The pack up of all our gear went well. We even bought a hand held weighing scale to make sure the 6 bags were under the 23kg each. The taxi showed up on time, booked in without too much of a delay (a bit of confusion since we had 6 bags instead of the normal 3), pounds exchanged to US$ and we boarded. A much better time than the silly bugger who didn't get a Russian transit visa to transit through Russia; I'm not sure if I have sympathy for him or not.
Lots of movies watched on the flight (Spy was awesome) and we're in New York. We were lucky to get a large taxi in the rank that could take our baggage (me? have baggage? :) ) and we were off. Gene and Dee had a ball watching all the American things like the yellow school buses you see on TV. I found it amusing that they didn't consider them real, just because Peter Parker chases after one and the Joker uses one to rob a bank.
Our hotel is in Queens and not too far from Manhattan, the population is more Hispanic, Indian and Asian and it looks quite good. No drive by shootings or muggings so far.
With an early bed time and the change of time zones, I've been waking up between 2 and 3am. I'm not too worried about trying to sort out my sleep patterns as we're here only for a week and the early morning gives me free access to the hotel's internet computer.
Back in 1999, I wrote on the European power adaptor that it was also compatible with US power sockets. Nope. We've been using the laptop just for budgeting and quick internet checks. I'm hoping to find an adaptor here but I don't have my hope up.
Our first day's plan (Saturday) was to walk through Central Park. It was interesting; I wasn't expecting it to be so hilly and full of large rocks. The walk was wearing Dee out so we looked at the Museum of Natural Science but decided not to go in as we don't really need to see a museum right now, even though 'Night in the Museum' was based on it.
We also visited Bloomingdales. How anyone could justify $320 for a light blouse that you could by for $50 at any other place is beyond me. Dee wasn't aware about what type of place Bloomindales was but she does now.
Sunday morning started with me sneaking down to use the internet until the girls came down for breakfast. Gene came down but Dee was still in bed, so I went back up to the room on the 10th floor to drop off my nalbinding (it's a single needle style of knitting) and get ready for the day.
I thought I heard someone call out for help, so I opened the window and checked the area that I could see but I couldn't see anything on the street but there were enough tallish buildings to block my view. Whoever it was had a good set of lungs. Dee had just gone to have a shower, so I grabbed my bag that has my first aid kit in it, called out I was going for a walk and stepped out of the hotel.
I guess it's a New York thing but the locals didn't, ignored or pretended not to hear the calls for help. Walking around, I finally figured it was coming from the building that was 2 streets across from us. I saw her at the top, called up to her, asked her if she was alright, told her to stay where she was and I would be with her soon.
I couldn't figure out if the building was a hotel or permanent homes. There was no lobby as such but a coffee bar with about 10 people having breakfast. I tried talking to one of the staff, asking for the manager, who sent me downstairs. A weird place for the manager to be but I quickly went down the stairs to find the toilets...... Obviously, my Australian doesn't sound American enough for people to be understood.
Coming back upstairs and feeling quite irritable I asked for the boss (I figured that 'Manager' was too hard to understand). I saw a guy in a really badly fitted suit standing around, so I grabbed him and told him that I needed to take me to the roof top as there is a woman up there calling for help. He was just capable to do that.
The roof was on the 13th floor (lucky for some) and there I saw a women in her 50's in her pajamas standing on a chair calling. I had no idea if she was locked out, had a mental health issue, suicidal or literally calling for help. Once she saw me, she thanked God and came down off the chair and sat down. I talked calmly to her, introduced myself and told her I was here to help and I was glad she was still here. I gave her a hug and she didn't let me go for quite a while while she cried. It took her a few minutes to get her name and where she came from and what room she was staying in. Once I had the room number, I sent the bad suit guy to find the husband. I think that was the limit of his abilities.
She says that she wasn't 'planning' on jumping but you can't just take their word for it. Many self harm situations are more a cry for help from the person than the need to die.
Another lady showed up who was one of the hotel's staff and we were able to comfort her. She also knew the bad suit guy was an idiot and gave him looks and gestures when ever he opened his mouth to change feet.
What we found out was she had some argument with her husband, both are doctors and the husband had recently lost his job as CEO of one of local hospitals and they were in Queens to get away from it all. I think she had some overlying mental health issues.
With the other lady supervising, I was able to look at our hotel room's window and see Dee calling for me. I called out to her and she eventually saw me. I let her know that I was OK and I was rescuing a damsel in distress.
The husband showed up and did all the right things. He was calm and didn't react when she started to get angry at him for not coming to get her. He did want to take her home and sort it all out. Uhh, no.
