*not really fire, it’s just really hot

14th July 2016

Today was our first day using the NY Pass! Basically the goal was to jam as much touristy things into three days (all covered by the NY Pass) and then the rest of the trip was ours to wander and explore.

Again, we thought doing the Hop On Hop Off bus was the best thing to start with, so we started the day (late) with the Downtown Tour.

We had seen the line last night through Times Square for the night tour, and it was two and a bit blocks long. The line was intercepted by intersections. It was crazy…when we asked one of the ticketing agents about it, we were replied to with a nochalant ‘the people buy the tickets’.

So, this fresh in our minds, we had thought to hit the bus at 8am. We did not. We slept in. We were late. This will surprise no one.

After waiting in heat second only to The Scorch Trials, we finally boarded at the front of the bus and made our way downtown (post to come).

Jumping off in Soho / Little Italy we made our way to a well-researched address 394 Broome Street home to Happy Bones, a recommended coffee shop that did FLAT WHITES!!! (Thank you baby Jesus). It was good, although nothing beats NZ milk.

Actually, we made a wee detour before the coffee and had lunch at Brinkleys, which was delish! And included a lunch time orangesque-margarita with a side of bad service. What is it with Americans and bad service, but stubbornly requiring tips?! We don’t get it.

Anyway, by the time I’d had the margarita and a coffee I was all jacked up on poor mans cocaine, so it seemed like a great time to go shopping! H&M and Topshop clearly stock all their cool stuff in the Downtown stores, as there was a plethora of cool stuff to buy! And Juju found her gold lame bikini she was lusting after. We won’t post a photo, as it’s R-rated mature audiences only.

(I did not buy said R rated bikini as I think it made me look more sausage-y than I need to look. It could also be that I may have tried on too small a size but it was too hot to keep trying on clothes.  –  Ju)

So, back on the bus, we carried around the western side of Downtown, and about 10 minutes in right by the financial district, the heavens opened and it poured. Like, massive splotchy wet as can be, summer rain storm. We were given ponchos (Big Day Out anyone?), and the whole thing was so ludicrous, all we did was laugh.

After hopping off the bus at Times Square, totally saturated, we did a quick recon/toilet break at the M&M store (crazy!) then went back home to shower and freshen up.

We’ve been spending a bit of money on food, so we decided to pull a cheap one and grabbed salads at Pret A Manger on the way home. It’s kinda like Wishbone, but a bigger selection and more salad related things.

We did a late night mission to Empire State Building (no queues please and thank you!) and then walked back home around 12.30…buzzing and luxuriating in the thrum and heat of the city.

Tashy. xx

PS – Ju gave me a sympathetic beauty shot after my drowned rat one when we got off the bus.