Hi everyone!

Well... I made it... just! There were no hijackings on the plane, JFK wasn't blown up... I didn't get mugged, stabbed or shot. It's all good :)

However, my journey over didn't quite go as I envisioned. Firstly, my itinerary appears to have left out a few minors details. For instance, Sydney and Los Angeles. When I booked my flight online, I was under the impression it was a direct flight from Melbourne to New York. Not so. I don't quite understand, but for some reason, the journey from Melbourne to New York was given one name: UA840; and for some reason that is a good reason not to inform the purchaser of this airfare that they will in fact be flying to New York via Sydney and Los Angeles! I don't know... The good thing was that, because I went through immigration and customs in Los Angeles (yep. they let me in. Again. Fools...) I was able to get off the plane, get my luggage, and more or less get the shuttle to the hostel.

Talking about Los Angeles, immigration and customs, unfortunately I experienced a repeat of history. I don't entirely blame myself - the single unified journey known as "UA840" in fact had two connecting flights. The one from LA to New York began boarding about 40 minutes after I got to immigration and customs. It was an incredible rush (not in the good sense either).

Going through the security scan seemed to take forever. Some guy's luggage seemed to keep stalling before mine could get through. And I also had to remove my shoes. This is all about 10 minutes before my next plane was due to depart. After I put my shoes back on, I proceeded to find gate 73. But the arrow was ambiguous, and I ended up going down some escalator that I thought would lead me to "gate 73". I was wrong.

But not only that, I realized as I was going down the escalator that my passport was missing. I knew roughly where it was. I had seen it when I was at the security scan. Then I got to the bottom of the escalator only to realise that I had just exited the terminal, and would have to do the blasted security check all over again. By this time I was starting to feel a little on the nervous side.

I found my way back again, and an officer kept on asking me for ID, and I kept trying to tell her my "ID" - my passport - was somewhere on the other side of the x-ray machine. We went round in circles for a moment, and then another security officer intervened. I eventually showed them my drivers license. I went through the scan - AGAIN. Just as slowly too. Then I approached someone on the other side. She casually went to some desk, and told me if it had been handed in, her supervisor would have it, but that he had gone to the bathroom. I explained to her that my plane was a bout to depart. She referred me to someone else, who finally handed me my passport. I then sprinted to "Gate 73".

Anyway, I'm here in NYC now. I just came back before from a diner on Broadway, where I had some dinner (a Mediterranean burger. It was pretty good!)I am staying in a hostel on the Upper West Side. The room I have looks decent. There appeared to be only one other occupant.

Anyway, time is short, so hopefully I will post more soon.