1981 - Family Trip #1 - New York

Tuesday 7 April 1981 -  New York

Gawking hicks from the sticks

We caught an express train at 09.00 and were a bit shattered by the fare of $29. The train was filthy, with the windows so dirty that you could hardly see out. The seats were quite comfortable, but the rails were very uneven and we were bumped and shaken around for the 45 minute journey. Grand Central Station was unbelievable - one narrow staircase to take the entire trainload! Once we fought our way up to the Concourse, things improved a bit, but it was still very dirty which certainly detracted from the glory of the building. Matt and I were fascinated to see that the ceiling depicts the star signs.  

Matt and Rab high in NY

We exited at 42nd Street and, after a false start, made our way up to 5th Avenue and the Empire State Building. The view from up on the 86th floor was truly magnificent, especially because it was such a clear day. We didn't go right to the top because there was quite a queue and we didn't feel that the view would be that different 20 floors up. After collecting some cash at the bank downstairs (what a palaver that was. Although we had Barclay Bank Travellers Cheques, the Barclays Bank branch teller would not honour them until we demanded to see a manager.), we went our separate ways. 

 

Yes, everyone has seen this view, but it was terrific being there!!

Nora and Rab heading for Macys and Gimbels and Matt and I for F A & O Schwarz. We were going to walk, but it was 26 blocks and time was getting a bit short, so we caught a bus on Madison Avenue - quite an experience for us two hicks used to driving everywhere in our own cars – there is not much public transport in Zimbabwe. After we got off the bus, we had a couple of hot dogs from a street vendor and finally got to Schwarz. What a disappointment! Poor old Matt! This was to be the highlight of his trip and he had kept three quarters of his money to spend here. Not only were the toys a bit thin on the ground, but there were hardly any Star Wars goods at all and what there were more expensive than they had been in London or Amsterdam! He could hardly hold back his tears.

In the end we decided to buy a couple of things at the inflated prices and then go on to a shop called Toyland on 6th Avenue which turned out to have a very full selection of Star Wars goods, but at even higher prices than Schwarz! They were susceptible to bargaining though and we bought a couple of things there. (I must say that I found it strange to be bargaining in a shop like this, but it turned out to be pretty normal, in New York at least.) Matt felt a bit happier after this and we spent the next hour or so wandering up 6th and 5th Avenues gawking at the sights. All very interesting.

Nora and some passing NYers

We met the girls back at Grand Central and successfully found and caught our train back to Stamford. It was even dirtier than the one we had caught in the morning. We had to wait for an hour for Uli because Nora had not phoned ahead from New York.(Finding a working telephone was not always easy in the days before mobile phones.) We had a pleasant meal and a good game of Rummicube, although Uli and I gave the old red wine a bit of a hammering which may have disturbed our concentration somewhat.