Sunday 31st December 2006

This morning was had a great breakfast in the cafe next to our hostel and then we headed off on a walking tour across the Brooklyn Bridge. The Bridge itself is about 1 mile (or 2.4 km for everyone in Australia) but it was well worth the effort. It is a beautiful bridge. After arriving on the other side we went to lunch at a place called Juniors which is well known for its cheesecake. We tried a cheesecake which wasnt really that nice but still we at it all!

After lunch we headed to times square to see what was happening with New Years and once there we decided that with all the people flowing in we had better pick a spot and stay there. That was fine except that most places were blocked off so we walked for blocks before we found one that was open and we were not allowed to go in because we had backpacks. In times square they put up huge barriers which are like pens and they lock you in! So we kept going up the street until we turned the corner and got onto broadway which was not so heavily patrolled and we strolled right down the street (by this time we had hidden the backpacks under our clothing) and managed to make it into the same pen that the girls we had left behind had made it too. Freaky conicidence considering there was 1 millon people there and we found the girls within the first five minutes!

We then settled in for the long 7 hour wait for new years. As time went on we slowly got packed closer and closer and at new years it went completely balistic! It was an awsome experience but we probably wont be repeating it again next year. 1 million people is alot and getting back to the hotel was difficult we were didnt even attempt a taxi or the subway, we walked the entire 25 plus blocks back to the hotel. So overall, we walked over 5 kms that day! We finished off the evening with some of the girls and a quick snack before going upstairs for bed!