We did take her away from the edge and were heading towards the elevator because it was a bit cool up there.
By then the police, firemen and ambulance came. In droves. I think the lady rang a friend in the hospital she works and they rang 911. I'm not sure what suicide management training they receive but it seems to involve using lots of numbers, testosterone and using tough talk. Not a single one used a tone that I found helpful. It took them quite a while to realise that 20 people is small area near the elevator doors was not beneficial.
They did want to do the right thing though and get her to a hospital for assessment and help. Not tat she wanted to go. I talked to the lady and drew upon the fact that she was a doctor herself and reminded her that a professional self-assessment isn't great and another person should do it. Eventually, she went down with the Ambos and myself and the lady that helped me caught the next ride down.
I found it amazing that the police didn't even want to take my details. Only one person gave me something close to a thanks.
Anyway, I came back to my hotel, said hello to Gene who was still on the hotel's internet oblivious to what I had just done and met up with Dee and let the girls know what happened. Gene's eyes were like saucers.
We had breakfast and went out for the day. We found the markets Dee was looking for which was a bit disappointing to her. She was hoping for more of second hand market not a normal artisan market. It was quite good though.
We made our way around, walking to Macy's (thankfully cheaper than Bloomindales but only marginally so) and went up on the 86 floor viewing platform of the Empire State Building which was amazing. Thankfully the lines were quite small and we didn't have to wait too long.
We also walked past The New York Public Library and made all sorts of Ghostbusters quotes. Gene scored a bobble headed doll of the Direwolf that John Snow has in the 'Game of Thrones' Series at the HBO shop.
We had planned on visiting Walmart but we ran out of time and energy. I don't like Walmart; the damage they have done to the US economy and society is far reaching but I want to experience the place.
http://www.walmarts-egonomics.com/destructive-practices-of-walmart/
For dinner we flopped in our room and tried to eat an 18 inch diameter pizza while watching 'The Day After Tommorrow'. It was quite surreal watching a typical end of the world movie based in New York whilst in New York. I kept on saying, 'Been there' as the scenes had New York appeared as walls of water flood down or things are freezing.
Today, we should visit a Walmart in the morning and then the girls will go back to the hotel while I visit the Morgan Library and see what I can see about the Maciejowski Bible. The original is being prepped for an exhibition occurring after I leave but I'll be seeing a facsimile printed on parchment. It should be interesting.
Only 4 more days before we're on a plane heading home.
Lots of movies watched on the flight (Spy was awesome) and we're in New York. We were lucky to get a large taxi in the rank that could take our baggage (me? have baggage? :) ) and we were off. Gene and Dee had a ball watching all the American things like the yellow school buses you see on TV. I found it amusing that they didn't consider them real, just because Peter Parker chases after one and the Joker uses one to rob a bank.
Our hotel is in Queens and not too far from Manhattan, the population is more Hispanic, Indian and Asian and it looks quite good. No drive by shootings or muggings so far.
With an early bed time and the change of time zones, I've been waking up between 2 and 3am. I'm not too worried about trying to sort out my sleep patterns as we're here only for a week and the early morning gives me free access to the hotel's internet computer.
Back in 1999, I wrote on the European power adaptor that it was also compatible with US power sockets. Nope. We've been using the laptop just for budgeting and quick internet checks. I'm hoping to find an adaptor here but I don't have my hope up.
Our first day's plan (Saturday) was to walk through Central Park. It was interesting; I wasn't expecting it to be so hilly and full of large rocks. The walk was wearing Dee out so we looked at the Museum of Natural Science but decided not to go in as we don't really need to see a museum right now, even though 'Night in the Museum' was based on it.
We also visited Bloomingdales. How anyone could justify $320 for a light blouse that you could by for $50 at any other place is beyond me. Dee wasn't aware about what type of place Bloomindales was but she does now.
Sunday morning started with me sneaking down to use the internet until the girls came down for breakfast. Gene came down but Dee was still in bed, so I went back up to the room on the 10th floor to drop off my nalbinding (it's a single needle style of knitting) and get ready for the day.
I thought I heard someone call out for help, so I opened the window and checked the area that I could see but I couldn't see anything on the street but there were enough tallish buildings to block my view. Whoever it was had a good set of lungs. Dee had just gone to have a shower, so I grabbed my bag that has my first aid kit in it, called out I was going for a walk and stepped out of the hotel.
