USA

United States

Day 29 - Sun 7 May 06

Albany -> New York

Awake at 07:00 feeling cold, but at 08:00 for breakfast, and then the 08:25 bus back down town. I had planned on walking across the river to the station, but then I noticed that there were only two bridges across the railway, and the interstate. Ah! There's no one on the streets at this time, so I found a hotel with the intention of asking them to call a cab for me, but the concierge offered to take me over. Fab! So for the total of four dollars and a bit of brass neck I got to the station in plenty of time!

What is beginning to get to be is..

Taxes, no price here is what you pay as taxes have to be added

Tipping, I paid $100 for a room last night, but yet there is an envelope on the side asking for a tip - why not just pay the staff a living wage?

The train arrived on time, and departed on time! It's now following the Hudson down to New York. The trip was uneventful and I arrived in Penn Street with no issues. I found the Long Island Rail Road, got a ticket and jumped on a waiting train. That got me to Jamaica and then it was the Sky Train to JFK. Checked in a Business as usual and before I could say anything the check-in lady offered me an upgrade to business for $300 (it's normally $550) so I handed over the Credit Card.

In the Business lounge I was the only person travelling who didn't have a) wheely luggage (my pet hate of travel) and b) a mobile device of some sort!

I'm glad to be heading home, all I have to do is survive the flight. I've got a window seat, and the way that United's seats recline it makes getting out very difficult - but that's my only gripe. The pilot has just been on, and it's a 18:17 departure, but it's going to be a 45min taxi, as there are so many planes in front of us waiting to take off. I've tuned into Channel 9 which allows you to hear all the cockpit chatter, and just heard a 'Speedbird' call in front of us with a female pilot - cool. Another pilot has just asked the tower what type of plane is behind the KLM, the tower responded saying it was an Ilyushin. I guess that in a world of Boeing and Airbus, anything different stands out.

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