Musafir resident Debbie travelled to the United States of America for a holiday. She had a rocking experience in a country that is believed to be one of the greatest super powers in the world. She was understandably squealing with excitement, and we sat down with her for a recap of her experience.
Looks like you had a fabulous holiday in the US. Tell us more about it.
Yes, the US was fantastic. It really lived up to my expectations. We toured New Jersey, New York City, Washington D.C, Niagara State, Atlantic City, Philadelphia and Boston - pretty much all the popular holiday destinations.
That is a lot of places Debbie. How was your experience there?
While touring New Jersey, I stayed in Maple Shade, a cute town which is dotted with restaurants, cafés, and malls. Six flags, a famous chain of amusement parks, is just a 45-minute long drive from Maple Shade. I’m excited that they will soon open a branch even in Dubai Parks & Resorts.
In New York City, I found the Times Square absolutely amazing! I started the city tour on the hop-on hop-off bus, which took me to the Freedom Tower, the Observation Deck of the Empire State Building, the Harlem area (Harlem Shake fever originated here!), and MOMA. I also went on a cruise ride and saw all the major bridges and Lady Liberty, and rode up to Brooklyn Bridge.
I had a lot of fun in Boston which is a really hip place owing to the student community there. Undoubtedly, Niagara Falls was one of the highlights of my holiday. The entire Niagara Falls area has loads of activities to be explored- trekking trails, caves, and the Maid of the Mist cruise. I loved Atlantic City for its souvenir shops, tattoo parlours and restaurants. At Philadelphia, what stole the show was the quirky Duck Tours- a tour on a vehicle which runs on wheels on roads, and then floats as a boat on the river.
Washington D.C was interesting with all its historical landmarks - the White House, the Capitol and the Washington World War 2 Memorial and Washington Monument.
You seemed to have a lot of fun. What was your best experience?
It is impossible to pick one, because there are so many. Winning some money at a casino in the Atlantic City, and walking up to the Brooklyn Bridge and catching a mesmerising panoramic view of the night skyline in Brooklyn and witnessing the beautiful Cherry blossoms in Washington DC and trekking in Niagara were all wonderful. I went berserk at the Lindt store at New Hampshire.
We know that you are a foodie. But is there anything that you found extraordinary?
Well… a lot of things. A large slice of New York Cheese Pizza was to die for, the Chicago Deep dish Pizza was also lipsmacking. The all American breakfast at Maple shade, with its freshly brewed coffee, scrumptious waffles with fruits and syrup was also great.
During your holiday, did you have any offbeat experience?
I stayed at a very homely B&B in Niagara instead of a hotel. The stay was amazing because it was a personal treatment. I particularly enjoyed the breakfast; the spread was huge with a 3 course menu that included some dishes which I tried for the first time. The steamed pears and the freshly prepared raspberry jam were especially good.
Do you have any tips for the first-time travellers to the US?
If you don’t have a Canadian visa, then try not to enter the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls, especially if you are driving up there. I would also suggest that you visit USA during the fall because the country is really pretty during autumn.
There are a lot of restrictions on the food items you can carry to the States, so please check with the airport or the airline. If you are travelling to the US, try to book a ticket on Etihad and opt for clearing entrance immigration at the Abu Dhabi International Airport itself. This saves a lot of time on arrival there. Also, don’t carry too many electrical appliances to the states from here since the voltage and the plug pins are different there. Carry good quality adaptors if you need to carry any appliance. Try the local pizzas there for sure!
By Neetu George