Monday, January 5, 2009

Be In Times Square On New Years Eve At Midnight

I've been toying with what to write on this blog entry ever since New Years Eve has come and gone. I guess I'd start with the fact that we didn't get to spend New Years Eve in Times Square at midnight, due to the over zealous police that blocked all the roads at 7pm and refused to allow us entry into the celebrations. I'm stuck somewhere between being bitterly disappointed and annoyed with the fact that we went all the way and didn't get to do the one thing that the whole trip was planned around, but I will start from the very beginning....



Hubbie had been feeling poorly since before we set off to fly to New York and on New Years Eve, we both awoke feeling pretty grotty. However, there is something about being in a magical place like New York and I'm a great believer in mind over matter and refused to give in to any such illness nonsense. So we dragged our sorry asses around NYC and stopped off in Times Square on the way back and then I saw this guy.
The poor guy looked visibly shaken when he saw me running towards him and I'm sure if there was room, he would have turned and fled, as quick as his Elmo legs would carry him! Anyway, he allowed me to high five him and then we had a photo taken, because well, when will you get the chance to meet Elmo again?
At this point, I have to inform you that it was snowing and bitterly cold. New York cold is very different to British cold. The wind seems to get into every nook and cranny, no matter how well you are wrapped up and it feels like someone is stabbing you with ice blocks (all I can say is thank god for the thermals - they were the best investment I've ever made!).
So we made our way back to the hotel and had a lovely romantic meal in a wonderful restaurant across the road - low lighting, very old New York etc and then made our way up to Times Square, which is where I started the story - we were stopped at approx 40th street and tried every which way to get in, but to no avail. So we had a mosey around Bryant Park and watched the outdoor ice skating for a little bit, but it was way too cold to hang around, so we ended up back at the hotel room, tucked up in bed, watching the ball drop at midnight on the TV and after which we promptly both fell asleep, both feeling poorly.
In retrospect, I think if we'd actually got into Times Square, we both would have been admitted to hospital for hypothermia. Most of the people that were interviewed on the TV had been there since 12 noon onwards - god knows how they survived - they must have been mad!
So what to do with this task? The chances are that even if I booked another trip to New York, it will be like winning the lottery if I managed to get into Times Square, so I've been pondering about this one for a couple of days. I've finally come to the conclusion that I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't complete a task properly - I did, after all, go to Times Square on New Years Eve - just not at midnight. My main aim in writing this list, was to give myself a set of challenges, that I would try to complete before I'm 40. I'm not copping out when I say this, the challenge would always be trying to tick the task off my list and if it doesn't happen then so be it - at least I've tried. So, it's getting crossed off my list as complete - it won't have a tick next to it, quite yet, because you never know, I may just well be in Times Square at midnight on New Years Eve before I'm 40 - I've got a couple of years left yet, don't forget!

7 comments:

Willy The Prince said...

Cross it off! It doesn't have to be exact. It’s the journey. (Am I really going to get in a Bollywood film? But, I'll have fun trying and have a story to tell)

I did NYE in Time Square once. I almost got frost bite. Also, no public restrooms because the police are afraid of random bombers so people actually use the street (on your shoe) or bottles.

If you are really that disappointed, maybe before you are 40 you can splurge for tickets to the big NYE parties overlooking (inside, warm and with restrooms).

Hope to see you soon.

Tami said...

Cross it off! You went, you tried...the police messed it up...you pass! When I lived in NYC we went down there once and oh, my God I thought I would die! FREEZING!!!!! I couldn't get home fast enough, I think I saw the ball drop, but I was too busy trying to keep from getting frost bite and bitching at my boyfriend about how cold it was. Oh, the memories!

Michelle Fluttering Butterflies said...

I'm with the previous commenter, it's really the journey that counts rather than the details. You went, you tried, it didn't work out but I'd definately consider it done with a tick. And great photo with Elmo!

Beth said...

I'm with everyone else. You don't say on your list that you only get to do these things once! You can do them more if you wanna! So cross it off, and if you do manage to do it again - then that's a bonus.

But personally I don't want people peeing on my shoes.

Janette said...

Heather - did the pee freeze when it hit your shoe?!!
Tami - Yep, I think me and husband would have had cross words as well - he doesn't do people, I don't do cold - not a good combination for Times Square really!
Michelle - I heart Elmo!
B - consider it crossed off - hope to meet up again in 2009!

Willy The Prince said...

People start gathering at noon and once you are gated in, you can't get out. I bribed one restaurant $20 to let me use their loo and almost couldn't get back to my group because the police wouldn't let me pass.

As for the pee freezing, with all the foot traffic, I think it just got spread about.

Janette said...

Heather - uurrgh! If I get chance to do it again, I was thinking of either getting a hotel in Times Square or booking a meal in one of the restaurants overlooking this. I seriously don't think I could stand for 12 hours in that cold!