Today’s agenda included visiting some of New York’s iconic landmarks, Grand Central Station and Wall Street. I woke up around 9 am, mindful of the 11 am check-out deadline. After a quick shower, I set aside time to handle an important phone call. The previous night, I’d noticed an email from the airline asking me to contact them urgently. Without a local SIM card, I opted to call via Skype—an affordable and practical solution. Unfortunately, the wait was excruciatingly long, made worse by the endlessly looping hold music that tested my patience. I explained the issue to the airline representative…

Tonight, I planned to watch the Dutch football match at Tonic Times Square bar. I woke up around 11:30 am, got ready quickly with a shower, shave, and brushing my teeth. Afterward, I messaged Steve to tell him about my plans and invited him to join if he felt like it and had the time. The Tonic Times Square bar I found online was going to be packed with Dutch fans, so I knew I had to get there early. If I didn’t, they might send me to their sister bar, where I’d read they’d immediately send families with children…

Today, I planned to watch the Fourth of July fireworks near the Brooklyn Bridge. Rolling out of bed around 2 p.m., the aftermath of last night hit me—it had been wild, far beyond what I’d anticipated from the meeting. The first five minutes still stood out: the moment I nearly walked away but decided to stay. Fast forward to 6 a.m., and I was finally back at the hostel, exhausted but thrilled. A Well Deserved Bath With Drew gone, I had the entire dorm to myself for the day. Taking full advantage of the solitude, I filled the tub using…