::Tuesday, August 24, 2004::
IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE
..Some things never change in New York city. I brought my cousin to JFK, took a livery cab and was mesmerized by the new Air Train circling the airport complex. It was clean and looked fabulous and so out of the nyc experience. I would say very Europish. Sadly, the comparison ended as quickly as you can say pay up. The ride will cost your wallet a substantial $5 for such a short distance. Makes you wonder why you have to pay so much looking at vast areas of parking spaces that are just ugly to behold. Then the hassles pile up. It takes a while to figure out which side you are suppose to take to get to your destination. The signs are so small and before you can even study the map, which takes a scientist to figure out, a train comes before you can even think properly and lo and behold - you have taken the wrong one. Getting to the Howard Beach stop, I find the A train is not running between Far Rockaway and Rockaway Boulevard and I need to take the shuttle bus in between. After a wait that seemed like forever, a bus comes and it stops on the other wait stop! Running after it sweating profusely, the driver announces it is going on the other direction just when you've settled comfortably in your seat. Wheh! Some things never change. When will the city make it easy and comfortable for New Yorkers? Pity those tourists who must have had no clue where to go.
