New York

It's an early start today and we are up at 5.30 and off to the train station to catch our flight to our next destination which is New York.

We are flying with Delta Airlines and Andrew checked us in on line but we discovered that we had been allocated seats two rows apart.

When checking in on line the system wanted to make an additional charge for changing the seats so when we get to the airport instead of using the self service system we go to one of the ladies on a check in counter and explain that when checking in on line the system had us down as companions but had allocated seats apart.

She took on board our issue but was unable to change it at that point and suggested that we speak with boarding personnel at the gate as they may be able to change the seating arrangements. She then sorts our baggage tags out and puts them on the conveyor to send them off so at least we don't have to do that ourselves.

Its then through security and into the lounge area to find our gate and wait for our 9.30 departure. As it's early and we haven't had breakfast we have a coffee and a sausage and egg muffin.

Just before the flight is called we head to the boarding gate desk and speak to someone about the seat issue, within a matter of minutes it is all sorted and we have new boarding cards and will be sitting together.

When we get on the plane the seats are comfortable and have plenty of leg room. After take off we are given a complimentary drink and a biscuit. The plane is equipped with Wi Fi so you can use your laptop and if required connect to their movie channel to select a film to watch. The whole experience with Delta Airlines is very impressive, great service, everyone has been very helpful and courteous from start to finish.

We arrive at La Guardia airport New York and need to get a ticket that will cover the bus trip and metro but can't find a ticket office in the building. Eventually after searching around a friendly local tells that the ticket office doesn't exist anymore and we will need to catch the Q47 bus first to Jackson Heights then catch the metro from there into the city.

The bus only takes coins so he explains if we use the vending machine in the lobby of the terminal and don't purchase anything but just cancel the request the machine will give back change in coins that we can then use on the bus.

We do that and then go and catch the bus and get to the metro station. Again we need to by a ticket but it's not clear what you need or what the different types of ticket are. We go for a standard metro card and put nine dollars on it. Now to find where to go.

The signage is confusing and not easy to follow and again luckily a local gives us some help and is going to the same platform that we need to be on. After negotiating several elevators we get our train and are on our way into the city and it not long before we are at our hotel.

We are staying at the Fairfield hotel which is just on the edge of Chinatown in Lower Manhatten.

Once checked into our room it's time to go and explore so we head to City Hall and over Brooklyn bridge which gives you a great view back to the City and towards Brooklyn itself.

We do a circular walk taking in the views of the city, through a park and along the waterfront before going back over the bridge and walking up Broadway towards Greenwich Village area where we stop for dinner.

We then head back to our hotel and get a little lost trying to find it as it all looks different in the dark.

Day 2

Today we are off to see the Statue of Liberty which we have booked in advance as you need to take a boat trip to the island from Battery Park.

The park is called Battery Park due to the old fort which is built here. The fort itself is called Clinton Fort and dates from 1808. It has had many uses over the years and at one point was due to be demolished but saved and restored and is now a museum and the boarding point for the trip over to the Staute of Liberty.

At the dockside you have to queue and go through airport type security before you can board the boat. Its not long before we are on the boat and heading to the island. On the way you get some great views of the city and of the statue as you approach the island.

The Staute of Liberty is made of copper sheets 2.4mm thick sculpted into shape and fixed to a metal frame work which was designed by Gustave Eiffel. It was first assembled in Paris whilst it was been made and Parisians proclaimed it to be the eighth wonder of the world.

The French architect and his followers decided to honour the United States ideals of freedom and liberty with this symbolic gift and named it Liberty.

It was then dismantled and shipped to America where it was reassembled eventually on the stone plinth built by the Americans. The whole protect was nearly abandoned as the Americans ran out of money to build the plinth but a wealthy newspaper owner ran a poem as a fundraiser and people donate money to finish the plinth off. Once completed the statue was erected on top and was finally unveiled on 28th October 1886. Including the plinth the statue is 305 feet tall and was once the tallest structure in New York.

