Adventure to New York City with Delta

I recently escaped to New York City to reconnect with old contacts, and to get inspired by the urban landscape. In a partnership with Delta, I packed up my camera gear, sketchbook and pens, excited to hit the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan. I hadn’t been to New York in two years, but couldn’t wait to be back in the pulse of the city--quite a shift from the sand and waves that have become my second home. The trip was a solid success, with new friendships, connections, and fun adventures all crammed into a short four days. I captured lots of fresh images for my accounts, explored some new neighborhoods, and an exciting visit to Vine Headquarters punctuated a great time in the city that never sleeps. 

The flights were far too short, due to Delta’s cool new feature, Free In-Flight Entertainment. I was able to sketch while enjoying tons of free options, making the two hours fly by. Typical in-flight nuisances like noisy kids, bumpy skies, and confined space vanished with free movies and TV shows at my fingertips. 

My favorite evening of the trip was spent hanging out with two fellow Instagram photographers, capturing the dazzling and diverse beauty of the city. My two new buddies and I explored the crowded streets of Chinatown, the sights and smells calling our names. We feasted on Asian deliciousness in a hole-in-the-wall discovery, and snapped shots of the colorful sensory overload. We wandered through a festival in Little Italy, inhaling the flavor of the party, while dodging the elbows of the crowd. We hiked halfway across the Manhattan Bridge, and grabbed images of the breathtaking view, while deafening trains rattled past.

We visited the beautiful new World Trade Center train station, and were blown away by the striking white architecture, and moved by the triumphant statement of perseverance through tragedy. Shutters clicked as we all grabbed the opportunity to capture the sculptural gem, outlined by a clear black sky. My feet ached by the end of that day, but wow…the images and new friendships were more than worth it. 

The flight home didn’t disappoint, and my tablet again became a mini movie screen--a welcome break from running subway stairs and stomping the city streets for four days. My particular flights were on small planes, so be sure to bring your tablets, so you can score all of the same great entertainment freebies that Delta makes so easy to access and enjoy.

Inspiration lies everywhere--and this trip to New York filled me with a renewed appreciation of all that a gritty urban panorama has to offer. I am now back in the waves--but part of my heart lives in New York City.