Concrete Jungle Where Dreams Are Made Of

For years I have played with the idea of heading to New York City and taking in the sites. Well some of the sites, because really there is much more to do and see in New York that anyone could easily do in a visit, or probably even living there for six months.

Since I have taken a look at my budget and realize that going to a warm tropical island is out of reach in 2010 the idea of a long weekend in NYC is something I think could probably fit into my budget. I am someone who tends to look at hotel rooms as only places I sleep and shower, so my standards are lower than most of my friends. For that reason, I thought why not try a hostel. There are many hostels with great ratings in Manhattan with a daily cost of around $30. Sure you have to sleep in a bunk bed, in a room of probably 9 other guys, but really if I’m in New York, all I need is a bed, a locker and a clean shower. Plus, I have always envied those people who took time after high school or during the university years to tour parts of the world and use hostels exclusively. They have made enduring friendships and seen sights they couldn’t have afforded otherwise because of monetary constraints related to hotels.

I haven’t mentioned this idea to any of my friends yet, because (a) I don’t know who of my friends would be willing to hostel in their early thirties and (b) when travelling with friends I will end up seeing the things in NYC they want to see, which might not match my must-sees. Probably not a smart idea, but I am half tempted to take the trip solo and plan to meet some friends at the hostel that I can explore the city with in the evenings and during the day do my own thing.

I have started bookmarking websites to help in my planning, but really am still at the point of being overwhelmed with figuring out what my priorities are in visiting NYC, and realistic timelines for commuting between the landmarks.  Then I have to really look at what flight and my must-sees will cost and see if the cost matches my budget.

If nothing else, it gives me something to get excited about and look forward to, during the grey days of winter. Hopefully my first visit to NYC will become reality this spring.