Good morning. It is 10am. I’m in my hotel in New York’s Financial District. I have a 2pm flight out of Newark Airport.

I highly recommend the City Mapper app for navigating the New York City transportation system. This is my trip to the airport. I’m taking the subway to Penn Station. Then the New Jersey Transit to Newark Airport.

There used to be an Asian restaurant in the J0hn Wick building but it looks like that space is available now.

I’m in the subway station at 10:15. I picked up a pastrami on rye this morning from Katz. It’s going to be my lunch today. 

When you have a good connection the City Mapper app will give you information like this. The problem is you lose WiFi a lot in the subway. They are supposed to have free WiFi down here but I haven’t had much luck with it.

I arrived at Penn Station at 10:28.

I got my ticket and got on the train at 10:40. I didn’t have time for a lot of pictures because this train was about to leave and the next one was in a half hour.

My subway ride was included in the unlimited pass I bought. This train ticket cost $15.75.

When the City Mapper app has a good connection it will tell you when to get off.

I arrived at 11:10.

You want to make sure you keep your train ticket because you need it to get through those gates.

I’m supposed to be able to take this AirTrain to the terminal but it’s closed today. I’m going to have to go downstairs and take a bus.

I arrived outside at 11:18.

I was on a bus at 11:23.

We arrived at the terminal at 11:30.

The max weight for a suitcase on Spirit without paying an additional heavy bag fee is 40lbs. I just made it at 39.5.

This one has a rubber thing that gives you some bounce in your steps.

I was through bag drop at 11:40, to TSA at 11:48 and through TSA at noon. I did ask a TSA agent if my sandwich could go through first. Otherwise I would’ve eaten it on the other side.

I made it to my gate with two hours until takeoff. There is no plane here yet but the sign indicates there will be one.

It’s pastrami time.

That other half is going to Dallas.

A lot of people make fun of Spirit. I know several comedians who use Spirit in their act. I don’t get it. I love Spirit. Their tickets are reasonable and they have cheap upgrades. I will at least upgrade to an exit row aisle seat with additional legroom. My preference is to upgrade to this big front seat.

This is the most I’ve ever paid for a big front seat which was $100 upgrade. I had a hectic flight to Barcelona so I’m going to enjoy this comfort. This is basically a first class seat without the free drink and hot towel. 

When I book the exit row seat I’ll sit on the aisle. When I book a big front seat I’ll take a window because there’s this big arm rest and so much room to get by if I need to.

I haven’t noticed this before. I guess it’s a safety procedure for when one of the pilots is in the bathroom. When he went into the bathroom a flight attendant went into the cockpit and another flight attendant blocked the front with a cart.

The guy next to me wanted to get up to get his bag out of the overhead compartment but was told he needed to sit down until the pilot was back in the cockpit. Another flight attendant got his bag for him. When the pilot finished his business, he called the cockpit, the flight attendant came out, he went in, and the cart got removed.

The guy next me makes a phone call. Very loudly says “Hi how are you? Well I’m in the airplane.” Thankfully a flight attendant told him he’s not allowed to use the Wi-Fi for phone calls. That was going to be very annoying.

Now the guy is texting and he has a ding. So now it’s just ding, ding, ding, ding.

I always have mine on silent. If I don’t see or feel you, you’ll just have to wait.

I did buy the basic in flight Wi-Fi so I can start getting caught up on real life things. 

Initial descent.

Of course they tell us baggage claim E31 and it’s actually E32.

I’m telling you these airlines are making me want to be a carry on guy.

I almost missed my shuttle because I didn’t want to have to run over these kids in front of me. He was starting to pull off and I had to flag him down.

I usually park at Remote South. This time I’m at Express South. I paid an extra dollar a day for that. The main thing with that is you’re closer, the shuttle comes more often, goes to your specific terminal, and picks you up and drops you off at your vehicle.

There is a bit of a weather adjustment.

It won’t be long before we get out of this heat again. I’m heading to Alaska next.