Posts by Fabi

The US was great, but yeah the storm did catch us...more or less.

We arrived at Newark early in the afternoon and only a few hours later they started cancelling flights to Newark and the airport stopped all services by the end of the day. Luckily we planned to drive down to Washington directly from Newark, which we did. At first we thought it was a bad idea, because on the track it looked like Sandy would be closer to Washington than to New York, eventually we decided to drive anyway, which turned out to be the right decision....On the Interstate all the signs would say "State of Emergency in effect"
The next day, was the day before the night of the storm, the weather in D.C. was awful, it rained all day and they stopped all metro and bus services in the city, so we'd just drive around the city to take some pictures out of the car. By around 3 pm we went back to the hotel because everybody was advised to not leave their house on public television, that's what we did. It was pretty windy that night in D.C. and some trees came down, which we wouldn't find out until the next day. On TV we heard that many people didn't have power...we did. As the night went on the number of fatalities increased, espacially in NYC. I can't remember the total, but I think there were 80 fatilities in the US and 40 alone in New York City. 8 Million without power...., and some would be for the next two weeks....
We planned on driving up to NY that next morning, which we postponed due to the conditions we saw on TV and spent the day in Washington, which was good, because otherwise we wouldn't really have seen much of the city.
As we got closer to NY we saw the lines at the gas stations, which were miles long, you'd have to wait up to 6-8 hours to fuel up your car! Few days later New Jersey Law was that on even days only cars with even license plates could fuel up and vice versa...
We arrived in NYC early in the evening in the dark and the southern part of the Manhattan skyline was completely dark......
But the worst was over for NYC and the next day, subway services resumed in the northern part of Manhattan, trains and all MTA busses were free of charge for the next two days, which was good, and we did explore the southern part of Manhattan by bus. On the first days only HOV (High occupied vehicles) with 3 or more were allowed to cross the bridges and tunnels into Manhattan from Jersey and the other boroughs.

Long story short: There were a few things we couldn't do because of the storm, e.g. the statue of liberty crown access tickets I booked and the 9/11 Memorial, however besides that, we weren't really affected by the storm, but we did experience some of the aftermath and damage first hand and on scene.
Sorry for the long text, but I didn't really know how to sum that up.

So, how have you been in the past weeks?
Right now I'm in Brisbane, Australia and today I've been to Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast. Australia is really beautiful!

Ich möchte auch gerne freigeschaltet werden.
Ich bin hier registriert, seit ich 12 bin, ich hoffe das ist Beweis genug.

Dankeschön!

I am definitely gonna ride the Staten Island Ferry and visit the top of the rock, because I didn't do either of those things on my last visit.

Have you ever been to Coney Island? I'm not really sure if I want to visit that place, because it's like a 2 hour roud-trip subway ride and I don't really know if it's worth it....

I'm flying in this weekend and the weather is definitely not in my favor. Today it's 27°C and sunny in Washington, and the forecast for Monday, when I'm actually visiting the city is rain and 8°C tops....come on... :O

Quote from Serenissima

Yeah, Manhattan is great. I hate Time Square, though. Way too many tourists for my taste and pretty boring. I'd rather visit the Village or hang around Union Square.
Well, the 21 rule hasn't changed anything about drunk driving and people drinking underaged. My host sister was 19 and she had massive parties with booze and weed at the house. No one really cared and all the guests drove home themselves. Luckily none got ever caught by the police or had an accident.

Hmm...when I was in the States I accepted the laws...but I never bent to attitudes or manners if I had the feeling that they were stupid or simply wrong...and I'm still not a fan of that brainless patriotism some Americans show and the arrogance they carry with it.

Hmm, I've never been to Union Square so maybe I'll keep that in mind form my upcoming visit to the city. I think that Times Square is an impressive place, but if I'd live there, I'd probably avoid it.
Any insider advise for a second visit to NYC? Part of my familiy has never been to New York, so we'll have to do the standards as well, but this time I plan on seeing the other boroughs as well.
I'm so much looking forward to being in New York again,

Yeah, I've read that DUI is quite a problem over there.
I think in Germany even teenagers and young people are "smart" enough to not do that....at least most of them, I mean it happens here, too, but after a party here you either take a taxi or the owl service of the metro or somebody in your group volunteers to not drink that night and drive everybody home.

