I don't travel. When I do, it's only for business. I prefer road travels because the variables can be managed. Not with air travel. Too many variables beyond my control, financially costlier, and unrestrained negative feedback by family should anything – however small – displeases them.
The last leisure air travel was in October 2024 to San Diego, CA for my niece's college graduation. It was 2 days short and went without any issues. Can't say the same for the one before: Valley of the Sun in October 2022 for my uncle's celebration of life. That trip – also two days – was soured by the TSA screening at the origin airport. I had to watch a TSA staff disposed my water bottle and Swiss army knife, the latter was gifted to me by a previous employer. I uttered an inappropriate term that I shall not repeat, ran as fast as I could to the gate – with luggage in tow – and arrived just as airline staff announced a final call for me. If that wasn't enough, my check-in luggage was pried open and searched twice during my business trip to Peachtree City in March of this year. I know this because the notice below was left in my luggage both times. I was relieved they didn't damage my lock. Don't need more reasons to be a selfish prick towards my fellow Americans.
In early June, I called Concierge Club for shuttle pickup to and from the hotel. Skeptical at first because the company didn’t have an email or a website, and the only method of contact was by phone, the owner John P. explained his business operated from the hotel. The price was $120 each way. It was a better rate than what Collette offered: $150 per person for round trip, totaling $450 that covers shuttle service from home to origin airport and from to destination airport to hotel, and back. I was given the following instructions by John: information regarding the driver will be sent by text on the day before the trip, and call the driver when we arrive at the airport.
The day before the travel, I did not receive any information regarding the Concierge driver. At almost 5pm, I contacted John. According to him, he was in a hospital for a medical procedure but assured me that the driver would contact me when we arrived – contrary to what he said before. The call left me with an unsettling feeling, wondering if John might be yanking my chain. (According to a Google search, the John P. identified with Concierge Club was in his 70s. No further information other than that. The company had no website and there was nothing that definitively identified John himself.) Just like that, I was bracing for two potential areas of disappointment.
I then contacted Tour Guide Joe and left a message inquiring what I could do if we were stuck at the destination airport when the Concierge driver (that I paid good money for) didn't call or show up. While we were waiting for our flight the next day, Joe touched base with me. We discussed possible arrangements in worst case scenarios, and to keep him in the loop regardless. Speaking of flight, there were no issues with our REAL IDs. Screening was a cinch.
The flight however wasn’t. The plane was at the runway when an announcement declared of weather concerns at the destination airport LGA. For nearly an hour, there was no update from that airport’s air traffic control that our plane was cleared for takeoff. We remained stranded and none of us had any lunch. What were airport and flight crew afraid of? Weather forecast showed cloudy but no showers. (I got back at them by filling out the airline survey, giving them an overall grade of 3/10, and insisting that in future they provide lunches to the passengers for the delay.)
After arriving at LGA, I checked my phone. No calls or messages from the Concierge driver. I contacted John. A few minutes later, the driver Jesus called and told us where to meet after picking up our luggage. Jesus was a devout Catholic (photos of Christ on his speedometer), friendly, dressed like a chauffeur, and helped put our luggage in the trunk. The radio was already on a jazz music station, but he offered to switch to any station we wanted. Jazz was a good choice to help get through the unpleasantly slow NYC traffic. As you can see, I was glad I did not have to drive.
During the commute, Jesus pointed out streets and buildings of interest. East Manhattan, he said, was a residential area with less traffic while the west side – the business area – had more. In fact, hear it from the horse's mouth.
(FYI, 30 Hudson Yards is the tall building over yonder with a breathtaking observation deck on the 100th floor called The Edge.) We arrived at the hotel just after 4pm and headed straight to the Registration & Orientation meeting. To my displeasure, Wife took two $20s out of my wallet and gave them to Jesus.
Day 1: Check-In & Orientation
A brief demographic breakdown of our 36-member group: 60% female, 14 seniors (over 60 years old), 5 teenagers (including Son), and predominantly white ethnicity (including 2 Canadians) with 3 African-Americans and 2 Kryptonians.
Tour Guide Joe – a native New Yorker from Harlem and Bronx, but currently living in New Jersey – was jovial, passionate, personable, and had over 20 years in the tourism business. According to him, he had been taking the subway since he was 7 years old and had only gotten lost once. He knew every train line, where the curves were, when to hold on when the ride got bumpy, and number of stops from any point A to point B by heart. As our guide, he went through the basics of the tour program that included the daily itinerary and the must-haves for every member – Road Scholar baseball cap, radio set (to hear him in the bustling NYC streets), OMNY card and lanyard.
After the radio and earpiece were issued, I put my radio in my lanyard and swapped the the earpiece with my earbuds. I preferred to hear with both ears than with one. The OMNY cards would be supplied the following day. Joe's assistants Jeff and Langston did our registrations for the UN visit. Wife was concerned with the blurry quality of the photos taken by the assistants' laptop. It could deny us entry. Before leaving for our room, we were informed to gather in the lobby at 5:45pm for dinner at Tick Tock Diner. (Full details of the dining experience is found in Addendum – Complimentary Dining.)
After dinner, we chilled in our room for a bit, thinking that the Intro to The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island meeting – in preparation for tomorrow’s visit to the titular locales – was at 7:45pm. It turned out to be at 7:30pm. The speaker was Liberty Island tour guide Tom B.. Using a slideshow of photos, he recounted the history of the Island and the Statue, his experience working as tour guide, all of which demonstrated a vast wealth of knowledge sprinkled with good humor. The group was enraptured. He concluded with a promotion of his cookbook. After that, Joe informed us all to meet in the lobby tomorrow at 8:45am.
Day 1 wasn't perfect but it turned out reasonably good.
("Return to The Big Apple" continues in Part 2.)
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