New York City really is beautiful. From 5th Avenue to Times Square, it's one of my favourite places in the world.
I know I'm really lucky to have travelled overseas, and I was even more fortunate that the first time I travelled outside of Australia was to New York. My family and I went to the U.S a few years ago, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. I don't know if it was the fact that it was the first place I'd been to outside of Australia, or because it was simply amazing, but I love New York.
I remember the first night. We got to our hotel quite late and we were exhausted from the plane trip, but somehow we still had the energy to take a quick stroll down the street. Three hours later (did I say quick?) after exploring the city we arrived back at our hotel. It was past midnight. But we were all wide awake - the beauty of the city seemed to make us feel more alive.
The whole city was lit up. Even though the hour was late, there was no sign of anything slowing down (now I know why it's called the city that never sleeps). I remember walking up the steps from the Subway into Times Square and feeling absolutely speechless. I turned around and the New York Times building was right in front of me, and I remember thinking 'I want to work there.' (I guess they call New York the city of dreams for a reason). The billboards were bright against the night sky, there was so much noise it seemed to fade into the background and there were so many people that it felt like the whole population of Victoria was in the Square.
The next day we wandered through China Town and Little Italy (where I had the best pasta I'd ever eaten). Then at the Top of the Rock I got to overlook the whole city (and take some awesome photos). I could see the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and the millions of people that looked like ants scurrying around far below.
Although I couldn't afford anything along 5th Avenue (Tiffany & Co, Apple, you get the idea) I still looked in the iconic shops. I ate an ice-cream the size of a main course (I couldn't finish it) at a place called Serendipity, and even though we were in a concrete jungle we still got to walk across Central Park, eating New York hotdogs from a street van.
We saw How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway, and Daniel Radcliffe (my favourite male actor at the time) was the star of the show. (I was only 20 metres away from him and I couldn't believe my luck).
I could live off New York giant pretzels if I had to (they were that good). I ate one while we were waiting for the Staten Island Ferry to take us to the Statue of Liberty (it was so windy on the boat but enduring the weather was worth it after getting up close to iconic landmark).
I remember falling asleep in the hotel room every night to the sound of moving cars and bustling people, far below the high-rise building we were staying in. The whole atmosphere of New York was so different to Melbourne - constant motion and noise, always something new to discover, never stopping. It was like a movie left on replay.
Despite the amazing food, overwhelming atmosphere and towering buildings, after a week full of eating, walking and more eating in Manhattan, I was ready to leave.
There are so many things I did in New York - and so many more I wish I could have done. Art galleries, museums, restaurants, shopping and landmarks, it was all so overwhelming (especially at the age of 12). Everything was so much bigger, everything seemed better.
I may have only been 12 years old when I went to New York, but even then I knew that I would go back.