Seeing Transformers 2 in IMAX - 158 miles, 6 trains, 2 cars, 1 taxi
Share
Ben and I had tickets for the 1PM IMAX showing at the AMC theater on 34th St Manhattan. I got them online earlier in the week. This is our story.
Car #1 9:50am: We drove from our house to Red Bank in my car.
Train #1 10:17am: We left Red Bank on an NJ Transit train at 10:17. At Matawan they held us, announcing a draw bridge was stuck open and we would have to transfer to a bus. Then, magically, they transferred us to another train. Could this one "fly" above the stuck bridge?
Train #2 11:30am A diesel train comes up from Long Branch. Turns out the bridge was fixed, but the wires for the electric train are now not working. Board diesel train and head north.
Train #3 12:15pm Diesel train drops us in South Amboy. We are to cross over to other track, via a narrow foot bridge, to get electric train to NY. At same time, people are cross the other way to get on the diesel train which will go back south. Major fuster cluck. Trains ends up getting us to NY almost 2 hours late.
6 year old is tired and hungry. 41 year old is tired and hungry. We missed the movie. $35 down the drain. All other IMAX showings of it across NYC are sold out until midnight. I remember my sister-in-law said there was an IMX in Hamilton, New Jersey showing it. I go online via my iPhone and find the Hamilton theater. Order 2 tix for 6:25. Call the Mrs and ask her to pick us up at 9PM after movie. We will take train down there.
Train #4 1:45pm We take the subway to Times Square for lunch and 30 minjutes of games at the ESPN Zone.
Train #5 3:15PM We take the subway back to Penn Station.
Train #6 3:55PM We board the NJ Transit train for Hamilton. On the way down, I check confirmation of tickets. OH NO!!! I ordered tickets for Hamilton INDIANA!!!!!!! Heart pounding as 6 year old and I are rocketing down to Hamilton, NJ and now have no tickets. iPhone battery is on "red." I log onto Hamilton, NJ theater site and get 2 tix for the 6:25 showing.
I now have unused tix for film in NY and Indiana, and 2 we hope to use in NJ.
Taxi #1 5:10pm We take a 2 mile, $12 taxi ride from Hamilton depot to IMAX theater. We get our food, wait for the move to start.
Movie ROCKS. Must see in IMAX. Two empty seats in NY and two others in Indiana also enjoy show.
Car #2 9:00pm Patricia has drive over an hour to pick us up in her car. We stop at The Princetonian diner for a tradition NJ dinner of diner pancakes.
Car #1 again 10:30PM we pick up my car at the Red Bank train station.
10:45pm we are home.
In all, what was to be an easy day in Manhattan turned to a 158 mile, 12 hour + adventure using 6 trains, 2 cars and 1 taxi.
What a day!!!!!!!!!!
_________________ Ahead of the Torch: http://www.robertjohndavis.com/blog
|