Twenty Four Hours in New York City

It was probably ambitious and silly, but I had promised Maya a weekend in New York for her birthday, and although she originally had wanted several friends to come with, in the end only Belina could make it, so it was the three of us who went. Maya had a concert at Peabody at 9, so that was the focus for the morning. She was wonderful. Afterward, we came home, packed and got on the road later than planned. The drive was uneventful but long. The girls watched movies and played games in the back. We arrived at sunset and I love that thrilling feeling of seeing the Manhattan skyline across the water, turning into the Lincoln tunnel and rising up into the city. It gets my heart beating fast every time.

I did not have an easy time finding our hotel, it being across from the UN in a part of town I did not know well. Maya chose the hotel because of the swimming pool with a great view across the East River. Our room was on the 38th floor with a fantastic view of the Empire State building and the Chrysler building, which looked great in the dark with all the sparkling lights.

I hurried the girls out of our hotel room and we walked to Times Square to get into the TKTS line. We decided on Mary Poppins and had some time to wander around and look at souvenirs and the MandM store. The crowds were unbelievable and I had Maya and Belina holding hands and holding on to me. I was worried about losing them, but we stayed together and found a place for pizza and got to our theatre on time. The show was very entertaining and we sang all the way back to our hotel, eight blocks away.

The bed was comfy and massive and after more admiring of the view, we got to sleep. First things first in the morning; we had to go for a swim with our view of the city and the East River in the morning mist. We ate a huge buffet for breakfast, the girls going up six seven times for more food. We wandered to Rockefeller Centre to see the Christmas tree and the skaters and Fifth Avenue and then took a cab to Macy's to look at the Christmas windows. There was little time to shop, which Belina and Maya were dying to do. We had to get back on the road to get home in time for my Christmas party, which was at my house at 6.

Driving home was easy and fast, and once home there was time to shower and change and prepare for the guests. My office colleagues, friends, neighbours all came, there were a dozen children screaming through the house. I think it was a great success, and I felt very accomplished at the end of it all. How was it possible to do so much in forty eight hours? And feel so good about it all?