Upgraded Homeward

Well thank you BA!! We were upgraded to business class on the over night flight home. Champagne, Belgian Hot Chocolate and flat sleeper beds, loverly!

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Death Race Film Review

We weren't expecting a deep story filled film with a title like "Death Race", but we were expecting a non-stop popcorn ride of blood and gore, and we weren't disappointed! Jason Statham (having beefed up for the role) takes the lead as "Frankenstein" and proceeds to drive everyone else to their deaths to gain his freedom from prison. And thats it, nothing else, just loads of action and stunts!

Ben 8 out of 10
Barry 9 out of 10

http://www.deathracemovie.net/

Passing Time to Flight

Our flight is late tonight at 10.30pm, so as we've got no more tours booked we're treading water until flight time. We head to Ripley's Believe it or Not, where the weird and wonderful are supposed to be, we later find out its a bit of a rip off, but it passed some time! I found out that my hands are almost as big as the biggest man in the world's! Barry and me get legless and sit next to some head shrinking tribes man.

Top of Empire State

On our last day, as we were one block away, we finally decided to go up the Empire State Building. Metal detectors were involved again, which means we will have been security scanned 6 times this holiday! We went up the 86 floors to the observation deck, but didn't goto the 102nd floor where the blimps were to dock. Once up there we were amazed to find that it only took 18 months in the 1920's to build the entire building!

Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3D Film Review

Having sat there cross-eyed for a while, we finally realised it was actually in 3D and we hadn't been given the glasses! Once the glasses were on the 3D effect was very evident, they didn;t do any obvious poke in the eye effects, but just a regular film in 3D. What is it with Hollywood and stupid use of mobile phones? They are abou 3 miles below the Earth's crust and trying to use their phones!! Apart from the stupidity the film plods along at an average pace and obvious story. Average at best.

Ben 5 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://www.journey3dmovie.com/

Uptown and Downtown Bus Tour

Today we had booked a bus tour of New York. It operates on two loops. The Uptown Tour covers Central Park and the residential area of Manhatten. The Downtown Tour covers 5th Avenue, Wall Street and Ground Zero.

We only did part of the uptown tour, as it was such a nice day we decided to go for a wander through Central Park, which completely removed you from the city. You couldn't hear any traffic noise or see many skyscrapers.

From Central Park we walked down 5th Avenue taking in all the designer shops. We saw the Apple Store and walked down to the Rockerfella Centre where the Nintendo World Store is.

After that we rejoined the downtown tour and basically went round the rest of New York taking in Little Italy, China Town, NYU and many other landmarks.

Tropic Thunder Film Review

Another Jack Black film we approached cautiously, however main lead Ben Stiller tends to be funnier. And this film was very, very funny. Basically Rambo gore, but a comedy! A very weird mix, but we both thoroughly enjoyed and laughed.


Ben 8 out of 10
Barry 7 out of 10

http://www.tropicthunder.com/

34th Birthday Legally Blonde Broadway Show

My afternoon birthday present from my mum was to see Legally Blonde the Muscial on Broadway. With such songs as "Oh my God, Oh my God you guys", "Is he Gay or European?" and the "Bend and Snap!", this was a faithful musical recreation of the film. With lots and lots of pink, cheerleaders, hunky UPS man and even the dogs all intact. A fun filled uplifting musical, like Hairspray, that needs to come to London!

Ben 4 out of 5
Barry 4 out of 5

http://www.legallyblondethemusical.com/

34th Birthday Helicopter Trip

Today is my 34th Birthday and Barry has treated me to a helicopter flight over New York! We fly around the whole Manhatten Island, seeing all the famous landmarks.

Two of the most famous landmarks

Night Cruise

That night we were booked on a night cruise up the Hudson River to see New York all lit up. It was still very warm at 71 degrees. We headed under the Brooklyn and Manhatten Bridges, saw the waterfall art projects (4 man made waterfalls), then headed out to Liberty Island again to see the Statue of Liberty lit up.

Time Square

After the statue we headed to Time Square to have lunch in Planet Hollywood. It was extremely busy and we looked round Virgin, Toys R Us and M&M World. We also saw the naked cowboy!

Statue of Liberty

Today was nice and sunny and hot, and we had a Statue of Liberty Tour booked first thing, which was just as well, as we woke up very early! The boat trip over was very pleasant with a bit of info on the harbour, but the security screening was a bit over the top. Once on Liberty Island we headed straight for the Statue of Liberty to go inside and upto the pedestal to look up her dress! The lift was broken so we had to walk up the 275 steps! That is the highest you can go since 9/11, and once again there was airport like security screening! The views were spectacular and the statue quite something to behold.

Overlooking the city

The real face is 8ft tall!

Which is the real statue?

Thirty Thirty New York

Well we've arrived to pouring rain! But at least its warm! We're at the Thirty Thirty Hotel on 30 East 30th Street, what a lot of 30's! The room is tiny, but functional and comfy. And we can see something instantly recognisable from the window!

Madonna! Madonna! Madonna!

She was Sticky and Sweet! The show has not long finished and we're settled up in the Park Inn by the airport for our flight tomorrow. Night!

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It's finally holiday time!

Well this will probably be my last Starbucks in the UK! I'm sat in the Fleet branch waiting for Barry. The flight isn't until tomorrow, but we're going to see Madonna's Sticky and Sweet tour tonight to kick things off in style, before heading to New York tomorrow!