how long does it take to get to new york city from north carolina?

Well, if you ask me, it takes almost EIGHT hours... and that was by plane!!!!

Last weekend was the Girl's Weekend to New York City to celebrate our 40th birthdays! (Although my "official" 40th is not until later this year)

The trip did not start off as planned, but it turned out to be a fantastic weekend with friends in the Big Apple! Our flight as scheduled to leave RDU at 10:20am. At 6am I got a text from Shelby saying the flight was already delayed until 11:30am. Well, that seemed ok, just a little bit more sleep time for me! However.... when I arrived at Shelby's to meet up with Carolyn and head to the airport, we found out the flight had been totally cancelled and we were scheduled for a different flight at 6:20 PM! PM, that NIGHT! We had Broadway show tickets to Wicked for that night at 8pm! Not good news for us!!!!

So, we headed to the airport to "plead our case" and see what could be done. Then there was some (the only!) good news of the day. We could be put on a Continental flight headed to Newark (not Laguardia) that left at 12:30pm. So, we checked in at the Continental desk only to be told their flight was also delayed until 1pm. Ok, 1pm, we are still ok. So, we wait in the terminal only to find out the flight is delayed again to 1:20. Ugh, this is getting worse!

We finally board the plane at 1:20 and are feeling like the day might be salvaged. Then the news... the pilot announces we cannot take off until 2:40PM!!!!!! So, we are stuck on a plane on the tarmac for another hour and half!

2:40pm arrives, no take off. 2:50pm arrives and we start to taxi. Finally, take off! Although the flight was a bit bumpy, we land in Newark. Then, adventure number two begins. Figuring out how we get from New Jersey into the City - quickly! Our best option - the train. We hop on the airtrain over to the train terminal, purchase our tickets, head down the escalator and find about a million people waiting for the train. A train that is evidently NOT coming, because the entire Northeast corridor is shut down due to a voltage problem!!!! Is this really happening to us?????!!!!

So, option number two, taxi or the bus. The lines for both are insane! EVERYONE is trying to get into the City. After a long wait for the bus, we board only to enjoy New Jersey traffic for the next hour! Really, is this happening to us????!!!!

So, about eight hours after we left home, we arrive on the streets of New York! At 7:20pm! Broadway show tickets are at 8PM!!!


to be continued........