h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi paulie

How are you?

I've now been sent this excellent entry to subedit at A872011. I've done a bit of work on it, so do take a look and let me have any comments.

cul8r

Bels

Sorry to take so long to respond Bels. Believe it or not I have been to New York City. Well I know that might not seem so unbelievable, since a lot of people actually even live there. But for a simple sounthern woman like me it was quite a sensory overload. It may be some time before I can get back to my old self again.

I think the entry looks great though. I don't have one single complaint or suggestion. I'm not sure if that's because I am brain dead right now or not. Looks real good to me though, thanks

Well at least you don't have to cross an ocean and make sure you have a passport and visa to get to NYC as I do.

I NY

In some ways I feel more at home there than I do at home.

I hope to be going there again in about 4 months' time.

Sensory overload? You bet!

well I know it'll be much better next time, as soon as I can get my husband to let me take off by myself again. I'm pretty sure he couldn't stand the city. It wouldn't have been quite as stressful if I hadn't had to drive through a blizzard for twelve hours to get there too. But that was an experience all in itself and I learned alot about driving. I did have a wonderful time, but we only had one day to spend there, and after nine hours of taking in everything we could we were all totally exhausted. We did manage to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, that was quite an experience. I have to say though that the general attitude is very different from what I am used to. Maybe I'm just a hillbilly but where I live everybody smiles at you when you pass them on the street. Not cause they are being paid to or anything, and maybe it's just a dumb grin who knows, but you miss that. People in New York seemed way too tied up in their own stuff to even look into the eyes of the people they pass on the street. If you get their attention, and manage to smile at them, they look at you like you're another annoying tourist or maybe you are gonna try to sell them something.

None the less, I will be going back some day. There is way too much stuff I didn't get to see, and there was snow everywhere too. I think I'll try to get back up there this summer. Where do you live, if you don't mind me asking? Do you have family in New York you come to visit? or just really like the city ?

That sounds terrible, driving 12 hours through a blizzard.

I live in England, London in fact, where 12 hour drives are pretty unusual. Actually the last time I drove that far was in the US. I also sometimes drive down to the south of France, but usually stop over and take two or three days for the journey. I was in the US for a family vacation with my wife and kids and did a fair amount of driving, particularly when we got to Calif and rented an RV and drove around and lived in it for a while.

I'm very much a townie so I'm quite used to not knowing your neighbours and all that sort of thing, which may be weird to you.

My last couple of trips to NYC have been in connection with music. I sing in an amateur choir (I wrote an entry about it at A694613) and we do a certain amount of foreign touring, including NYC where we perform at the Lincoln Center and sometimes other places.

I find American people are usually very kind and friendly towards tourists, and seem to appreciate people coming to visit their country.

wow! that must have been very exciting. I can't imagine getting up in front of all those people and singing. Of course they would probably think I was a comedy act anyway.

The twleve hour drive actually should have taken about five, if it hadn't been for the snow. I call it a blizzard, it was about 10" in one day, by Tennessee standards that's a blizzard. Those folks there delayed school a few hours, scraped off their streets and went on about their business.

I have driven all over the south eastern US and now quite a bit of the north east, but haven't traveled west at all. Well actually I was born in Oregon but have lived here since I was a small child and never been back. Me and my husband are discussing a possible trip to Colorado this summer though in an RV. If I can talk him into leaving his motorcyle at home we might well do it. He usually goes out there to ride for a week solid but I've never been with him. I've always wanted to go to California though, maybe we'll just head on out there too.