NEW YORK

No Stroll in the Park this year

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We meet up with our close New York friends every year, so this year it's our turn to visit them in the Big Apple There is turmoil in the USA, with inbound travellers having phones and iPads confiscated and, in some cases tourists being refused entry for being deemed "anti-Trumpers".

Consequently, we have all agreed, including the Americans to change our plans.Furthermore, I feel the only way I can protest against Trump's chaos seeking approach is by not visiting the USA. So we agree to meet our favourite New Yorkers in 2025, but it's going to be in Europe. Our last trip to New York was meant to be for a month and we stayed three months; memorable times, met great people and we felt very safe in the city.

I recall on the last visit to New York being approached by a smartly dressed man asking if I wanted a COVID vaccination and he offered me 50 US dollars for doing so though I'd already had two COVID jabs in Sri Lanka and two in New York.

We arrive at what I expected to be Central Park, but its entrance is a zoo. I'm not a big fan of zoos and locking up animals. A great walk begins in one of the world's best city parks.