Anyone for Tea?

Time, and what a time it was, a time, it was.

I'm easily confused by this whole time-shifting thing. I eventually got here, to my B&B at about 1am NY time, after driving from JFK.

Most of that journey was spent trying to work out the actual width of my - so called - "compact" car, trying to avoid driving the wrong way down roads (once) and (Annette will appreciate this) trying to find the indicator lights ("turn signals") - instead of the windscreen ("windshield") wipers!

That adventure over, my body was telling me in no uncertain terms that 6am UK time is not a sensible time to be going to sleep, I stuck on the small airconditioner in the corner, flopped down on the bed and slept like a hibernating squirrel.



Of course the confusing bit of this was that I had completely lost track of time, of which devices I'd updated to EST and which I hadn't. So, the end result of this was looking at my clock this morning, and being convinced that it was 2pm in the afternoon (just like a typical Saturday!) - then going downstairs to find that actually it was only about 10am and breakfast was still on the table!

On the subject of breakfast, I was joined by a couple of 'Salvation Army' pastors - father & son - from Oregon/California and their family. Over our croissants and OJ, I was surprised to find that the owners of this establishment* actually were also able to make a reasonable cup of tea.



So, wandering out onto the front porch - as the temperature and humidity begin to rise and the mist obscuring the familiar skyline of Manhattan and Liberty island, way off over the bay slowly lifts - I reflect that I am here in a foreign country, another world where they speak the same language but stand beneath a different flag.

I'm an Englishman in New York... and it's a heluva town.

Richie

* I'm staying at the 'Harbor House' - www.nyharborhouse.com - 3 nights B&B for $260 - looks good so far...

posted by RichB @ Wednesday, July 06, 2005