New York through my lens!

The best weather in New York is in October! It’s beautiful and pleasant, with the sun out yet quite cold, the autumn air crisp, and the maple leaves turning shades of gold. Coming from Bangalore, India, I had never experienced anything like this before. Around this time, I decided to take my mother to NYC!

A lot of people found my choice unusual—most would prefer traveling with their spouse, friends, or even solo. But I went against the norm and chose my mother as my travel companion. And I must say, it was the best decision! My mom proved that age is just a number—she accompanied me everywhere and enjoyed every place just as much as I did.

However, on the first day, I did have a moment of doubt. I wondered if bringing my mother to the US was the right decision. I got a bit of cold feet—after all, traveling with a senior citizen to a foreign land is a bold step. But it only took one day for my doubts to disappear. My mom was an absolute sport!

On our first day in NYC, we started with Times Square, followed by the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, The MET, Broadway Theatre, and Central Park. The best way to get around? The subway! And wow, what incredible connectivity—though, eeks, not so much for the cleanliness 🙂. Google Maps should be part of our Ayudha Pooja ( Festival to worship weapons) —it was such a savior and super easy to rely on. It showed us exactly how to navigate the subway.

I’ve only used the metro once in Bangalore—for a joy ride! So, using a MetroCard was something I had to figure out. As I struggled to load my card, a cashier noticed in the metro station and—just like that—gave my mom and me a free ride! Voila! What a warm welcome to New York City!

The major attractions were beautiful—Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, The MET, and Central Park. But what truly stood out was Niagara Falls! Of course, it was a bus ride away from NYC, but the view was absolutely spectacular. Growing up, I had seen Niagara Falls in countless English movies and, of course New York cafe, in FRIENDS! Being there in person was surreal.

I made a few friends in New York—people had no inhibitions about striking up a conversation. One of my fellow travelers was a lady from Israel who was traveling with her 3-year-old daughter. We got chatting, and she even gave me her number, inviting me to visit Israel! When I complimented her daughter, she smiled and said, “I love your skin color and that I was beautiful” She also told me that she had seen a lot of India and how people there always spoke highly of my country. That moment filled me with pride!

New York is a fast-paced city, known for Wall Street and Vogue, with an increasing dollar value and a significant homeless population. The food culture? Let’s just say it’s not the healthiest. Most people carry a bag with a burger and cola, and about 1 in 10 people appear obese. Obesity and cancer seem to be among the most common health concerns here.

The city has its quirks—people have no inhibitions about nudity, and weed is practically the new hot dog! I was amused to see weed joints being openly sold on the streets of New York. It’s a city of extreme contrasts—home to the ultra-rich, yet many still struggle to make ends meet.

This trip made me reflect—no matter where we are in the world, life presents challenges. And it’s up to us to make it beautiful!