After I retired, I found myself traveling to New York. The city. I was to attend a meeting over a 3-day weekend. In the past, every time I traveled I was on a tight schedule and I never got to spend time sightseeing. I decided I would not make that mistake this time.
My ex-wife and my daughter had way more experience with pleasure traveling than I had and I discussed this trip with both of them. I figured they both knew me well enough that I could trust their advice. My daughter more than my wife.
My wife and I had met in Reno at a race I was participating in. We got to know each other over the 4 days we spent there in December. We spent another 4 days together over New Year's vacation with her flying up to see me. Long story short, we were married in early May. Our sex life was great and we were both happy with each other. That lasted through the birth of our daughter and the 4 years until she got pregnant with what would have been our son. After all the struggles with the pregnancy, losing our son, the fight to recover from the miscarriage, and all the failed surgeries so she would still be able to have more babies, I think she just wanted it all to be over. Our marriage was rocky from that point on. I really can't blame her. She was a wonderful mother and we both spoiled our daughter but, aside from our daughter, she had little interest in the things I did anymore. We drifted apart. After 17 years, we divorced. Her idea. I didn't want it but I couldn't seem to make her happy. I figured it was what was best for both of us.
Our daughter was 15 when the divorce happened and she decided that she wanted mom and dad to have joint custody. She spent time with both of us, sometimes together, and at times we almost seemed like a family. When she went off to college, that was pretty much it. She spent more time with her friends and less and less with her Mom and me. I figured that was how it should be. She was and is a very free spirit. When she married, one of the things she and her husband did, was go on a 3-month trip through Europe. Just explored it on their own. I figured her experience would be worth listening to.
My ex thought I should use a planner or tours, as that is how she does things. My daughter thought I should do the research and see what I wanted to visit. Then do it at my own pace. They both figured I should use air travel to and from, then public transit to get around. That way I would be certain to get where I wanted. I wanted to rent a car until my daughter talked me out of it.
When the time came, I flew back to New York, got a taxi to the hotel that I had a room reserved at, got a good nights sleep, and walked the short distance to the venue that my meeting was at. Every thing went well and I had a great time. I had reserved the room for 6 days and nights so I had 3 more days to see the sights.
The people at the hotel were very helpful with advice about the things and places I wanted to go visit and see. But then, for what they were charging, they could afford to be. They offered advice about admissions, hours, best time to avoid the crowds, and other helpful facts.
They advised me to seriously consider using the subway when it was an option. It ran 24-7, was cheap, well relatively cheap, and went to many of the places I wanted to see. As it turned out, it was good advice.
I visited many of the places and sights I wanted to see and was coming back to my hotel the night before I was to check out and head home.
It was pretty late and the train I wanted was almost empty when I got on. I had a fairly long ride ahead of me so I went to the end of the car that had no body there. It was a car with seats down the sides, and every so often seats back to back running crossways. The aisle going between them. This gave more seating and also more privacy when not crowded.
Two stops later another couple got on the now empty car with me. They sat at my end in the crossways seats facing me. They didn't seem to take notice of me and began to neck and snuggle with each other.
They were well dressed, although not seemingly for the weather. The one concession seemed to be their overcoats. Both their coats were long but fairly light weight. More for protection of their clothing than warmth. I noticed her more than him. What I could see of her was quite attractive. I really didn't pay much attention to him.