Stepping foot for the very first time on the iconic sidewalks of New York can be a thrilling experience. It is also a rather bewildering one, faced as you are with a teeming mass of pedestrians and traffic and the almost constant blast of sirens and horns. The pace of life here is nothing short of frantic and it takes some time to get used to, but once the initial shock has worn away you will soon find yourself immersed in all the excitement this city has to offer.
Getting around the city
Navigating New York's streets loaded with luggage (or even better, shopping!) is never easy even for the seasoned New Yorker. Hailing a cab is really the only sensible option and with the odd exception the city's cab drivers are friendly, informative and eager to please. Cabs are a safer prospect than the underground, certainly at night and particularly for women travelling alone. The city's crime record has greatly improved over the past decade but there is a nervous energy on the streets here that can be found nowhere else.