Aladdin's adventure flying to New York with United Airlines

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.

Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.

So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

Aladdin's adventure on board United Airlines flight UA3648

United Airlines UA3648
Toronto Intl - New York, Newark Intl
5May2023 10:32 5May2023 12:22

Friday 5 ^th of May 2023 and I will leave Best Western Plus Travel Hotel Toronto Airport at 8 o'clock with their free airport shuttle. I was out of bed at 5 thirty and I went to have m firs breakfast at the hotel and it was really good.

And they had real China and metal cutlery, nothing I have been spoiled with during the stay in USA/ Canada and I have never had any hotel breakfast during this North American birding tour. But the breakfast at Best Western Plus Travel Hotel Toronto Airport was very good.

The breakfast was very good

I went back to my room and I spent 5 minutes packing my bags while emptying my last bottle of MAX, well, I kept one bottle to have in the airport shuttle going to the airport. We left the hotel at 8 o'clock and I don't think I will ever come back to Toronto, but if I do, I will stay at Best Western Plus Travel Hotel Toronto Airport.

It had been a nice time at the hotel with an amazing staff both at the hotel and at the restaurant, called BITE. Not belonging to the hotel, but it was located in the hotel.

Best Western Plus Travel Hotel Toronto Airport

My second stay here, and I will stay here next time in Toronto as well!

First of all, when coming in to the hotel the staff is very welcoming and are having an genuine concern about your comfort during the stay. Almost like a family.

The rooms are good and they have everything you need for a comfortable stay. And I used their FREE shuttle service (PICK UP AND DROP), a 10 minutes ride to the international airport.

I was in Canada for 10 days with a rented car and it was very easy to use the hotel as a bird watching base with easy access to the highway network

The parks in Toronto about 30 minutes away and the Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby 50 minutes away. Niagara Falls 1 hour 15 minutes or so.

Breakfast included and they have china and stainless steel cutlery in the restaurant named BITE.

The restaurant, BITE does not belong to the hotel but the restaurant is located in the hotel. And the staff and Manager is as SERVICE MINDED as the staff in the hotel and I had a couple of dinners in the restaurant.

The ribs are very good! I had friends over and we ate at the restaurant and we were all very satisfied!

My room

My room

Bite at Best Western Plus Travel Hotel Toronto Airport

What to expect from a restaurant at an airport hotel? In the middle of nowhere and I was at least to say sceptic when I entered the restaurant the first day.

The manager was really service minded and the ribs was excellent. So I went back for another dinner and the last day I invited 2 friends and they were both very happy with the food.

The food was really good and the service level was putting the last star on the review, I will be back and I can recommend the BITE restaurant.

Salad

They have very good food

10 minutes later and I got out from the shuttle at UNITED's check in. Flying to USA used to be a hassle and never-ending interrogations and meters of documents to fill up. Used to be recommended to be at the airport many hours before departure.

Same when I boarded my flight in Singapore back in March, it was a normal boarding and I did not expect any problem here in Canada.

UNITED check-in at Toronto Pearson International Airport

Check-in was smooth and the security went pretty quickly and I passed something the called PRE-SCREENING with the US Immigration and after that it was like a domestic flight between Canada and USA. So, everything was very easy and I was really impressed.

I bought two bottles of MAX and I went to the Air Canada lounge where they have free Coca Cola, but “FREE” is not always tasting better even though there are many thinking so.

Pepsi at Air Canada Lounge

I spend an hour in the lounge and I buy a ticket to Singapore from Bangkok and I willhopefully avoid any trouble when I fly back to Bangkok on the 9th of May.

I leave the lounge and I reach gate F60 and the boarding for flight UA3648 to New York and the boarding start 2 minutes later. I asked the lady at the boarding desk if biz was full and she said yes. When I bought my tickets, I had booked aisle seats but now I was in a window seat.

I was a little disappointed but I was very happy coming on board as it was a single row on my side of the plane. So, I had both window and aisle seat and I was looking forward to the flight, even though we only have about 60 minutes in the air.

Boarding flight UA3648

Boarding flight UA3648

Boarding flight UA3648

I have refreshment

I take my seat and I have a bottle of MAX in the seat pocket in front of me. Boarding is actually very smooth and this is the first time I fly UNITED and there is no debacle with the carry-on luggage and the overhead bins.

They pull us out from the jet bridge and we start to taxi towards the runway and we take off. Iam leaving Canada and of course, today there are just a few clouds and it would have been a nice day for bird watching. When I was here it was raining every day.

Ready to leave

Pulling out from the jet bridge

Taxi to the runway

I leave Canada and Toronto is having sunshine

Flying over a sunny Tommy Thompson Park, Toronto

I POP open my refreshment while flying over Toronto and the Tommy Thompson Park is clear from clouds and it would have been a perfect birding day. But I gave Tommy Thompson Park a couple of tries but had to give up because of rain.

I enjoyed my refreshment and I they offered some snacks and I had some almonds. We were over USA and it was covered in clouds so I was a little bit worried about the weather in New York as I had planned to go birding in the afternoon.

The flight went smooth and we were soon descending down to Newark Liberty International Airport and we descend through the clouds.

