My commute

It seems that my focus during the week has been either on food or getting to work. My weekly commute has taken on a different component not quite Planes Trains and Automobiles instead Trains, Ferries, Taxi and a bus all in the one return journey!
My Friday school is on Staten Island and this morning I decided I needed to get there on the earlier ferry. The ferry takes 25 minutes to cross between Manhattan and Staten Island. I need to be at the school by 8:02. The taxi ride, quicker and in theory less stressful than the bus, takes about 15-20 minutes. The "1" train to South Ferry, to catch the ferry, takes about 20-30minutes. Talk about a tricky maths problem?! I practically have to leave home before I get up! The 6:50 ferry is the one I aimed for so left home at 6:10am and successfully reached the ferry terminal in time for the ferry which was delayed leaving due to extra traffic on the harbour! I got to see the sun rise over Brooklyn and the Brooklyn bridge. Taking photos in that light and through the salt encrusted windows is a tad difficult. When it gets to warmer weather I'll venture out side.
This time the "usual" taxi driver wasn't there- these taxi drivers stand outside and plague you to use their taxi/ car service. Due to the cold they were all (about 8 of them) inside the ferry terminal doors. Some of the drivers had left their car motors running while they hawked for passengers- I presume to keep the inside of the car warm pity about the environment and the petrol they were wasting. I was quite relieved that the usual driver wasn't there as the last time he decided to give me a lesson in how to read a map and also how I should phone him so that he can be there waiting for me! I didn't need someone "telling me off" when they were supposed to be offering a service!
Back to today's journey- I followed another driver out to his car (checked that it was an official "T" car and what the fare would be as they don't have meters) having told him where I was going. The combination of my accent, his thick woolly hat and his own accent meant that we took a little while to understand each other however he reassured me he knew exactly where the school was. I have to say I was a tad dubious but I did have a book of maps with me in case we were lost. Oh ye of little faith! He knew exactly where it was and dropped me there without berating me so I took his offered phone number and will try to use his services again next week.
Having completed a day's work I then had the return trip to manage. This is where the bus comes in. To get back to the ferry it is easier (and cheaper) to catch the local bus to the ferry. I walked about 6 blocks to the stop and after the 20-30 minute bus ride was at the ferry in time to catch the 4:10 ferry back to Manhattan. The journey across the same stretch of water I crossed in the morning brings different sight and icons into view- partially because I sit on the same side of the ferry to get varying views and mainly because it is daylight!
I noticed the little isolated building as we were leaving the terminal. And the of course we go past The Statue of Liberty too and I can't not take a photo of her as she is gorgeous!
As it was Friday I was meeting Sue et al for our weekly Friday night catch up at a bar then Spice for dinner. I managed to get to the bar by 4:55pm.