I guess it's a New York thing but the locals didn't, ignored or pretended not to hear the calls for help. Walking around, I finally figured it was coming from the building that was 2 streets across from us. I saw her at the top, called up to her, asked her if she was alright, told her to stay where she was and I would be with her soon.
I couldn't figure out if the building was a hotel or permanent homes. There was no lobby as such but a coffee bar with about 10 people having breakfast. I tried talking to one of the staff, asking for the manager, who sent me downstairs. A weird place for the manager to be but I quickly went down the stairs to find the toilets...... Obviously, my Australian doesn't sound American enough for people to be understood.
Coming back upstairs and feeling quite irritable I asked for the boss (I figured that 'Manager' was too hard to understand). I saw a guy in a really badly fitted suit standing around, so I grabbed him and told him that I needed to take me to the roof top as there is a woman up there calling for help. He was just capable to do that.
The roof was on the 13th floor (lucky for some) and there I saw a women in her 50's in her pajamas standing on a chair calling. I had no idea if she was locked out, had a mental health issue, suicidal or literally calling for help. Once she saw me, she thanked God and came down off the chair and sat down. I talked calmly to her, introduced myself and told her I was here to help and I was glad she was still here. I gave her a hug and she didn't let me go for quite a while while she cried. It took her a few minutes to get her name and where she came from and what room she was staying in. Once I had the room number, I sent the bad suit guy to find the husband. I think that was the limit of his abilities.
She says that she wasn't 'planning' on jumping but you can't just take their word for it. Many self harm situations are more a cry for help from the person than the need to die.
Another lady showed up who was one of the hotel's staff and we were able to comfort her. She also knew the bad suit guy was an idiot and gave him looks and gestures when ever he opened his mouth to change feet.
What we found out was she had some argument with her husband, both are doctors and the husband had recently lost his job as CEO of one of local hospitals and they were in Queens to get away from it all. I think she had some overlying mental health issues.
With the other lady supervising, I was able to look at our hotel room's window and see Dee calling for me. I called out to her and she eventually saw me. I let her know that I was OK and I was rescuing a damsel in distress.
The husband showed up and did all the right things. He was calm and didn't react when she started to get angry at him for not coming to get her. He did want to take her home and sort it all out. Uhh, no.
We did take her away from the edge and were heading towards the elevator because it was a bit cool up there.
By then the police, firemen and ambulance came. In droves. I think the lady rang a friend in the hospital she works and they rang 911. I'm not sure what suicide management training they receive but it seems to involve using lots of numbers, testosterone and using tough talk. Not a single one used a tone that I found helpful. It took them quite a while to realise that 20 people is small area near the elevator doors was not beneficial.
They did want to do the right thing though and get her to a hospital for assessment and help. Not tat she wanted to go. I talked to the lady and drew upon the fact that she was a doctor herself and reminded her that a professional self-assessment isn't great and another person should do it. Eventually, she went down with the Ambos and myself and the lady that helped me caught the next ride down.
I found it amazing that the police didn't even want to take my details. Only one person gave me something close to a thanks.
Anyway, I came back to my hotel, said hello to Gene who was still on the hotel's internet oblivious to what I had just done and met up with Dee and let the girls know what happened. Gene's eyes were like saucers.
We had breakfast and went out for the day. We found the markets Dee was looking for which was a bit disappointing to her. She was hoping for more of second hand market not a normal artisan market. It was quite good though.
We made our way around, walking to Macy's (thankfully cheaper than Bloomindales but only marginally so) and went up on the 86 floor viewing platform of the Empire State Building which was amazing. Thankfully the lines were quite small and we didn't have to wait too long.
We also walked past The New York Public Library and made all sorts of Ghostbusters quotes. Gene scored a bobble headed doll of the Direwolf that John Snow has in the 'Game of Thrones' Series at the HBO shop.
We had planned on visiting Walmart but we ran out of time and energy. I don't like Walmart; the damage they have done to the US economy and society is far reaching but I want to experience the place.
http://www.walmarts-egonomics.com/destructive-practices-of-walmart/
For dinner we flopped in our room and tried to eat an 18 inch diameter pizza while watching 'The Day After Tommorrow'. It was quite surreal watching a typical end of the world movie based in New York whilst in New York. I kept on saying, 'Been there' as the scenes had New York appeared as walls of water flood down or things are freezing.
Today, we should visit a Walmart in the morning and then the girls will go back to the hotel while I visit the Morgan Library and see what I can see about the Maciejowski Bible. The original is being prepped for an exhibition occurring after I leave but I'll be seeing a facsimile printed on parchment. It should be interesting.
Only 4 more days before we're on a plane heading home.
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