This was quite significant to me, because for the first time ever in my life, I was travelling alone. At the back of my mind, I was wondering, what if I lost my way? What if I got robbed? [I was carrying US$2.5k of cash on me.] What if the train routes turned out to be running differently from the ways I recorded in my notebook? How to obtain a transport card for travelling on the subway? What were my alternatives if things went wrong?
To set my parents at ease, I lied to them that my friends would be picking me up at the airport, when I was already on the AirTrain.
But as it turned out, it really wasn't difficult at all.
One good thing about being in an English speaking country is that I can understand instructions. Even if I don't, someone around will be able to explain to me, in English as well. I was unsure about purchasing a Metrocard for use on the New York subway, and a station worker nearby helped me out quickly. I followed the signs, and soon enough I was on the train bound for the hotel.
All my fears about strangers and crime rates in New York quickly dispersed when I dropped my Metrocard on one of the train platforms and was going to board the train without noticing it. An American, dressed in hoodies and jeans, not someone one would immediately associate with 'friendly', pointed out to me, "Bro, you have dropped your card", and helped me pick it up.
Another interesting point about New York is that their streets are numbered in order. I became disoriented when I first got out of the subway station onto ground level, and the roads were different from those that I had drawn and labelled on my notebook. I was on 34th Street, and I wanted to go to 31st Street. I began walking, and when I saw 35th Street, I knew I couldn't be correct. I turned around and walked in the opposite direction, and alas, I hit 33rd Street.
Just as I thought I was done with Korea, 32nd Street showed up. The street was lined with Korean restaurants and even Korean banks, together with their Hangul.
After I had reached the hotel, I hung around a while until my friends came back from a show, and one friend kindly accompanied me to Times Square. And I was pleasantly surprised at what I saw.
Times Square was so BRIGHT! At MIDNIGHT!
New York City is well known to be the city that never sleeps. And that night I encountered it first hand. Even though it was midnight, everywhere was still buzzing with activity. People were still walking around, some stalls and shops were still open, vehicles were still running.
Police on close watch for Occupy Wall Street activities.
Mickey Mouse mascots outside a giant Toy R Us store posing for pictures. [There was a Batman too.]
Artists plying their trades and drawing portraits for money.
Another artist selling his artwork.
In the foreground, someone without arms playing drums I think.
There were other interesting sights around which I did not dare to take photos of, like touts selling tickets to daily comedy shows, beggars asking for money to buy weed, and roadside stalls selling hotdogs [which I bought as dinner/supper].
In that one night in New York, including the one hour long subway trip and the walk down Times Square, I heard so many languages being spoken. Besides English, I heard Mandarin, some European language and Japanese. I saw Chinese, Japanese, Koreans and Indians passing me by. I saw more non-Westerners in New York that night alone than I saw Westerners in South Korea in nine days. In a nutshell, I feel New York is much more 'international' than Singapore.
I had only spent one night in New York City, but I am already loving it. There might just be some truth to it when Ted boasted in How I Met Your Mother that New York City is the best place on Earth. Now I hope that I will have a chance to visit it again before I return home.
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