twenties are for travelling

in Harlem

Originally uploaded by cobismith.

New York is, needless to say, a very big city. There’s no way three days is enough to see everything – I barely scratched the surface. It was enough time to appreciate one thing decently (namely Central Park) and get a taste of lots of other things.

Several of my friends plan to live in New York at one stage or another; some are working towards that now. I’m not sure if I’d want to live there. I loved visiting, it was sensational. A big part of that had to do with my two wonderful friends who showed me around; I’m so thankful for these inspiring people.

But there were times I found the crowds frustrating and the noise disturbing. I think New York is more raucous than London or Tokyo. On the other hand, wandering through SoHo on Sunday afternoon I definitely had a sensation of affinity.

Most New Yorkers I met were super friendly, against the stereotype. I didn’t feel unsafe very often, no more than in London anyway. We found plenty of funky cafes and restaurants – no need to resort to Starbucks.

I think if two more of my friends moved to New York that would tip the balance in favour of me wanting to live there. In the meantime, it’s an ideal place for a summer weekend.