Eight to one

It's Friday, midday. We're headed off to the Museum of Modern Art in a bit, and then to the top of the Rockefeller building. Maybe the Cloisters if we have time. Contemplating heading to the Meat Packing District tonight to hit one of the megaclubs, but there's good rugby on early tomorrow morning that we need to catch. That might have to wait for tomorrow night.

Wednesday we went to see Transformers 2 (load of bollocks) and then ran home in the rain as our attempt to chill in Central Park bombed on account of the weather. Thursday was my one week mark in New York. We celebrated by not going out, anywhere. I went up the street to grab burgers for lunch, and apart from that, we didn't leave the apartment. I lay on the couch and watched HD movies on cable while Tom played video games. We were both wrecked from a week of solid walking. Even today after an entire day of rest, my feet, calves, shins and knees are sore. A day of relaxation was good, just enough time to catch one's breath.

I'm still amazed at how expensive this city is. I try not to, but I find myself converting things into rands and being alarmed at the prices. Eventually, you start to feel relieved when things are only double or triple the price they'd be back home - this is the case for most food, where a burger here costs about R80 (about double what you'd pay back home) or a soda goes for R20 (again, about double).

It really hurts when you buy things that are six, seven or even eight times as much as you'd pay back home. Beer here costs about R70, comfortably seven times what they go for back home (and our local beers are way better). There's very few things that are actually cheaper here than back home, electronics and clothing (if you shop at the right places) being notable.

That said, I do love this city. There's such an amazing energy, and New Yorkers are very, very friendly. I don't find myself having random conversations on the streets back home, but it happens with startling regularity here.