As immigration increased into America during this time the Statue was the first thing people would see as they arrived into New York and the new life they came in search of. Therefore the Statue of Liberty became an icon of hope and freedom for many.

After a walk around the statue we then get back on the boat and head to Ellis Island. This is where all immigrates first landed when they came to America and would have all their papers checked, be given a medical and checked for any diseases and have their clothes removed and washed. They would then be put up in one of the dorms if required or if everything was in order they could continue on to New York City or further afield to start their new life.

By 1954 Ellis Island had closed and the buildings deteriorated, everything was just left as it was and abandoned, the site became overgrown until in the 1980's a programme of restoration began with the aim to re-open the buildings as a museum to tell the story of American Immigration.

The museum is fascinating and has so much information about early American life and the people, their journeys, where they came from and the conflict it caused that spending a few hours here is not enough to take it all in.

The museum is spread over three floor with many of the artifacts displayed that where left when the place closed. It really strikes you that America is a country of different nationalities from all over the world and that the only true Americans are the native indians.

From here we head back across the water to Battery Park and walk around where we discover a circular building with a merry go round inside which has clever lighting and rides made in the forms of fishes, the ride is called Seaglass Carousel.

Also in the park are statues and monuments commemorating those who have be killed in conflicts around the world such as Vietnam, World War 2, Korean War and the piece of sculpture that once stood in the plaza of the Twin Towers that was damaged when they were destroyed in 2001.

From here we head through the streets and head to the area now known as Ground Zero which is where the Twin Towers once stood. Behind here you can see the new tower called One World that has been built to replace them.

The area has been created into a beautiful park with trees and two huge water features that seem to disappear into the ground. These are the actual footprints of where the original towers stood. Around the edges are metal plinths that have the names carved into them of all the people that lost their lives in this very tragic event.

We then head to the museum and enter into a large room with escalators and steps that take you down to a lower level with a view down into what appears to be a large gallery space. Here you get your first sight of a few metal girders that were retrieved from the wreckage and the original sign that stood outside the building. As you continue to walk down the slope to the bottom there are various images and sound recordings of people telling their stories of the events that happened that day.

When you get to the bottom you notice these big grey cubes protruding down from the ceiling, these are the bottom of the water features that we saw outside. Around their edges in the concrete you can see the tips of metal girders now level with the concrete, you are actually stood in the foundations of the twin towers and what was once a shopping mall.

In this underground area they have created the museum which is fascinating and very moving in telling the story of how this museum was built to signify what happened here and provide a monument to those who lost there lives in the hijacked planes, in the towers and those dealing with the aftermath that lost their lives in the rescue attempt. We spend hours here reading the stories and following the time lines that have been displayed along with artefacts retrieved from the site until it closes at nine o'clock then head off for dinner before returning to our hotel and bed.

Day 3

After a busy day yesterday we have breakfast at 9.30am and return to our room to take it easy with a cup of tea and relax a bit before heading out for the day.

When we do go out we head for Central Park and on the way go past the Rockefella Plaza where we intend to go up the tower tomorrow. We also pass many art deco buildings and St Partrick's Church on our way.

We start our circular walk of Centre Park at the south east entrance passing by one of the lakes and walking up the Literary Walk which goes through an avenue of trees to the Bethesda Fountain and Terrace and onto the Alice in Wonderland Sculpture. We then do a slight detour to walk along the street to the Guggenheim Museum building and then back to the park to see the large lake named after Jackie (Kennedy) Onassis.

From there we go to the Great Lawn which his an area set out with six baseball pitches and then continue our walk until we come out of the park and onto Broadway.

We head down Broadway and as we get closer to Times Square the area has been closed off today for a street market, it's buzzing with people. The buildings in this area have lots of neon signs and billboards on them advertising many of the musicals that are on offer in the Broadway theatres.

