NYC Bound!

We are in Day Two of our trip to NYC to visit with Kira, but because I left my laptop in the car overnight during our stay at our Airbnb, I am combining two days into one post.  My mom and I left bright and early yesterday morning headed to New York with a stayover in Lynchburg, VA where we ate dinner with my niece Kaitlin.  I have not seen her in quite a few years, so it was nice to catch up with her and her life as a teacher.  We had a great time, and I love my adult niece and nephews.  Kids are great and a lot of fun, but there is nothing like having adult conversations with them when they grow up.  We ate at Waterstone Pizza in the downtown area, and then walked around a little bit.  I love downtown areas, and this one did not disappoint.  Lynchburg is often associated with Liberty University, and it is that and so much more.  It is a beautiful city, and I would love to spend more time there.  As it was, we only had enough time to eat dinner, see Kaitlin's apartment and get some sleep.  We met her two adorable Schnauzers, and I played catch with the male, who was thrilled to have a play date.  He would bring me the ball, and when he dropped it, it would roll under my feet, which made it difficult for me to retrieve.  I said that out loud, and Kaitlin, "just tell him you can't reach it."  I chuckled, but the next time he dropped the ball, I said "I can't reach it," and he went under my feet, fetched the ball, and dropped it in front of me.  I can't get PEOPLE to react that intelligently to me!!  When I was tired of playing, Kaitlin told me to tell him I was done.  When I said "I'm done,"  he took his ball and left.  I am pretty sure that dog can do long division.

After we said goodbye to Kaitlin and her "mensa" dogs, we headed to our Airbnb in a nice quiet little neighborhood close to the university.  If you have ever thought about renting an Airbnb, but are not quite sure you like the idea of staying in a stranger's home, don't be afraid to pull the trigger.  This one was GREAT!!! It was also about half what we would have paid for a decent hotel room.  It was in the daylight basement of a couple's home, and it had everything you could want, and more.  They had a full kitchen that was stocked with the basics, a bathroom that was also stocked with things you might need, down to extra hairspray.  There were plenty of bed linens, and both the bed and the sofa bed were comfortable.  It was quiet, secure, and just what we needed.  It was everything you could want in an overnight stay, and more than you will get from the nicest hotel room.

This morning, we were up and out the door by 8:00 and headed to NYC.  In case you don't already know this, Virginia is a beautiful state, and probably the one I would live in if I were ever to leave Alabama.  There were so many places on our way out of the state that I would love to visit one day when I have time.  Google maps seemed to mess with me a little and took us on some winding roads to get to the interstate, but I didn't complain because the drive was beautiful.  The leaves have not turned yet, but you can see that they want to.  I am sure Fall in Virginia is about as beautiful as it gets. I was itching to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but settled for these photos from a nearby overlook.  Even in foggy conditions, it is beautiful.

 After we left Virginia, we skirted West VA a little before driving into Pennsylvania.  We didn't drive through the prettiest part of that state, and by the time we hit PA and had lunch, I was just antsy to get to NYC.  New Jersey was next and surprisingly lovely.  The traffic was bad, but I had not come to anything I could not handle until...…..the toll plaza at the Jersey Turnpike.  Ya'll!!!!  There were all these booths where you go to get your toll ticket.  If you don't have a pass, you have to go where it says TICKETS.  There are some that are close to the I78 side, and some that are close to the I95 side.  I needed to be on the I95 side.  Guess where I was?  Yep.  I was not the only one having to cross over, and it pretty much resembled the chaos that is a demolition derby.  There were cars and buses, and 18 wheelers, and the occasional motorcycle.  And there was me, from Alabama, in a rental car that luckily had a Georgia license plate.  There was yelling, and probably cursing (okay both of those things may have come from me), and just general chaos.  Thankfully, my mom was looking to the right, and I was looking to the left, and the Lincoln SUV behind me was patiently waiting, and I managed to get to the right side and on the correct interstate.  After that, everything else was a piece of cake.  Sure, being on the lower level of the George Washington bridge, or "G. Washington" as the Google Maps rapper referred to it, was a little daunting, but the drive in to Kira's East Harlem apartment was a piece of cake.  Seeing her was an absolute joy, and I was not prepared for the mature New Yorker that I was embracing. She found the restaurant where we would have dinner, and paid the bill.  She also interacted with the Lyft and Uber drivers like a pro, and any lingering doubt I had of her ability to conquer this huge city vanished.

Tomorrow we will see some sights.  Tonight, we are all exhausted.