Camino to New York

Well here I am an alien a legal alien
I'm an Australian in New York

Got here last night and got to bed at 2am Spain time so taking it slowly today.

After landing it took another 2 hours to get out of airport.  Security were nice though.  He asked me when I was leaving America and I said the 10th and he said no you're not it's the 7th. (I think I had to put that in my ESTA application). I complimented him on knowing more about my life than I did.  He laughed. 

I ordered  coffee at a cafe in Brooklyn (as you do) and said gracias when they gave me the goods. They don't sell rio tinto here either.   It seems you can only get it in Australia. We should make more of that on our tourist brochures. ( the coffee was shit)

I haven't yet adjusted but I think it's the kind of place that will adjust me even if I don't want it.   Brooklyn is a sort of newtown (except there's probably 20 Newtowns here) but more grungy . Those backstreet movie scenes have lots to work with here. 

I even have given someone directions.  I had been walking the streets near our airbnb and saw a metro station so went and bought a ticket and asked how it worked.  It's really good here because everyone seems to speak English. 

Anyway i walk another block and a black woman comes up to me for directions.  I say I haven't a clue where I am.  She,  head down says "I'm trying to find the subway". I say I know where that is.  At present the only thing in new york I know where it is.  That's neat.

Stella comes tonight.  Can't wait. Not sure how i'll get to her airport though.  I came into JFK she comes into Newark which is much further. $100 in a taxi.  There's gotta be a better way.

I've spent the morning walking the streets of Brooklyn.  Got to the river if that's what it is.  SW something statue of liberty thing in the river so feel pretty sure it's new York. Walk around waterfront on this beautiful edge park,  the things Sydney does so well and then bump into Brooklyn bridge.  

Chat with a guy for next coffee, wants to come to Australia but worried about snakes. Again I think we should add it to the adventure tourism promo. "Are you game to come to Australia, most aren't". I reckon that would work a treat.

Highlight of the day though is I catch a bus back to our place from brooklyn bridge.  I get on as only one.  Bus driver helps me work the ticket with a smile.  These buses come every 5 minutes and I think that's really nice just in case I turn up.  Anyway,  4 stops later everyone starts getting on and off.  A full bus changing passengers at every stop.  Eventually realized I was the only white person on the bus.  That was irrelevant to anyone there.  

What was fascinating was how people were regularly changing seats,  standing,  moving to accommodate new passengers with greater disabilities.  There was no big fuss but it was a moving feast of people just looking out for each other. I love this place already. 

GRATITUDE

The good fortune to be able to experience other humans in their worlds which are often so different but also so similar add well. Humans are great. Human exchange.  Humans looking out for each other. What a gift. 

Walk out for off we're we're are staying and realise I'm still on Camino. Couldn't find the next arrow though.