Three and a Half Weeks in the Eastern Coast of the US: Week 1

For a vast country like the United States of America, one week (or three!) will never be enough. There are far too many states with lovely places to be, even one month may not be enough. Three weeks spent in the eastern part of the US and we've only managed to scratch the surface. Still, it doesn't matter whether you've only spent a week or a year in that country; the experience was definitely the one that counted the most. So for three-and-a-half weeks, we state-hopped our way around the East Coast!

The trip from the Philippines to New York was definitely exhausting. It's best to be ready for these long flights. We landed in JFK International Airport at 10PM and spent a long time (read: 2 hours) in line in immigration. The process itself wasn't that long because the guy from Homeland Security was pretty accommodating and courteous, but the line was overkill. Still, it's part of the experience. When you think the line at the immigration in the Philippines is long, wait 'til you get to New York. Once we got out, it was another two hours from JFK to Toms River, NJ (our relatives' place). Toms River itself is a wonderful place. The place was relaxing at its best. The first thing we did once we were able to take a rest was to go to the flea market. This is definitely an experience that people should try. We were able to buy books, a bunch of comic books, a whole lot of vinyl records and LPs, all under $10! As soon as we got settled in, we went on a road trip to Niagara Falls. When I say road trip, I mean road trip. We were on the road for hours, stopping every now and then to stretch our legs. Different states in just hours, that's what it is.


There is possibly only one word to describe Niagara Falls: Majestic. It was so massive and so beautiful, one would literally go "Wow." or just plain speechless. We took the ferry that would take you near the falls. If it was beautiful from afar, it gets even more beautiful when you go near it. If you plan on going here, it could get really cold, so it's best to have your sweater or jacket ready.