New York & Chicago 2021 (pre-Omicron)
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2nd trip to United States - New York and Chicago
via Dubai
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Date: 20 Nov to 3 Dec 2021
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Season: Fall/Winter
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Flight: Emirates/Qatar & United Airlines
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Hotel: The New Yorkers, Wyndham, Manhattan;
Airbnb, Grove St. New Jersey (many halal food here) and Travelodge by Wyndham
Downtown, Chicago
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No. of Travelers: 2 persons
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https://www.instagram.com/bookworm.travel/
(can refer to IG Story)
Unplanned trip to US in 2021. We were informed by our fellow
traveller that the border will open soon both Malaysia and US for tourism. No
need travel pass anymore and no quarantine for US. Short story, I and Azlah already
has US Visa and still valid for many more years. The 1st time I went
to US was in 2018. From Niagara Fall, NY, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Florida.
This round, Azlah and I decided to visit Chicago for 2 nights since we will
spend 7 nights in NYC.
3 weeks plan. Renew passport at end of Oct 2021 and
immediately buy the flight tix. Before they announce the opening of the border,
return tix flight KL-NY is less than RM3k. After 2 days, it becomes RM3.5k. emmm…
and for me, I upgrade Business Class for 1 Sector on my way back from Dubai to
KL. Cause me additional cost.
So why we choose USA?
1) we had visa ready
2) no quarantine in US
3) free covid-19 test, rtk-antigen, antibody and PCR at any
time, anywhere in NYC
4) NYC still have mask on mandatory indoor
5) we love the vibe of NYC
Itinerary
20 Nov 2021 (Saturday): Depart from KLIA around 7.30pm.
21 Nov 2021 (Sunday): Arrived at JFK Terminal 4 (Dubai) &
Terminal 8 (Qatar) around 8am. We didn’t check that we will arrive at different
terminal. Just go for it.
-
Early check in at The New Yorker, Manhattan,
next to Penn Station, St. 34. Cost us additional USD75. 75% of the hotel price.
Shower, pray and take a rest
- Walk to Bryant Park, One Vanderbilt, NYC Library, Grand Central to buy Magnolia Bakery, Times Square, Line Store (carik BTS merchandise) and back to hotel, Fifth Avenue area.
22 22 Nov 2021: Breakfast at Best Bagel Coffee. Walking from hotel 34th St. to Central Park 59th St. Rent bike and cycling around Central Park. Can see many museum located near the upper Manhattan. Didn’t have a chance to visit this museum. Back to hotel. Check out. Store our luggage at rental storage nearby.
Take double decker train from Penn Main Station to Newark Airport Station to catch domestic flight from Newark to O’hare International Airport, Chicago. Massive airport. Arrived during sunset. Take blue train to Chicago downtown. Check in hotel.
23 Nov 2021: Chicago, the Windy City. It was -3c here. Very cold and windy. Breakfast at Dunkin Donut. Walk to Millennium Park. The Bean. Cloud Gate. The Great Lawn, Jay Pritzker Pavillion, Cross the BP bridge to Maggie Daily Park. So many parks here next to Lake Michigan. Walk along Chicago river walk, (Trump Tower) to Navy Pier. Stop at Target. Naik Ferris Wheel and went to Hard Rock Chicago and Starbucks. Tapau lunch/dinner at The Halal Guys and heading back to our hotel. Waking all day long. Tido awal. Malam bangun balik. Jalan2 around the city. Sini byk university, library, public office. Suke pegi CVS Pharmacy and Walgreen. Ade 7E. Panda Express etc.
24 Nov 2021: Breakfast at Dunkin. Walk
to Target to buy new luggage for me and painkiller. Sakit gigi. Lunch at Thai
food before check out from hotel and walk to Blue Train to catch our flight
back to Newark, New Jersey. Flight delay. So arrived quite late in NJ. Catch
bus from Newark to Path Station. Take subway to Grove St. NJ. Check in Airbnb.
25 Nov 2021: Thanksgiving Day. Breakfast
at Dunkin. Take subway to WTC. Walk to the downtown for Macy’s Parade. Ramai
giler org. waktu ni dah risau kalo kena covid. Abisla. Mcm mane nak balik. Then
pegi Central Park. Still got foliage. Walk to Rockefeller Center, St Patrick
Cathedral, Apple Store at 5th Avenue and take Roosevelt Island Aerial
Tram to Roosevelt Island. Dinner nasi
briyani tapau from Pakistan restaurant.
26 Nov 2021: Black Friday. Shopping
Day. Macy’s, Ulta, Amazon Bookstore, Zara, H&M, Uniqlo back to Apple Store at 5th
Avenue. Tapau chicken wing on the way back.
27 Nov 2021: Walk from WTC to find
Harry Potter Store. Take photo at the red stairs at Time Square. Lunch at
Birreria (Italian Fine Dining), Summit One Vanderbilt, Hudson Yards next to
Hudson River. High Line Park. Flatiron under renovation.
28 Nov 2021: NY announce State
Emergency. Walk to Brooklyn bridge and Dumbo. Back to Time Square to take Covid
Test. Get RTK-Antigen result in 15 minutes. Negative. Have to wait 24 hours for
PCR and it’s negative or not detected. Drop by at Yankees store. Walk along
Broadway theater district. Take subway to Union, NJ. Got festival here. Lunch
at Luke Lobster. Walk to Washington Sq Park.
29 Nov 2021: Target Store NJ. Final
shopping (trust me). Owen Grundy Park, Exchange Place (best view of NYC). Went
to 911 Memorial Museum and then Oculus. Tapau Nasi Briyani again.
30 Nov 2021: Morning walk to Liberty State Park, NJ. Went to Walgreen. Colgate Clock. 9/11 Memorial NJ, Morris Canal Basin. Print PCR report and Home Quarantine Letter. Check out from Airbnb at 4pm. Courtesy from our host. Dinner Shake Shack at JFK
1 Dec 2021: Transit in Milan 2-3
hours. Sempat shopping lagi.
2 Dec 2021: Transit in Dubai 4
hours. Have milkshake. Shower. Solat.
3 Dec 2021: Arrived in KLIA at
last. Register mysejahtera. Take pink wristlet. PCR test. Immigration. Pick up
luggage. Balik naik taxi airport.
- Emirates Return flight RM3,500
- United return flight: RM1,100
- Airbnb: RM4,000 6 nights for 2 pax
- Hotel NY (1N), Chicago (2N): RM1,700 for 2 pax
- Metro Pass 7 days: USD33
- Bike Rental + Subway + Bus + Makan + Shopping: At your own cost.
