On that Monday 5/17, I booked our flight to New York for that weekend after a big push from my wife that I should attend my ex-roommate wedding and that it's not gonna affect me much in terms of the flight ticket, that I can afford it. Part of me was thinking that we could have save some money buying it earlier and also thinking too much about travelling first time with 6 months Yasmin and how bad (or good I should have think) it's going to be. The flight ticket turns out not that bad for 2 people and a lap infant as it somehow didn't count the lap infant and gave me 100 bucks off after I refreshed and tried few coupons found on the internet. Then, was just planning to book hotel, airbnb and rental car.
I usually book multiple car rental to see cheapest and finally found something else during the trip. Picking up the car rental on the 3rd day took too much time (like 3 hours+) as I took the train to the airport, had to take the Airtrain which is like the inter-terminal train for the airport to the terminal and another shuttle van to the off-airport location. Plus additional 1 hour waiting for the queue for maybe 5 people ahead of me. I should have taken Uber/Lyft and spend the extra $8 dollars. I thought the train is cheaper than $13 for a 4 station stop but I didn't think through enough. I miscalculated because I saw on Google Map that the rental car is 13 mins walking distance to the train station at the airport but after talking to few workers at the train station and going back and forth and back within the Airtrain terminals, everything is actually fenced and just realized I had to go outside to the airport terminal to get to it although I can see the car rental site while on the train.
For the first night at the Airbnb, received complaints about baby crying and realized I didn't say I have a baby on the reservation. Also had to take 2 bus that night from Airport to Airbnb. Next morning took the bus and subway from Jamaica NY-which looks like a completely different country, like it's like Africa or somewhere in a big mess. Serabut gila my wife said with people all around the streets and so dirty. Went to Central park, barulah nampak macam America siket. Walk around and took pictures, stop by Time Square and took bus to NJ train station. We were already late at that point to arrive at the Union City Masjid for the wedding at 3.30 as we decide to go to hotel first.
Took Lyft to masjid and arrived at 5pm when the Meet and Greet session was done, I regretted this as I was thinking we would probably spend time at my friend's in-law place for private dinner afterwards anyways. Then, met a lot of good people that evening, new friends. The only drama is when I had to hold Yasmin to give time to my wife to eat and she cries so much like screaming with full tears. I don't know what to do, I tried calling my wife but she's probably eating and I wanted to give her some time. The men and women were separated as men at outside at the back of the house and women eat inside the house. I tried everything and it was also hot and humid while in AZ it's dry and I haven't sweated like that for a while, I thought Yasmin is hot or she's having allergy or whatever else. Turns out she's having the separation anxiety from the mum, so clingy with the mum. She cried whenever people tried to hold her or even when looking at new people. New environment for her and new people is a challenge. But I managed to chat and make new friends at the wedding. Didn't take any picture though, regrets.
Sunday, the drama to pickup the car cause us a delay to drive to Delaware to meet another friend. But it turns out to be okay, I was driving so fast like 90-100mph or 144-160km/h with a quite nice Toyota Camry SE which was supposed to be a midsize car but they ran out of it. The car rental lady was gonna charged me an extra $20/day as I was late for more than 2 hours from my reservation but I mentioned about the confusion to get there and getting stuck at the airport, so she was nice to honor me the online price. The drive was about 2/3 hours. Spent good time with WanK and family having shellout and he even invited us for breakfast the next morning.
Monday, drove back to NYC and went to Brooklyn Bridge park. Had nice view of NYC and got some walking with Yasmin in Stroller. Drove around World trade center, central park and The vessel. Found a nice hotel-Courtyard Marriott with Priceline deal and had Halal chinese food. Didn't get the chance to find and enjoy the Hoboken waterfront as it was getting late and I was tired. Pretty much it, flew into Phoenix next day and drove another 2 hours back home after stopping by for Lamb Mandi and water bottles. Worked for the half day for like 3/4hours.
We were panicked on the way to Phoenix on Friday as we didn't bring any documentation for Yasmin and thought I had to turn back and might missed our flight, but found online that they can accept vaccination record which is in Yasmin's bag or Birth cert which we have a picture which is acceptable but it turns out that the security officer didn't even asked for anything. so Alhamdulillah, I was making Istighfar throughout my drive to the airport.
The other thing, when planning was I thought we need a car seat to take Uber/Lyft with a baby, that's why I resorted to bus/subway initially to the Airbnb and took a wrong bus, didn't have the metrocard-but someone on the line gave us a Metrocard and the driver gave a direction where to change for another bus. First trip with a baby. Flight trip. A road trip to California would be easier I think.
Trip was from Friday May 21 2021 to Tuesday May 25 2021.
Written May 30 2021-12:24PM
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