A Boyhood Dream Fulfilled: Space-Geek Tour of the USA

[VPS]

One more thing:

New York City really is "the city that never sleeps". Unlike my days in the USA so far, where I've basically been able to come back to my room at the end of a day out and do things such as write up this trip report, I'm actually envisaging that I'll -- gasp!! -- go out at night in NYC!

So I might not be able to keep up with writing this TR in "real time" (ie. write about what I've done at the end of each day). I'll try, but please understand if there is a lag from this moment on. Never fear -- this TR will be finished if I'm still breathing!

I am absolutely amazed that you have been able to write a TR like this on the go.

I love NYC so have a ball

 

[Human]

UA4442 DCA-EWR Economy class. 7,800 Velocity points plus A$15.10.

Mitsubishi CRJ-550 (AKA Bombadier CRJ or Canadair Regional Jet), 50 seats.

(I almost booked a Delta flight for 4500 Virgin Atlantic points, before discovering that Delta would have charged me US$35 for luggage. So I used my Velocity Platinum status to book a United flight with free checked luggage).

The Lounge had emptied out considerably by the time I left it. It was not a long walk to the boarding gate and boarding commenced on time.




Once again, I was on a plane which I’d never flown before. I walked past a few rows of First class in 1-2 format, before coming to some luggage racks for large carry-on. I’d never seen that in a plane before! I placed my large carry-on in one of the racks before heading back to my seat — 14D. Economy class was in 2-2 format, with seats that were perfectly OK for taking a 1-hour flight on a regional jet. The overhead lockers were minuscule but it had room for me to place my small backpack (which I’d brought on board in the hope that it would be considered a “personal item”. It was.). No-one was sitting next to me, which was a nice treat.


There was only one Flight Attendant on board, which meant that the Safety Demonstration was performed twice: once for the front half of the plane, and all over again for the back half!

There was no food & beverage service in Economy class, although the FA did come around offering water. Some photos from the tarmac at DCA.



And of our ascent and cruise. When there were not clouds, the view from my window seat was lovely.


The sound in the cabin was noticeably more noisy than I was used to (it reminded me of sitting at the back of a Focker 100), and the noise cancellation on my AirPods Pro struggled to cope, but they helped somewhat.

Pics from our descent into Newark. A little underwhelming, I know, I looked across and there appeared to be lovely views of the New York skyline from the other side of the plane – once again, I was seated on the wrong side.



Newark Airport is massive.


Everything after the flight was routine, apart from the fact that I had to wait longer than I would have liked for my shuttle bus to turn up. And the driver spoke on his handheld mobile phone while driving. But eventually I got to my hotel in the Chelsea area of Manhattan.

 

[Human]

Hilton Hampton Inn Manhattan-Chelsea. 3 night stay. Cost: A$217.58 plus A$400 AmEx Platinum Reserve travel credit.

Some photos of my hotel. The room has seen better days, and it’s small, but apparently that’s par for the course in NYC and I’m getting a very good price in a very good location.




The view:


I entered my room, opened the air-con control panel and saw this.


It took me a service call to realise that the control panel had been deliberately removed, and that it was all controllable from a wall panel.


While I was waiting for my transfer at the airport I booked a ticket to the first of hopefully two Broadway shows I’ll be seeing while I’m here. So I’m about to leave my hotel room and experience New York City for the first time!