Coming down through the clouds

The weather improves when we approach New York

The weather improves when we approach New York

It looks good over Manhattan

Looks to be a good “birding” afternoon on Manhattan

I was very happy when we approached Newark Liberty International Airport as the sun was shining over Manhattan and I was looking forward to some bird watching in the afternoon. My plan is to take a taxi to Bryant Park to have a look for birds.

Touch down and we arrive to the same gate 112 and that was the same gate I left New York for Miami back in March. Not far to walk to the luggage claim and I booked a car with Lyft, 60 dollars to get to my hotel in Hell's Kitchen.

My winter clothing is in the luggage but the weather is just fine and I willhopefully not have to use them again in a very long time.

Waiting for my Lyft ride

My car arrives in a couple of minutes and we are soon on our way to 39th Street and it is located just very close to the Time Square. And Bryant Parkis just two blocks away from the hotel. I have planned to visit Bryant Park but as I arrived earlier than expected I decided to check out the park today, better take the opportunity while the weather is nice

No need to go back there and I will spend the next two or three days in the Central Park. We took off towards Manhattan and we will take the Lincon Tunnel and we will come up very close to the hotel. So, I had booked hotel at a very good location.

Going to Manhattan

Going to Manhattan

Reaching the tunnel

Outside Candlewood Suites NYC, my hotel

I step out of the Lyft car quarter past 1 so it had been about 30-minute s to get here from the airport. The rooms were not ready until 3 o'clock so I put my luggage in the reception. I took my birding equipment and I left to go look for birds at the Bryant Park.

I walk along the street and I see a small Japanese Restaurant, only two or three tables and I went inside. I ask if they have salmon and as they confirm that they have salmon I take a seat. I had two plates of salmon sushi before I left.

Salmon sushi

I use my Lyft app to book a car to take me to Bryant Park and it takes a couple of minutes and I am on my way for my first ever bird watching in New York. Not having to wake up with a hangover, I really love this bird watching. You get to see the world, well, before I got to see the world as well, but always with a hangover.

I got out of the car and I was surprised, the park was full of people. I already knew that it was a small park, but that it would be full of people came as a surprise. People sitting down eating their lunch or just talking. So, I had not any high hopes.

I counted a lot of Feral Pigpens and House Sparrows and I walked around seeing no other birds.

Bryant Park

Bryant Park

Bryant Park

Bryant Park

I walked around among the people in the park and I felt a little stupid walking around with my camera looking in the trees and bushes. And I was the only one looking for birds and according to eBird they have found all kinds of exciting birds in this park.
- Hmm, maybe they come here early morning?

Anyway, there was a family sitting around a table and there was a White-throated Sparrow behind them and I sneaked up to get a picture.

I continued and I was looking behind the benches people were sitting on and I spotted one Grey Catbird. Sitting under the bushes behind a bench and I asked the coupe if they had ever seen a catbird before.
- Catbird?
- Yes, they sound like a cat, I explained.

I got a picture and the day was saved, to have a checklist with only House Sparrows and Feral Pigeons would not have impressed anyone.

House Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Grey Catbird

Grey Catbird

Grey Catbird

Grey Catbird

So, I had a least a couple of good pictures and I continued my walk around the park. The park is not any beautiful park, there are trees and some bushes. A square lawn in the middle of the park so I guess the main reason for this park is for people to come have their lunch break etc.

And it was not easy to walk around with all the people, but I can cross this park off and I will not leave until I have explored the whole park, normally a 10 minutes’ walk but now I took the time to look for birds under the bushes.

Bryant Park

Bryant Park

Bryant Park

There was a lot of White-throated Sparrows and I was happy to have got the first picture as they were very hard to get on picture. But the first bird turned out good so I was not stressed to get a picture of the White-throated Sparrow.

I wanted some pictures of the Feral Pigeons and I sneaked up on a group to get a few photos. They are in a group but I wanted to have a lone pigeon on the picture.

Feral Pigeon

Feral Pigeon

Bryant Park

Bryant Park

Bryant Park

There is a small bird bath and I discover a Common Starling bathing so that was another bird on my very short Bryant Park eBird checklist. I walked to the east side of the park and I turned off my eBird app.

I was quite happy even though my checklist was short and not very exciting. But it was a good starter and I hope to kick arse in the Central Park tomorrow.

Common Starling

Common Starling

eBird Report

Bryant Park (5th-6th Ave. btwn 40th-42nd St.), New York, New York, US
May 5, 2023 14:06 - 14:59
Protocol: Traveling
1.45 kilometer(s)
5 species

Feral Pigeon 17
Common Starling 4
Grey Catbird 6
House Sparrow 23
White-throated Sparrow 14

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S136183398

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track in the Bryant Park

Walking down to Broadway and my hotel

I was told that there is a Target grocery shop at Time Square and I double checked on internet. I walked down to Broadway and Time Square and I found the Target. I need milk and water so I can make tea in my room. I also bought blueberries and ham. And I bottle of Honey Mustard.

I booked a Lyft car with my Lyft app and I am soon back at my hotel. The New York Bird Watching Trip Report can be found HERE .

You are visitor no.

To www.aladdin.st since December 2005

Visitors from different countries since 26th of September 2011

Mobilize your Site

View Site in Mobile | Classic