Traveling alone, Spring break 2016, New York City

I am traveling this spring break to visit Anneliese in New York.  For those that don't know, she attends New York University (NYU).  It is located in Greenwich Village.  This may sound weird, but this is the first time that I've ever traveled alone.  I've been to Europe many times and even as far as Australia, but I've always traveled with friends, family, or colleagues.  Now I find myself at the airport with no one to comment to about the woman over by the window that sounds likes she's going to cough up a lung (yuk, a really phlegmy cough I even heard through my headphones) and no one to say watch my stuff while I go fill my water bottle.  It's weird; at 49 years old, I've never traveled overnight by myself.  I'm an extrovert which may have something to do with it.  I enjoy having someone to share experiences with.  As a wife and mom of three, I rarely find myself alone and that's usually mostly OK.  I'm a talker and enjoy talking with others, including my husband and children.  Mostly my children--we talk a lot which I think has caused us to be very close.  I hear about their lives and thoughts and feelings and I share my day, my thoughts and values, and illustrate things using stories from my life.  

To continue, the plan was to go to the airport, take off at 4:30, arrive at 8, get to the hotel, then meet Anneliese to go out to hear live Celtic music.  Well, due to unusually heavy air traffic, the flight was delayed to depart at 5:25.  this meant that we landed at 9.  A little late, but we could possibly salvage the night.  Well, as we landed, I received a text with directions for my previously scheduled shuttle to Manhattan (JFK is about an hour outside the city).   I was impressed and excited about everything being so organized.  I called the number at the welcome center phone and was told the shuttle would be there in 20 minutes.  I was texted a link to a map to watch the progress of the shuttle.  30 minutes later it arrived.  The slowest man in the world walked me out to the shuttle--evidently at terminal 4, they have to park in the lot,  they can't just pick up curbside because it's the biggest terminal.  Then when I was settled, the driver realized that he was supposed to pick up another traveler inside the same terminal, so he went back in to find him.  then we drove to two other terminals to pick up people.  When there were 5 passengers, we finally got on our way.  It was now almost 11:00. I have to say that driving into Manhattan at night was beautiful.  Seeing the lights of those iconic buildings was almost magical.  I arrived at my hotel (after every other passenger was dropped off) at 12:00.  (big sigh).  I was texting with Anneliese the entire time from getting on the shuttle.  By that time, it was too late to go hear the band--they wrap up around midnight and Anneliese was at the radio station--she has a 1:00 show--she is the DJ.

truly the world's smallest room!

So, I am sitting on my bed in truly the world's smallest hotel room--50 square feet is what the book says--typing this and listening to my daughter's radio show.  She's playing Celtic music.  :)

Soon, I will sleep and then tomorrow I will wander the Village.  Then I will take on public transit when I'm a little more comfortable with my surroundings.