Day Four

It was our last full day in New York today and our schedule has been very full. We started the day at a local diner, The Morning Star, where we stocked up on pancakes. After loading up on carbs, we made our way towards our first activity at  The Paley Centre for Media.

 Realising we had a little time to spare, we stopped in at St Patrick's Cathedral en route. The refurbishments have now all been completed and the cathedral looks absolutely beautiful. Students spent half an hour inside quietly reflecting and admiring the newly restored building. 

We then made our way to The Paley Centre and had a workshop on sound in radio, where all students took part in creating a soundtrack for a radio play. You really had to be there to appreciate the noises and hilarity that followed. 

In the afternoon, we headed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and spent two hours looking at the exhibits before catching the subway to our next stop - The Empire State Building. 

This was followed by a quick shopping trip around Times Square and an evening meal at Planet Hollywood. 

A jam packed day which was enjoyed by all! 

Day three

Day three in New York has been snowy and busy. After breakfast at the hotel, we headed out into the snow and made our way to the subway to head for Battery Park. From here we got the ferry to Ellis Island. Our starting voyage was less than successful with our first ferry breaking down before we even left the docking. After a very cold wait in the snow, we finally got underway, travelling to Ellis Island. Here we wandered around the exhibits and warmed ourselves with tea and hot chocolate in the cafe. 

Our next stop was the 9/11 memorial where students walked around the memorial fountains, and learnt about some of the events that took place there at a site that honours those people that lost their lives.

We then took the subway back to Grand Central Station and walked up to Times Square, shopping along the way. 

To round off a busy day we had a meal at Bubba Gump's where we were able to rest our feet and fill our stomachs. 

New York Day 2

It has been a very busy day today. A leisurely breakfast before leaving to get the subway to Queens and out to the Museum of Moving Image. After a guided tour around the exhibits, we travelled back to Grand Central Station and had lunch at the famous concourse. 

The day was finished off by a quick stop at Macy's before ice skating in Central Park. We worked out that we have walked ten miles today,

so a good rest is in order tonight. 

New York 2016 - Arrival!

We have arrived in New York after a long, but relatively empty flight. There was lots of room to spread out and plenty of films to keep us entertained. Customs and the journey into Manhattan went very smoothly and we were all checked into our hotel by 6pm local time. A quick rest here and then we are off to Times Square. 

Nearly Ready for Boarding

After a very early 4am start, we are now awaiting our flight to New York. There are a few tired faces but lots of excitement too. 

Nearly ready for the off

Just five days now until our New York 2016 trip commences!