Only 30 minutes into my flight from Sydney to Seoul, it all came flooding back …. Stop the plane I want to get off!
My god I hate flying.
I turned to Husband and said: “I am never flying anywhere ever again.”
He smiled and nodded and paid me absolutely no attention because that’s what I say every time.
But geez I am so not looking forward to that 24-hour flight back and the holiday hasn’t even started.
Korean Airlines aren’t half bad though. Seat-back TVs (please take note US airlines) allowed me to watch Parental Guidance (appalling opening scenes but passable after that and made my eyes leak a bit), part of The Master (couldn’t be bothered with the whole thing, gave up during the first auditing scene, was having trouble understanding Joaquin Phoenix drunk), and Hitchcock (fascinating to watch how he marketed Psycho, genius).
Oh, and a few more, plus a book and two magazines …
I also got lots bibimbap along the way – we ended up having it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner yesterday.
My only complaint would be about the hostess who pursed her lips and chipmunked her cheeks in disapproval when we asked for a third glass of wine, then came back with only one glass of wine and one glass of lemonade, just to be spiteful.
Apart from that, lovely.
And now I’ve finally disembarked, looking 10 years older after 17 hours without sleep.
New York!
Despite the red eyes and the blocked nose and the desperate exhaustion I am vibrating with excitement.
The yearning to return to New York has been intense. The stopover in Seoul felt almost frustrating – even without the Incheon confusion – and now I’m finally here.
This is going to sound like the most vommitty cliche but it feels like I’m returning to an old lover. I can see all the streets in my mind, I can taste the food, I can’t wait to get to the H&M kids wear department. To put it simply – and crudely – I am horny for New York.
Husband and I have started mapping out our brief four days. We are revisiting our old stomping ground around Columbia University, we are heading up the Hudson to some gallery that I’ve forgotten the name of (so I can tick the cultural and worthy box off), we are heading to the Meatpacking district for dinner at Pastis, we will take in a Broadway show.
I’m also planning on shopping myself stupid. More for the kids than myself because I’m a bit corpulent and find little joy in buying porky clothes. But some new runners might be nice. The Sprogs have also requested soft toys, Lego and Sylvanian Families babies from “the biggest toy shop in the world” aka Toys R Us at Times Square, which is so enormous it has a full-sized ferris wheel in it.
Another redraw on the mortgage might be on the cards. Ah well, you can’t take it with you.
PS messages from home via Aunty Kate …
Sprog 1 says: hello
Sprog 2 says: I miss you
PPS the pic is our hotel, the Warwick, very nice crab cakes they do, too
housegoeshome 
I call New York my mecca. I have only spent 7 days there in my entire life, but it was 7 of the best days out of anywhere, ever. Enjoy every minute soaking up sights, sounds and the glorious food!