Travel Safety Tip #23: Always carry a flashlight and portable radio
I got back from New York City last Friday night. The lights went out on the second to last day of the belly dance workshop, on the evening that we were to dance and eat at a local restaurant. I was putting on my makeup when the lights went out. At least I looked good!
Along with about a dozen other dancers, I was staying at the Leo House, a small hotel in Chelsea run by nuns (it used to be a convent).
We were lucky in several ways. Because its an older building, it had regular locks rather than key-card access, and it had windows that would open. Also lucky was the fact that the hotel is small, and I was only on the seventh floor. The Leo House has a small courtyard garden, and many of the hotel guests spent Thursday evening enjoying the cool breeze in the garden. As it began getting dark, the sisters brought out ham sandwiches and fruit, and we had a little picnic.
The water and sewer continued to function, for which we were grateful. I gather that both Detroit and Cleveland, and probably other places, lost potable water.
I did have a portable radio, but not a flashlight. So after night fell I listened to the news in the dark until I felt sleepy. It wasn't too hot, but with the window open the sirens in the city kept waking me up and I slept only fitfully.
The real stress came Friday afternoon, trying to get out of the city to the Newark airport to catch my *on time* flight. The subway was shut down, but a kind policeman pointed out that the PATH system was working. PATH is a short commuter subway that runs from Manhattan out to Newark. It must run on diesel, because it was running. Once in Newark the airport was a madhouse. I have never seen so many people trying to buy tickets. I finally made it to my gate five minutes before the scheduled takeoff time. I made it to Columbus around 9 pm and collapsed at home, tired but grateful for air conditioning.
Along with about a dozen other dancers, I was staying at the Leo House, a small hotel in Chelsea run by nuns (it used to be a convent).
We were lucky in several ways. Because its an older building, it had regular locks rather than key-card access, and it had windows that would open. Also lucky was the fact that the hotel is small, and I was only on the seventh floor. The Leo House has a small courtyard garden, and many of the hotel guests spent Thursday evening enjoying the cool breeze in the garden. As it began getting dark, the sisters brought out ham sandwiches and fruit, and we had a little picnic.
The water and sewer continued to function, for which we were grateful. I gather that both Detroit and Cleveland, and probably other places, lost potable water.
I did have a portable radio, but not a flashlight. So after night fell I listened to the news in the dark until I felt sleepy. It wasn't too hot, but with the window open the sirens in the city kept waking me up and I slept only fitfully.
The real stress came Friday afternoon, trying to get out of the city to the Newark airport to catch my *on time* flight. The subway was shut down, but a kind policeman pointed out that the PATH system was working. PATH is a short commuter subway that runs from Manhattan out to Newark. It must run on diesel, because it was running. Once in Newark the airport was a madhouse. I have never seen so many people trying to buy tickets. I finally made it to my gate five minutes before the scheduled takeoff time. I made it to Columbus around 9 pm and collapsed at home, tired but grateful for air conditioning.