26/27/28th May - Kings Mountain, NC on route to New York - 660 miles

OMG !! OMG !! OMG !! Did I have the thrill of my life today !!! Got to ride in nascar round the track at Charlotte...WOW what a buzzzzzz 150 MPH !!!! Was an awesome experience !! It was all arranged by peeps I knew from Aussie who run the tours. And to top it all off there just happened to be a bus load of Aussies there too and met up with a couple from Tasmania who live 20 miles from me. After the thrill of the track...On the road again ....that's become my catch song !! I made it to Richmond, Virginia. Gonna go visit the President tomorrow in Washington, give him some tips how to run this country...by god he needs em !!! lol.

Left Richmond this morning to set out to take on the heart of Washington DC. After finally finding out the actual state name to punch into my GPS, I made it right to the White House no worries. I guess George got the message I was coming to town and FLED fasttttttt. I did find out one thing tho..people are so rudeeeee...especially when I trying to drive and take pics at same time...no patience sheesh !!!!! I got the occasional toot toot. I covered 5 states again today Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia, Delaware and finished up in New Jersey. Tomorrow look out New York here I come !!!

Well I conquered driving into New York !!!!! I must admit the thought of it all did scare me somewhat after what peeps had said, but I found it was a breezeeee. I also appreciate all the tips I was given, thanks Troy, Mike muff, Mike right and Carlos. I did miss the 1st exit I was spose to take, but my partner in crime re-routed me..lol yes my gps. Then low and behold where did I find myself...right in the heart of concrete city.. Manhattan Island. Went through the Holland Tunnel then weaved my way onto the 495 east to Long Island. This was all one hell of an experience, the streets were so narrow, good thing I don't suffer from claustrophobia, cause things were dang tight in there. I only got beeped once by one ignorant ass's horn and got his middle finger too, and all that was in the toll lanes...lol. The most demoralizing part of the whole drive was being over taken by a hearse..... how rude !!!! hmm no respect whatsoever...lol even they speed !!! After checking into hotel, made sure I got oil change for the car, then off for manicure n pedicure...I thought I deserved it !!! I'm heading back into Manhattan today by train then catch the double decker bus and do the touristy thingy. Should have plenty of pics.

WOW What another awesome thrill seeking day and evening I had in New York !!! I think I used every mode of transport possible to see the Manhattan at is best. Caught the train into Penn Station then jumped on a double decker bus to tour Downtown Manhattan. My breathe was taken several times during the tour, not only how crazy New Yorkers are and the risks they take even just crossing the street. They are also color blind..they don't know difference between red n green. Everyone walks on red signals, no patience whatsoever !!! The narrowness of the streets downtown just amazed me, but somehow the traffic seems to flow..and hornsssss omg are they horn happy here. They are same on the pavement as on the streets and roads...you don't stop or ya get walked over tooooo!!! The architecture of the buildings alone was breath taking, and I snapped a LOT of pics. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour as the guide was brilliant and very informative. Going past Ground Zero gave me goose bumps and a sinking feeling, I couldn't stop imagining what those people in this city experienced that day. To see the confined area that the twin towers once stood and how the surrounding buildings are still standing amazed me. There is only one that was seriously damaged and they are bringing that down floor by floor, and also it kept going through my mind all the peeps in the surrounding buildings witnessing the whole thing. I did have a giggle going through Chinatown at one sign,New BJ 99 cents, made me crack up. After the bus tour off to the Hudson River waterfront by TAXI to cruise around the Statue of Liberty. They even have a golf driving range on the river front.  I had to pinch myself several times during the day to realize this was all real. While on the water cruising and sitting there reflecting with several helicopters overhead....yep you guessed it...I just had to do it!!!! So I hi tailed myself off to the helicopter pad and yup up I went. The views were magnificent over the whole of New York and the New Jersey side. This is where I got the best view of Ground Zero and the enormity Central Park and Manhattan Island in general. The whole experience was yet again awesome....seems its one thrill after another. On walking back to the busses lmao I saw how New Yorkers walk their dogs... was the funniest thing I saw all day. This woman walked past me dragging what I thought was a small trolly case...but then I saw the end open and yep inside 2 chihuahuas. I just had to get a pic...umm sry Troy I didn't get her phone number for when ya next in New York...lmao. I then bussed back to 7th Ave to finish parts of the double decker tour I missed b4 the cruise, Times Square and the Fashion district. By the time I had done all this and wondering why I was so hungry after not eating all day, I actually sat and enjoyed a chinese buffet. I then set out on foot to walk and walk and walk for over 2 hrs back through the places I had visited during the day. Just had to check out TOYS-R-US largest store in the world. Sorry Dalton and Tyler no room in Nanny's luggage for the giant ferris wheel they had in there. At no stage did I feel unsafe in this city, there are cops on every corner !!!! and they even have a sense of humor....lol well some of em do...lol At the end of all this I really didn't want to leave Manhattan but was getting late and off to train yet again to venture back home. Today I leave New York sniff sniff going to drive over the causeway and along the beaches 1st of Long Island before heading out on the ferry across to Connecticut.

If I'm close to you along the way please give me a yell either on msn or send me an email to loraway50@hotmail.com, would love to meet you.