NEW YORK. New York / Nueva York 2
by MoniPeni
INFO IN ENGLISH IN SETS NEW YORK / NUEVA YORK 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6 / INFO EN ESPAÑOL EN BREVE EN SETS NEW YORK / NUEVA YORK 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Y 12
Cont... from set New York / Nueva York 1 / Cont... del set New York / Nueva York 1
Due to the very strict security, heightened after the 11S attacks to the Twin Towers, expect to wait long lines at the airport and do several security checks which get to be a pain in the ass. There is absolutely NO liquids permitted on carry-on luggage and only on checked-in luggage (down on cargo). Even when getting off a plane and getting on another one without leaving the airport. I purchased a bottle of water on the plane, didn’t drink it and then forgot about it. I got off the NY-Paris flight and was rushing to catch the Paris-Barcelona (I had 40 minutes) when security motioned for me to step aside and searched my bags without a particular rush, despite my nervousness over the Barcelona flight which I caught by the hairs of my chini-chin chin. Allow about 3 hours to check-in luggage, process paperwork, pass customs and do boarding, for both coming and going, though I found security measures even more hassling and repetitious on the return flight.
In the plane they’ll ask you to fill two “intentions” documents; whether you come for business or pleasure, if you have anything to declare. These are mandatory and not optional. You have to fill them completely and hand them in at customs. One has funny questions as “Have you ever been deported from American soil?” or “Are you planning any kind of terrorist attack?”, stuff like that. Once you arrive in American soil they’ll take your photo, which after an 11 hour flight you’re just thrilled to be caught at your most glamorous; that is, tired and rumpled. After feeling like a tagged beast at a safari, you’re released back into the wild, although an entire different wild that you’re usually used to. Be careful now; you’re in the most ferocious urban jungle that ever existed, The Big Apple.
There are three public airports; the JFK airport (short for ex-president John F. Kennedy, located in Brooklyn, and the most busy of the three), La Guardia airport and Newark airport; and a private airport. For about $10 you can get transportation into Manhattan on the airport buses. They stop at the Port Authority Terminal or Grand Central Station in midtown.
The JFK airport is almost a city onto itself. I thought about the movie “The Terinal” with Tom Hanks playing an eastern immigrant stranded in the JFK airport and taking residence there. I could see how someone could live here perfectly well as the world could end outside and you wouldn’t realize for months. However I say that from having seen maps as I didn’t see much of the airport itself. I, upon arrival, stopped long enough to take a picture with the sign “Welcome to New York” and left quickly. Upon returning I did have to cross part of it to reach my terminal but you’re so intent on catching your flight on time you barely pay attention to your surroundings beyond where you have to go. Security checks will eat up most of your time, attention and patience so if you’re planning to eat or purchase souvenirs at the airport go with more than 3 hours time.
LODGING – Checked out several options in Internet and read many reviews but money and location weighted in as an important factor. We chose the Morningside Inn because a triple room, private bathroom (without breakfast) in Upper West Side –near the University and several delis that opened 24 hours, as well as pubs and other such amenities in the neighbourhood, and a nearby subway stop (Cathedral/110th)-, cost us about 30 euros per night/person which for high season in NY (although there’s never really a “low” season) is excellent.
Then we booked it through www.hostelworld.com like always. Key on Location and Cleanness ratings when choosing lodging, although do take into account that cockroaches are part of the fauna in New York, and always remember to inquire if prices include the 13.37% lodging tax plus the 3.50 dollars per night/person (usually they don’t).
The actual bill drove us nuts. We booked through the hostelworld.com because it showed lower prices than the hotel’s actual web page www.morningsideinn-ny.com and booked a triple room according to Hostelworld, or deluxe double (accommodating a third bed) according to the hotel. We paid a deposit in euros, but the remaining payment was in dollars, and that amount supposedly didn’t include the hotel tax or the $3.50 per night/person. As well, the deposit didn’t seem to include the hotel tax or the $3.50 charge and had to be calculated apart, but we weren’t sure. We sent 3 emails inquiring about the total charge and nobody replied. Finally a week before the trip I called the hotel to see if at least we had a reservation, though I didn’t get a price either.
In the end the hotel itself drove us nuts since when we got there they gave us a double room for three people, and when we pointed out that we booked a triple, they said there was nothing left that night, as in take it or leave it. Another couple who had a reservation (with a printed copy like us), were told there was no rooms and had to spend the night in the common area. We spend the next three nights with the refrain “leave your bags packed, we’ll move you tomorrow”, which every evening we would come back to find that nothing had changed. They did give us a single room so that two of us slept in the double and a third in the single room. At the beginning they charged us for only three nights and we had the uncertainty of not knowing if we would have somewhere to sleep on the fourth. On the fourth night they did change us to a triple and what a difference. They did give us a bit of a reduction on the price but the first three nights did put a bit of a crimp on the trip.
Important: Always take with you a printed copy of all reservations done through Internet in case they loose them or mean to change conditions &/or price on you (from what was agreed on).
TRAVEL INSURANCE – I had never bought travel insurance before (except when I went cave exploring in West Virginia, and a friend did it for me) but sometimes, depending on where you travel, it’s a must. In this case as a European member I usually don’t worry about it when travelling within Europe, but USA is another matter. The medical system is private and expensive. In case of illness or accident you can pay up to 10,000 dollars per day at the hospital –no, I’m not joking, though it sounds like it.
I didn’t know where to go since it’s a matter of trust. You hope to make dealings with an insurance company that won’t leave you hanging when the time comes. The page where I booked my lodging www.hostelworld.com mentioned Worldnomads.com and, for 14.95 euros, I purchased a one-week insurance policy with medical coverage for up to 250.000 euros and luggage theft for up to 800 euros, though our main concern was the medical coverage. Luggage is already covered by the flight company and partly by paying through visa, but we wanted to take extra care. We’re usually very careful but you never know.
MONEY – The local coin is the US Dollar. Check out the web www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet?user=kidon for conversion rates. At the time we travelled it was 1.57 dollars to the euro. We exchanged 650 euros cash into dollars which came out to 980 dollars, or 1.50 conversion rate. It turns out that banks have their “own” conversion rate, regardless of the current rate. Use credit or debit cards for better exchange rates or change at the airport where my friend exchanged her left-over dollars at a better rate.
If you’re not familiar with US currency, check out the world’s money in the web page www.kcshop.com/imagegallery. Bills’ pictures from around the world arranged by countries and issue dates.
AIRPORT – Visit www.worldairportguide.com/airport for terminal and general airport info. No need to say that JFK is huge, a city onto itself, but it’s very easy to navigate.
ENG The information contain herein is valid as of the time of the trip (date stated in the tag section). The information given is only meant for informative purposes and the author is in no way responsible for any inconvenience, expense or other that might arise from its use. / ESP La información contenida aquí es válida en el momento del viaje (fecha mencionada en la sección tag). La información proporcionada solo tiene el propósito de ser informativa y la autora no es de ningún modo responsable por cualquier inconveniente, gasto u otro que pueda surgir de su uso.
