We arrived in New York after a very long travel day, flights were on time right through to Newark Airport New Jersey on Thursday evening. Earlier arrival at LA all went well with one exception, my large bag with most of my gear did not appear at bag claim and it appears to have been left in Auckland!! An Air New Zealand staff member at the bag claim area confirms the bag is still in Auckland. She tells us we need to register the lost bag with United Airlines at the end of our journey at Newark Airport. She also suggests the bag may be put on the very next aircraft leaving Auckland for LA later in the evening. Fingers crossed the bag won't be too far behind us, at least we have the race chair.
We clear customs and immigration meeting the most surly official you could imagine. Bags are then dropped at a transfer desk and we head to the next terminal, although not before we take a team photo.
We decide to walk to the next terminal to stretch the legs and get some fresh air, we are going from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4 to get to our United Airlines flight to New York. It is a nice fine day in LA but where we are walking we are not in the sun, just breathing in car fumes from the roadway we are next to. The entry into the United Airlines terminal requires a security check and therefore more queues, shortly though an airport official asks me to go to the front of the queue. This will happen many more times in the states where they treat people in wheelchairs very well. The security check is eventually finished, surprisingly it is less intense than the Auckland International Airport check where they did everthing they could to me and my chair except getting the rubber gloves out.
Once in the terminal we take the opportunity to grab a bite to eat with some time before we board, this is our first experience with American cuisine and American coffee. The food is ok but the coffee very average. We do have a chance to chat to a nice American bloke who recommends some places to visit as we head down the East Coast after the marathon. We board the United Airlines flight which is a bit chaotic with the staff not to sure how help the wheelchair passengers. We eventually get on with our seats right at the back of the plane, it looks like wheelchair passengers don't get special treatment from United Airlines. The flight takes about 5 hours which doesn't seem too long as I chat to the passenger next to me, a United Airlines staff member who is off to the New York marathon! On arrival we get all our luggage which is a relief, I then register my lost bag with the United Airlines luggage desk. We are given a tracking number for the case and we are then off in a van with a nifty wheelchair lift. It is about 10pm as we are driving from Newark airport in New Jersey to Manhatten, it is a mass of lights and multi lane freeways. We get to our destination via a tunnel under the Hudson River and eventually through some jam packed streets. When we get to the hotel we try to check in but it looks like the wheelchair accessible room we should of had is not available so we will need to change rooms the next day. This sort of thing will happen all the way through the trip.
Once in the room both Denise and I collapse and we end up digging into the mini bar and order room service as Denise can't face heading out onto the streets. When we finally collapse into bed and we have no problems getting to sleep, before I head to the land of nod I assess where I am at without my main bag. This main bag has most of my toilet equipment. I do though have quite a few catheters both in my wheelchair and my backpack. What I don't have is my special toilet seat which I need for my bowels. I therefore hope my bag won't be too far away and my bowels can hold on!!
Day one in New York starts well with our hotel having an excellent breakfast buffet which is part of the deal with our World Marathon tours package. Denise then heads away with Janine from the tour company to see if they can get me a toilet seat or other options and some clean undies! I though need to stick with the team who are heading to the Marathon Expo at the Jacob Javitz Centre, a massive exhibition building near the Hudson River. Here we get our race packs and get to look at all the branded marathon clothing for sale, I take the opportunity to buy a few of my supporters back home some garments. Again as a wheelchair user I get preferential treatment which is handy when the queue is about 200 people long! Once the purchases are made I go to the "bathroom" and then make tracks back to the hotel. I meet up with Peter Loft who helps me navigate back. Denise is back with clothes, toilet supplies but no seat and my bag still hasn't arrived. This means I need to either wait for my suitcase or perform by bowels on the bed; I choose the former and continue the wait for the case and cross my fingers it turns up soon. With the rest of the afternoon free we have a look around Time Square and over to 5th Avenue, the weather is mild and as usual there are people everywhere.
After going in a few shops and catching a look at the Empire State building we find a shop selling phone SIM cards and buy a card that gives us a months usage with unlimited phone calls and unlimited data. During the trip we will find out that the data is not that great, very very slow. After this I head to Bryant Park which is a bit of a refuge from the packed streets with small stalls, trees and seats with tables while Denise continues to have a look around the shops. I find a stall selling coffee, good expresso coffee, and check my internet banking and other stuff using the data off the new SIM in Denise's phone. While I tap away on my tablet there is a game of ping pong going in the park and ball rolls over to me and I throw it back to the rather showy players. The coffee is good and Denise returns and we head back to the hotel via the GAP shop to buy me some jeans. Shopping for trousers for me in the US is great with extra long options easy to find.
That evening we are off to the the Achilles Pre-marathon Pasta meal and all the NZ Achilles Athletes walking around. When we get to the hotel we start seeing other wheelchair athletes and the comraderey is great, lots of knuckle punches and friendly support. We have a good evening with plenty of food and drinks and good conversation. When we get back to the hotel there is still no news about my bag so we head to bed with me making more enquiries about the bag.
Day two in New York and one more sleep until the race! There is also good news with an email saying the bag is now at Newark Airport and is awaiting delivery to the hotel along with a heap of other bags to be delivered to various Manhatten hotels. I head to the buffet breakfast hoping the bag can get to me before the All Black RWC Final. We are due to meet at an Irish Pub to watch the match but before this Peter Loft wants me to help take my racing chair to the transport arranged to the finish. This takes longer than expected so we go directly to the pub and when we get there we find it is a Basement Bar with steep steps the only access. We therefore go to a next door bar which is also showing game. The first half all goes well with the All Blacks doing the job with the try just before half time extra good. Just as the whistle goes for halftime I smell something.....looks as though my bowels have said enough is enough. I then spend halftime and most the second half dealing with this. I get to watch the end of the game and it is a good result in game.....a pity about my bowels.
