Maybe you've heard (or seen me) talk about this dreams a few times... okay practically every day of my life leading up to  when I boarded Southwest flight 735 to New York! I planned this trip back in July as life seemed to be going amazing, so why not buy myself an early Christmas present? I saved up enough money to purchase the perfect combination of tickets. Fly out Dec. 29th, 2011 first thing in the morning, stop for a layover, then fly to New York in the evening time right before sunset. Then depart on Jan. 2nd, 2012 late in the evening, stop for a layover, and return back home around midnight.

For 4 days and 5 nights, I experienced something bigger than my imagination... I lived reality! Stepping out of the plane into LaGuradia Airport was that moment when I thought to myself in the first person "Look Kenon we made it! We finally made it!" Yet if you know New York, what is considered fast pace to a Kansas native raised into a Colorado boy, it's best just to keep my feet moving forward until I reach the baggage claim.

_Shortly after claiming what is rightfully mine (my luggage), I finally had an eye raising new first to learn alone! Taking the buses and subway to my friends place where I would be able to stay for the duration of my trip. Mind you, I had no clue about where anything was, and it didn't help that the bus M60 was completely packed with natives and tourists. Creating heated arguments between passengers vs passengers as one local gets upset because a foreigner's bag accidentally hit her. Then there was the bus driver versus passengers as the bus driver tries to compact everyone in like vacuumed sealed steaks. Needless to say, that wasted 10 minutes of time which made me even more nervous, but so excited to be there!

After bus hopping, subway surfing and numerous short calls to my friend Nick stating "okay I'm here, now where do I go?" multiple times in an hastily manner only because my cell phone's battery was in the red. I finally made it to his place! A 2-hour trip that really should have only taken about an hour (according to Nick).

As I make myself comfortable, Nick began making himself publicly ready to hit the town for the night. Which means I could A) stay at his place and do absolutely nothing or B) take a shower, call one of my other friends who stay in New York, attempt to learn how to take the subway and explore the city. Of course I chose the latter, all while my Android began to charge on the kitchen floor.

Managing to realize the obvious, every subway has a map of the 5 boroughs and which subways go where. Ironically enough in an oxymoron way, I am horrible when it comes to someone telling me directions, yet I love maps! I am a visual person, I have to see something in order to connect the dots to each other.

So me and Katherene, a friend I have known since middle school and have not seen since the last day of high school (wow that just makes me seem old now haha) met up at Brooklyn Junction. Hugs, love, and "you haven't changed since high school" statements definitely dating how "old" we really are, Katherene asks me "is there anywhere you want to go?" I'm so excited to be here, I could care less, but I knew for a fact that I had to ask "Can we go to Manhattan? Like in Times Square?" My wish was granted, and after taking a string of subways (at this point being the first night, I'm still kind of confused about the whole subway system) we end up in downtown Manhattan!

A long day of traveling and I was ready to feast upon my first meal in New York! There are so many options when it comes to food in New York, it became apparent that I knew I couldn't just take a bite at every place, otherwise, I would have left beyond broke. Tired and quietly embarrassed of hearing my stomach growl loud as if I haven't eaten in days, I decide that Scott's Burger Station seems logical for a first night meal. I ordered the number 5, a Smoked BBQ Burger with crispy onions, bacon, melted white cheddar cheese, and a BBQ ranch sauce accompanied with perfectly deep friend sweet potato french fries. 

By the time our night of exploring Manhattan came to a close, I had seen every major building, including one of my favorites because of its intricate architectural design The Chrysler Building, it becomes way late into the night entering a new day and I am beyond exhausted! I didn't expect to sleep at all while in New York, but this was suppose to be a vacation for me, and that's the whole purpose of the latter, to relax. Katherene and I parted ways right back where we met at the Brooklyn Junction train station back to our homes. Typical me, instead of taking the Downtown Brooklyn subway, I ended up taking the Uptown Brooklyn subway, getting lost again and making a short trip into a 2-hour lost in the wilderness adventure!

Learning the subway station is not as easy as my friends made it out to be!