELI room party, got some beers and beautiful

deli food from this awesome spot across the road. The food in this

city is incredible and too good not too enjoy. Just had H&H bagels

with Philly cream cheese - world famous and now I know why :) So

slept in til midday, went for coffee and bagels with Lydall and Pam and

now back here prior to heading to do a tour of Madison Square Garden

(Nine Inch Nails is playing tonight so hopefully get to see the set up). Then

tonight we have a Contiki farewell dinner and partying in MePa (the new

wannabe glam name for the Meat Packing District a la SoHo, Tribeca

etc). It's really hard to get in but one of the 'actors' we met last

night can help us out with passes (you have to have at least 4 girls)

so we'll try our luck!