Peter and I then head back to the hotel where I am happy to find my bag has arrived but Denise who never left with the rest of the athletes and guides has gone a city tour. I finish cleaning myself up and when Denise gets back we head out for a quiet meal and then hit the sack early for the race tomorrow...one more sleep!
We clear customs and immigration meeting the most surly official you could imagine. Bags are then dropped at a transfer desk and we head to the next terminal, although not before we take a team photo.
 |
| Achilles New York Marathon Team - 2015 |
Once in the terminal we take the opportunity to grab a bite to eat with some time before we board, this is our first experience with American cuisine and American coffee. The food is ok but the coffee very average. We do have a chance to chat to a nice American bloke who recommends some places to visit as we head down the East Coast after the marathon. We board the United Airlines flight which is a bit chaotic with the staff not to sure how help the wheelchair passengers. We eventually get on with our seats right at the back of the plane, it looks like wheelchair passengers don't get special treatment from United Airlines. The flight takes about 5 hours which doesn't seem too long as I chat to the passenger next to me, a United Airlines staff member who is off to the New York marathon! On arrival we get all our luggage which is a relief, I then register my lost bag with the United Airlines luggage desk. We are given a tracking number for the case and we are then off in a van with a nifty wheelchair lift. It is about 10pm as we are driving from Newark airport in New Jersey to Manhatten, it is a mass of lights and multi lane freeways. We get to our destination via a tunnel under the Hudson River and eventually through some jam packed streets. When we get to the hotel we try to check in but it looks like the wheelchair accessible room we should of had is not available so we will need to change rooms the next day. This sort of thing will happen all the way through the trip.
 |
| View First Night - Intercontinental Hotel, Time Square |
Day one in New York starts well with our hotel having an excellent breakfast buffet which is part of the deal with our World Marathon tours package. Denise then heads away with Janine from the tour company to see if they can get me a toilet seat or other options and some clean undies! I though need to stick with the team who are heading to the Marathon Expo at the Jacob Javitz Centre, a massive exhibition building near the Hudson River. Here we get our race packs and get to look at all the branded marathon clothing for sale, I take the opportunity to buy a few of my supporters back home some garments. Again as a wheelchair user I get preferential treatment which is handy when the queue is about 200 people long! Once the purchases are made I go to the "bathroom" and then make tracks back to the hotel. I meet up with Peter Loft who helps me navigate back. Denise is back with clothes, toilet supplies but no seat and my bag still hasn't arrived. This means I need to either wait for my suitcase or perform by bowels on the bed; I choose the former and continue the wait for the case and cross my fingers it turns up soon. With the rest of the afternoon free we have a look around Time Square and over to 5th Avenue, the weather is mild and as usual there are people everywhere.
 |
| 5th Avenue, Macys and Empire State Building |
After going in a few shops and catching a look at the Empire State building we find a shop selling phone SIM cards and buy a card that gives us a months usage with unlimited phone calls and unlimited data. During the trip we will find out that the data is not that great, very very slow. After this I head to Bryant Park which is a bit of a refuge from the packed streets with small stalls, trees and seats with tables while Denise continues to have a look around the shops. I find a stall selling coffee, good expresso coffee, and check my internet banking and other stuff using the data off the new SIM in Denise's phone. While I tap away on my tablet there is a game of ping pong going in the park and ball rolls over to me and I throw it back to the rather showy players. The coffee is good and Denise returns and we head back to the hotel via the GAP shop to buy me some jeans. Shopping for trousers for me in the US is great with extra long options easy to find.
That evening we are off to the the Achilles Pre-marathon Pasta meal and all the NZ Achilles Athletes walking around. When we get to the hotel we start seeing other wheelchair athletes and the comraderey is great, lots of knuckle punches and friendly support. We have a good evening with plenty of food and drinks and good conversation. When we get back to the hotel there is still no news about my bag so we head to bed with me making more enquiries about the bag.
Day two in New York and one more sleep until the race! There is also good news with an email saying the bag is now at Newark Airport and is awaiting delivery to the hotel along with a heap of other bags to be delivered to various Manhatten hotels. I head to the buffet breakfast hoping the bag can get to me before the All Black RWC Final. We are due to meet at an Irish Pub to watch the match but before this Peter Loft wants me to help take my racing chair to the transport arranged to the finish. This takes longer than expected so we go directly to the pub and when we get there we find it is a Basement Bar with steep steps the only access. We therefore go to a next door bar which is also showing game. The first half all goes well with the All Blacks doing the job with the try just before half time extra good. Just as the whistle goes for halftime I smell something.....looks as though my bowels have said enough is enough. I then spend halftime and most the second half dealing with this. I get to watch the end of the game and it is a good result in game.....a pity about my bowels.
Peter and I then head back to the hotel where I am happy to find my bag has arrived but Denise who never left with the rest of the athletes and guides has gone a city tour. I finish cleaning myself up and when Denise gets back we head out for a quiet meal and then hit the sack early for the race tomorrow...one more sleep!
No comments:
Post a Comment