Day 2-USA 3rd November 2011

The day started on the wrong foot and didn’t get better as the day progressed… I was booked at the Park Central NYC (http://www.parkcentralny.com ) a great location I might start with the positives…Oh wait that is the only positive thing about that Hotel… So the first room had flooded carpets (I mean soaked) room 906 and it took 30 minutes of trying to call and I had to walk downstairs to get assistance. The next room was 826 and that was a cubby cupboard facing an office building that might as well wave to me every hour to say hell0…Not matching the price I was charged. The third room was 12 hours later and I will get to that in a while… The next adventure was at connecting the mobile…Ok folks if you have an iphone here is a little advise…Do Not go with anyone other than AT&T…the rest don’t match up but H2O is good but you will need to get your APN settings via (www.unlockit.co.nz) And even that took 4 hours to get data & those who know me well that’s almost 48 hours without Facebook (but, for a wee little stint on the Delta airline) My next stop was Ground Zero I could not think of any other place to start my NYC sight seeing because to me there was nothing more important to experience and feel than that spirit of New York…it wasn’t that I seek to see the destruction but rather the rebuilding…The spirit that just harnessed and sticking it to the ruthless scum that thought their barbaric acts would dampen the spirit of the Americas, what it did is make them more resolute and united than anything they could have. Now back at the ranch, well it was a pigsty (aka The Park Central Hotel) and I have been checked in a nice room on the 19th Floor with great view of Times Sq. One tiny problem when I tried locking my valuables and the safe came off the wall and just missed my foot while trapping my pinkie. As grateful as I was not to break my foot, not very impressed about almost chopping a knuckle off my finger. I demand another room and they wanted to call an ambulance, it really wasn’t necessary despite the blood loss. The next room was even a bigger disappointment with a cubby room facing a wall… no bath which would probably mean after the race no chance to soak if I need it…Now I am mighty peeved and those that know can only imagine what the “Customer Relations” manager the next morning was in for… Applebees, at Time square for dinner and I think I am in the wrong place, food is average, cocktails are crap and shots are about 4 times the amount they should be… I later find out that pretty much summarises how I feel so far about my experience of the US of A…People are mostly super friendly and NY’s are witty and all know how to turn a buck. However, bigger is not always better and there seems to be a great lack of thought when it comes to planning and efficiencies… With all the disappointments I am still in love with the place.