I actually think they'd have deserved it if they got pulled over while under drug and alcohol influence. That's absolutely unacceptable, if they want to endanger themselves, let them, but by doing it that way, they put other people in jeopardy...

Well I didn't mean visitors should adapt to their manners and attitudes or even like them, but they have to accept them. Because that's what I'd expect from visitors in Germany.

Quote from Serenissima

But remember that even when you're 18 and in NYC, you're still not allowed to party. It's quite a little dissappointing that a city like NYC is quite a desert when it comes to underaged partying. There are some clubs but there aren't really good. You should try to go to a concert, a comedy show or visit a musical. That's the best you can do.

Yeah, I know, but that's ok.
I'm so happy that I get to spend my 18th birthday in this city, I'm just going to enjoy the atmosphere in Manhattan and on the next day I'm gonna sit on a plane to Germany, where I can party and do whatever I want.
Well, the age 21 thing is exaggerated compared to the age where you can sign up to fight abroad in the U.S. army - risking your life - which is 17 or 18....However, if you visit another country you have to either accept its laws, manners and attitudes...or don't visit it. That's what I tell people when they complain about the patriotism of the Americans.

Quote from Serenissima

That'll work. You'll enjoy it. The Smithsonian's are great and you have to take a look at the Rocky Balboa "Memorial".

Oh, so you're going to see lovely Newark, I guess? The airport isn't that interesting, though.
No, this year I was actually planning on visiting them but changed plans and visited my brother in Japan instead. Was an amazing trip.
However, my host family in NJ just sold the old house and so I don't know where they moved. Have to ask some time soon, though.

How long are you going to stay in the States?

I'm going to stay for one week only. But I just returned (four weeks ago) from a three week vacation in Florida (and I finally made it to Key West and Miami...that was about time), so I'm pretty happy I get to stay another week in the U.S. and, of course, I've gotta be home when my plane for Australia leaves, you know...filling passport pages.

Is there at least free wifi at Newark?
Actually, we wanted to fly into Washington and out of NY/NJ but the return trip to Newark was cheaper, so we are going to rent a car at the airport and drive down to Washington.
By the way, have you ever been to Baltimore, it's enroute so I was wondering if it's worth a small visit when we drive back to NY. We wouldn't wanna lose too much time...maybe 1 or 2 hours.
Well and then I get to spend my 18th birthday in New York City, that's going to be amazing.

Japan is probably very intersting. I've never been to any country in Asia. Well, I've been to Turkey once, but that's not really "Asia" to me.
I will have layover at Singapore airport next month but sadly it's not that long. I've read that the airport in Singapore offers free city tours, but you need a layover time of at least 5 hours for that, otherwise you're not gonna make it...

Quote from Serenissima

Hey Fabi!

I almost forgot that this thread existed. How embarrassing.

Well, depends on where you are in D.C.. If you manage to get close to the Capitol you can practically visit all major sights. They're all in walking distant. Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, the White House, the Capitol, Smithsonian Museums, Washington Mall, etc. If you're fast you can manage to visit everything in one day.

Thanks for the info.
I'm going to stay near the zoo, I think it's only 3 metro stations to the Capitol. I made a reservation for a capitol tour in the morning and then we'll just continue from there.
I will be flying into Jersey for that trip, by the way.
Have you ever visited the family you stayed with in NJ again?

Quote from Annina

I am going to Cairns on 22 of december!

There were only really bad movies, so take a book and music to your seat!
You can check in online and you'll have the coice of 7 (?) different types of food!

In Singapur is a really nice smoking place outside! (I don't smoke). There is a cactus-garden! Lovely!!

What do you want to do in Sydney? If you want me to give you some 'insider-tipps', it's no problem
You defenetly have to catch a ferry to Manly and go to the main beach to take a surfing lesson or just for a quik swim! Then you have to make a short walk (about 15 minutes from the main beach) to Shelly beach. It's amazing there! You can do a short bushwalk there or do some snorkelings!

