Back in New York

I arrived in New York around midday on the 28th, got to the Hilton (Trek America's gateway hotel) and treated myself to a ludicrously expensive, nine-million-calorie bacon Sandwich. Mmm-mm. Met up with some of my tour group in the evening for drinks and discovered that, with three other teachers on the trip, it wouldn't be much of an escape from thinking about teaching after all!

The thirteen members of our group met up with our guide Kyle pretty early on the 29th and set out in our minivan for Finger Lakes. We took what Kyle advertised as a 'hike' (actually about a 2km walk) to a "Waterfall" (actually a trickle - usually it's a lot more dramatic) called Taughannock. Later on, we swam in one of the Finger Lakes until we found ourselves being ever so slightly tangled up in huge amounts of seaweed.

We finished up at a winery, tasting 8 wines for $3, eating lovely fudge and listening to live country music.

We put up our tents for the first time at our campsite for the night and cooked chilli, the first of many (very successful...) campfire dinners.

New York, United States