travel

I’m going to a reunion in NYC

DISNEYWell sort of.  As you read this I am on my way to a four day trip to NYC.  Remember two months ago when I lost my bag on the bus on my way home from NYC.  Well this weekend I’m going back to have a vacation do over.

I can’t actually afford another extra long weekend right now so what better way to cut my costs than to bring two of my best friends.  Genius!  Both my friends are going through a tough time in their offices (crazy boss, lots of work etc. – you know) and they are both in desperate need of a vacation.  So when I proposed four days in NYC they were more than happy to book some time off work.

PS – That’s me in NYC at the Disney Store in 2008

Growing up from girls to ladies

Two weeks ago when we were planning what to do and where to stay in New York my friend Jane said “The last time I was in NYC was with you guys.”  WOW I had to pause for the flashback.  It’s true.  The last time all three of us went on vacation together was a two day weekend trip to New York in 2008.  My my a lot has changed since then.

As I booked the hotel for our trip I started reflecting on our last trip together and how much fun it was.  It also got me thinking about how much our lives have changed over the past six years.  The last time we went on vacation we were all broke students or recent graduates and NYC was actually our first vacation on our own, without our families.

Now we are all in our 30s (or close to it) and all three of us have full time jobs.  Actually two of us (Jane and I) have more than one job. Basically what I’m trying to say is our vacation in NYC will be a lot better this time around because now we have more money to spend on fun things.

How our travel budget has changed:

Where we stay. In 2008 we had to find the cheapest accommodations possible, even if it meant travelling for 30 minutes by subway to actually get to Manhattan.  Six years ago we stayed in the basement of a Howard Johnson Motel in Queens.  It was only $100 per night which meant each of us had to pay approximately $35 per night for the hotel room.

This time around we have a bigger budget for our hotel stay.  This weekend we are staying in a King Suite at The W Hotel in midtown.  We can walk to great locations such as Central Park, Bloomingdales (because we can actually afford to shop this time) and Grand Central Station.  I think we can all agree this is a definite upgrade.

What we do. Last time we all went to NYC we were just happy to be in New York and on vacation.  We spent the two days travelling to popular places we saw in movies such as Serendipity Cafe, The Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.

We wanted to spend a night out on the town in New York but didn’t actually have any money to spend.  So we got all dressed up, went to Times Square and ate dinner at McDonalds.  This time around we are going to see the play Aladdin on Broadway.  I am definitely looking forward to it.

What’s your favorite thing to do in NYC?

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