New York, New York

Well, it's been over a week now since I woke up in the city that never sleeps with my college BFF Sunny. There's so much that I learned and did. It's a bit overwhelming. I must say that if you haven't had a trip of this kind, you really should stop reading this post, go to your favorite travel site, and book something. Special friends that you can be completely real with are a mirror to your heart and soul in the same way a marriage is, but at a completely different angle. Sunny is writing a series on her blog about our experiences. I will do the same, mostly for my benefit, so that I can sort through it all.

The first day could be summed up in one word -- SURREAL! From the moment I stepped out of the car to enter the airport, I felt it. For the first time in a while, I was alone ... no kids, no husband. I was constantly asking myself what I forgot, feeling that my load was unusually light. My mind was free not worrying about who was where, but I realized how much my family is a part of me. It was way weird! I knew then how much I would miss them.

When I arrived in NYC I met up with Sunny and caught a cab to our hotel. I can't describe the excitment of this commute. It was my first time in a cab, I was with Sunny (haven't seen her in a year and a half), and we were in NEW YORK CITY! It was too much to take in, but I tried.

We ended the evening with cosmos on the rooftop of our hotel. It was then that we realized that we were staying one block north of the Empire State Building. We had an awesome view, and it served as a great backdrop for us to do some catching up. (We stayed at the Hotel Metro, if you're planning on going soon. I highly recommend it -- nice, safe, great location and affordable for NYC.)