A Staff Guest Post – A Holiday in New York City.

Some of the staff members here at Economy Car Hire have very kindly written a post about their recent travel experience. Today’s post is from Seb, one of our Senior Customer Advisors, about his recent holiday to New York City.

“After months of watching the days go by on the calendar, the day had finally come, I was on my way to New York for what was sure to be an unforgettable trip. It was the typical New York holiday you would expect, sightseeing with lots of dollars leaving my wallet. Oh and a bit of Hollywood drama!

I was travelling with one of my good friends. He organised the hotel and transfers, so all I needed to do was to make sure I was there with my passport, boarding pass and dollars, easy!

Getting to New York

So it’s the day I’m flying. I’m obviously excited at the prospect, however also slightly nervous. Not because I don’t like flying, just because of my past experiences. The whole airport business, queuing, hoping your flight isn’t delayed and then finding things to keep you busy can be a bit stressful! When I booked my flights I was shocked with the prices. I ended up paying £509.00 for just an economy ticket. I was flying with Virgin Atlantic and had I known what I do now I wouldn’t have worried in the slightest.

The flight was from Heathrow to JFK Airport. We decided to use one of Virgin’s affiliate taxi companies to pick us up and take us directly to the airport. It was on time and hassle free. We arrived at the airport and headed directly to the Virgin desks. I handed my boarding pass and passport to the Virgin check-in agent. It was a long pause with the agent looking at the boarding pass and then back onto her screen. After a few minutes she announced that I had been upgraded to First Class, brilliant!

We landed after a 6-hour flight with free champagne and a three course meal, ready for the holiday to begin. We were being picked up by the sister company of those that had taken us to Heathrow. We handed over the prepaid voucher and were instructed to wait outside. I was expecting a 10-15 minute wait but the car arrived literally within a minute.

We have arrived!

Having arrived at the hotel Affinia Manhattan, following an easy one hour drive from the airport. It was a very surreal experience to be surrounded by skyscrapers, big flashing ad boards and a huge number of yellow taxi drivers.

Our hotel was located within walking distance of Penn Station. You could see Madison Square Gardens from the hotel window. The department store Macy’s was only a few blocks away; we would end up spending the majority of our trip here.

The Empire State Building

I had arranged to go up the Empire State building and we decided to go when night fell, so that we could see the lights of New York. Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea! It was a good view but overshadowed by the time we spent waiting in zigzag queues. It was disappointing that having paid extra for ‘fast track’ tickets, apparently so had everyone else. Overall the Empire State Building experience was ok; it’s just one of those things you have to do!

Hurricane in New York City

By day three, news of an impending hurricane was real. What are the chances of going to New York when a hurricane hits?! I was hoping to do more sightseeing, but with the arrival of hurricane Irene pending, I didn’t get the chance to see Ground Zero or the Statue of Liberty. Apparently, the queues for the Statue of Liberty are always pretty long, not dissimilar from those for the Empire State Building. You do however get an awesome view of New York from the harbour. When Irene hit New York, it had been downgraded to a tropical storm. All services were at a standstill, the metro and airports were all closed just in case. The following morning everything was back to normal.

To walk or to taxi?

To get around the city we tried to walk. In the end, it was just easier to get a taxi. They’re everywhere and when you hail a taxi you’re more than likely to get 2-3 pulling over wanting your custom.

Unfortunately, the final day of my New York experience had come too early. There were lots of things I didn’t get the chance to do. Overall it was a great experience and I definitely suggest a visit to anyone. Ensure you bring lots of dollars, as they all like a tip!”

Have you been to New York City? Planning to go or is it on your travel bucket list? Share your thoughts!