Last week we had about 33°C and we've spring since 4 weeks....

Display More

You are right, the entertainment system is nothing compared to United on flights to the U.S. Just checked the movies on November flights on their homepage. I'll probably try to catch some sleep on the plane.

I don't smoke either, but it would be intersting to konw how smokers survive a flight to Australia.

I actually haven't made any plans yet, I assume all the people I'm visiting will take some time to show me around their city.
I fly out of Sydney just a few days before christmas, "coming home for christmas" like.

A shark. :O But they do display warning signs in events like this, don't they?
Yes, my flight is on Qantas, that way I could get some domestic flights for almost no extra charge, and it does make a stopover in Singapore. But I read that Singapore Airport offers lot of services so I'm probably just gonna enjoy the time I'm not up in the air. What did you do to make yourself more comfortable during the flight? After the long flight I'm gonna have a 3 hour layover at Sydney International until I continue my journey to Cairns
I'm going to stay with relatives and friends in Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney including a roadtrip to Canberra, if that works out.

I'm very much looking forward to Australia and the...summer.
It must be great to get on the plane at close to 0° at around 10 pm in Frankfurt and when you arrive it's like 30°.

I'm glad to hear that you could go to Australia!
Tell me more about it, how's the Australian lifestlye? And have you met something poisonous yet?

A few weeks back I booked my flights to Australia, I'm gonna take a vacation there for 4 weeks in November/December. I'm pretty excited.
Not so much excited about the part on my ticket that reads "Journey Time: 28 hours" though. :O I am used to long plane rides but 28 hours (incl. 2 changes) is such a long time. But, yeah, well, it's not gonna kill me.

Achtung! Die letzte Antwort auf dieses Thema liegt mehr als 212 Tage zurück. :o

I thought it would be nice to revive that topic.
Well....how's everybody doing?

@Schlingpflanze: How did your Australia plans turn out?

And, Serenissima, you said that you went to D.C. during your au-pair stay in the U.S. Can you remember how much time it took you to cover all the main sights? I'll have one full day in Washington and the morning of the next day and I'm wondering, if I'll be able to visit all the must-see sights.

Ne, leider nicht. Aber ich könnte mir vorstellen, dass es im September/Oktober weitergeht.

Habe gerade die allerletzte Folge von Desperate Housewives gesehen.
Schon irgendwie ziemlich traurig. Hab die Serie jetzt seit ich 11 war regelmäßig geguckt und noch nichtmal direkt beim Anfang angefangen. Eine so lange Zeit, und nun ist alles vorbei.
Wünsch euch viel Spaß beim Rest der letzten Staffel, wenn's dann auf Pro 7 endlich mal weiter geht.

Extrem Laut & Unglaublich Nah

Ein etwas anderer Film und sicher nicht jedermanns Sache, aber mir hat er dennoch gut gefallen, manchmal etwas zu lang gezogen, aber sehr tiefgründig.
8/10

Naja es ist schon die letzte Staffel, Pro 7 hat sie jetzt halt nur in 2 Hälften geteilt.^^

Ihr tut mir leid!

Ich glaub bei mir gibts noch 3 Folgen und dann kommt das 2-stündige Serienfinale, Ende April oder Anfang Mai, jenachdem ob sie noch eine Woche ne Pause machen. :o

Willst du das von Sonntag auch wissen?
Du hast Post.

Die haben einfach so die Spannung verdorben?

Da ich die Folgen unmittelbar nach Erscheinen auf ABC angucke, weiß ich es.
Wenn ich jetzt einen Spoiler schreibe, habe ich trotz der Spoiler-Tags ein schlechtes Gewissen, falls irgendwer aus Neugierde doch raufklickt.
Wenn du's unbedingt wissen möchtest, kann ich's dir per PN sagen, Hexchen.

In der Episode letzten Sonntag ist noch was viel Entscheidenderes passiert. :-O