We get a good view of the Chrysler Building from here and then continue onto Grand Central Station to have a look at the inside and outside of the building which is indeed very grand.

From here we walking up the street and set in the pavement are brass plaques of some of the buildings that have been built in New York. Then as we go back past the Chrysler Building we have a look in the lobby which typifies the art deco style and period.

We then take a trip on the metro back to our hotel to freshen up and relax before heading out that evening for dinner and a few drinks in the Greenwich Village area.

Day 4

After breakfast we head back to the city and first visit is the Empire State Building where we have a look at the stunning art deco building entrance lobby.

We then continue on to Rockefella Plaza where we buy our tickets to go up the tower. We use the self service terminal which his quick and easy. Tickets are timed for visits but the wait is only ten minutes so by the time we have walked to the entrance we can go straight in.

You enter via a lift that takes you to the second floor and then go through security and onto a short presentation video telling you about the tower.

It is a beautiful art deco building standing at 850 feet tall with 70 floors and was completed in 1933, it is home to NBC television network and has had many names but is more often than not referred to as The Rock.

You enter one of the elevators that whisks you to the 67th floor which is the first of three observation decks at the tower. As you go up in the lift the ceiling becomes clear and the lift shaft is illuminated with different colour lights, the trip takes only 42 seconds.

The first deck is within a room with glass windows and balconies on each corner, from here you take an escalator to the next level where you can walk all around the outside of the building behind glass screens and then go up a flight of stairs to the final level where you can get a 360 degree view of the city.

Its a lovely clear sunny day so we can see for miles, the views are amazing and from here and we can see the Empire State Building, the Chrsyler Building and the whole of Central Park and how vast New York City really is.

From here we have a walk through the city to the Flat Iron building and Union Square and then back to our hotel.

That evening after freshening up we heading back out and walk across Brooklyn bridge to Brooklyn to have dinner. As it's now dark the bridge and city are lit up and we get some great views whilst we walk.

Its been a great day and when we get back to our hotel Andrew checks his distance recorder and we have walked 15 miles today, phew no wonder our feet are a little tired. Its time for bed and a well earned rest.

Day 5

After our long walk yesterday we decide that after breakfast we will go out a little later and catch the metro up to Grand Centre Station and take a short walk to the United Nations Building for a look.

Its a very hot and humid day here today so we head to the water taxi on Franklin D Roosevelt Drive which luckily is only a ten minute walk.

From here we catch the high speed water taxi which takes us down the East river. Its a great way to see the city skyline and you get a much better view of many of the famous skyscrapers.

We go under the Williamsburg bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and Brooklyn bridge, making six stops along the way and end up at Wall Street Pier where we find a very nice riverside restaurant called Industrial Kitchen where we have a late lunch.

After lunch we start to walk back to our hotel along the old wharf area which is undergoing redevelopment and has a nice mix of old and new buildings. A new museum of shipping and history of the dock area is being built on the dock side which will open in 2017.

Well its our last night in New York and we have done a lot whilst we have been here so we decide to have a night in and take it easy, just as well as we have a thunderstorm and it pours down with rain.

Tomorrow after breakfast we will be catching the metro and heading to JFK airport which is about an hours train journey from our hotel where we will catch our flight to Iceland.

Day 6

Today we are up early, showered and have breakfast then catch the metro out of the city to JFK Airport. The metro takes about three quarters of an hour but is straight forward and air conditioned which is a blessing as it's very hot outside again today. At Howard Beach station you catch the Sky train that is an automated driverless train that takes you from here to the airport and between the 8 airport terminals, we are flying out from terminal 7 with Icelandic Air today.

We check in and get rid of our bags and go through security with no problem and head to the lounge area for a cuppa and a chocolate croissant. Now all we have to do is wait for our flight which boards at 1.30pm which isn't to long to wait. The lounge is nice and quiet so we have a walk around and watch the planes. Todays flight to Reykjavik is approximately 5 hours.