My travels up North

[Steffie]

Hi girls,

Well I survived my trip up North and let me tell you there were some adventures, some with which I could have done without. lol Seriously though each day ended well but there were some moments along the way. The story is long though and I apologize for that.

Day 1
The first day I met a couple of online friends for the first time ever (I knew them for about 2 yrs though online). They were transgendered and actually had a wedding in NY my first night. During the day I wore a pink top and blue-jean skirt with sandals. I drove my friends to Manhattan so they could run some errands (they were staying in NJ). I then dropped them off and drove to Queens to pick up my one GG friend and drove back to Manhattan to get my friends. My one TG friend was having her hair done in Manhattan for her wedding which was supposed to be in the afternoon.

We then made our way to the Bronx where the wedding was to be held. It was about this time that the skies opened up and it started pouring rain. I saw more downpour in this period than I did in my previous 3 months in Carolina! To top matters off we got lost and couldn't find the house where the wedding was held (not even with my GPS) plus traffic to the Bronx was terrible! My TG friend called the lady at whose house the wedding was held but she wasn't any help either. Needless to say, things started to get tense. Finally we pulled into a store and asked some lady; she was very nice and helpful and helped us find the address.

Well we finally arrived but like about 5 hours later than we were scheduled too. However, we ended up with a midnight wedding and it turned out very well and we all had a good time; we then could laugh at the events earlier. For the wedding I wore a pretty lilac dress with matching sandals.

I left the wedding at about 2:00 A.M. and drove back to my GG friend's apartment in Queens and got some much needed sleep. However I vowed the rest of the weekend that I was not going to drive again until it was time to leave on Monday. I had my fill of traffic in the NYC area! lol

Day 2
I decided to wear another pink top and tan mini-skirt and thong sandals. I took a bus in mid-morning in Queens and then 2 subways to see another friend in Manhattan on the lower East side. It was nice to see him. He actually is one of the people in charge of doing interviews for a transgender study they are doing but now completing. That is how I met my friend in the first place last year; he is very good at his job plus a very nice person.

After meeting with my friend, I walked a little bit uptown and was all set to go to a Lesbian club in the early evening. I called my GG friend in Queens and she was going to meet me there.

However on the way there Murphy's law struck a second day. My new Blackberry was not receiving incoming text messages and current numbers were mysteriously being erased after a short time. I called Verizon technical support and they told me many other customers had been experiencing similar problems. However the guy told me that there was also a chance my address book in my phone could potentially be erased and that I needed to change the phone out ASAP. I bought it only a week before in Carolina but thought I'd better change it now. I found a store in Manhattan and actually went in there in Steffie mode (I had no choice) but had to give my male name. After talking to the technicians there, as it turns out, one of the people in the store was from Carolina. Small world, huh? Overall the experience was OK. If this had been the store in NC, I would have never gone in Steffie mode but the store was far away from NC and no one there knew my male side anyway.

They changed the phone out but I had to reload all the features my old Blackberry had like GPS, e-mail, etc. Even with this though there were problems downloading some of the programs; even the people at the store had problems but I finally got everything on the phone. By this time it was like 9:15 though and I walked back to the club and met my friend. We stayed there until midnight and then went back home to Queens. I was supposed to meet another friend that night but my mishap with the phone screwed that up as while she tried to call, the phone was still being serviced.

Day 3
I took the bus and train into Manhattan and had a nice walk in Central Park. I wore a cute pink tank top and a pair of ladies shorts and pulled my hair back. I also had a small lunch and dinner at nearby restaurants uptown. It was a nice sunny day, This day was uneventful. Finally an uneventful day! A couple at one of the restaurants were visitors in NYC and they asked if I wanted a Macy's coupon as they used theirs and couldn't use a second one. I said thank you. That was nice of them.

Day 4
This was my traveling home day. I figured that in spite of this I would make it a Steffie day. I wore ladies jeans and a red top with ladies sneakers. My flight was in Philadelphia but I left Queens in my rental car 4:30 A.M. and got to Philly by 7:30. This was the first time I was Steffie in the place where I grew up. When I checked in and showed my driver's license ID the lady at the terminal glanced at it and did not recognize me verses the person on the license. She said I needed a second form of ID. I just smiled and said that it was really me. She then finally checked me in. I had no problems going through security and both legs of my journey were very pleasant and uneventful. The flight attendant even remarked that she loved my glasses (the femme pink ones).

I arrived in NC mid-afternoon, got my car, changed back into male mode before going home and arrived home a short time later.

Despite some things going wrong, it was a very pleasant trip and I enjoyed every minute of the journey.

Below are tons of pics and videos.

Steffie

Day 1 pics

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

Day 2 pics

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg


http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

Day 2 videos:

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.flv

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.flv

Day 3 pics

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

Day 3 video

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.flv

Day 4 pics

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/ ... rforum.jpg

[Lana]

Its good to see you back to your old form again.
Sorry to say but I think the "L" has closed. At least their phone goes unanswered.
Lana

[Kendra Lynn]

Dear Steffie: I've traveled on AMTRAK cross dressed (in a cheerleader outfit!-- on my way to an anti-war protest in NY) but have never flown CD'd. You are very brave, considering all the security procedures that one must contend with these days when flying. Also, with the extra padding, wig, etc. etc. it would seem to that those narrow airplane seats would be even less comfortable than they usually are.
I came back from my latest trip to England about a week ago-- the main reason was to attend the FAIRPORT CONVENTION festival in Oxfordshire. (I think it would have been very awkward, if not impossible to go through all the security procedures and then be on a plane for 6-8 hours cross dressed. That's too long a time to be physically uncomfortable).
After the festival, I spent two days in London. The last night I attended the current production of SPAMALOT which is running at the PALACE THEATER (near Leicester Square) through JAN 9. (it's FAB!!) Anyhow, I went in one of my finest cheerleader outfits (which turned to be rather appropriate) and rode the LONDON UNDERGROUND to the theater and back. At the Leicester Square station on the way back, some teenagers asked to have their pictures taken with me!!
So the LONDON UNDERGROUND has now been liberated!!
I have ridden the METRO in the Washington D.C. area cross dressed and have been teased occasionally. Also have received some odd looks. On the other hand, a few brave and curious souls initiated conversations with me.
Buses are a bit riskier; all of the passengers can get a much better look.
Anyhow, sounds like you had a great time (albeit with a few glitches).
I still need help figuring out how to post photos from I PHOTO on to this site. I have a "MAC MINI" not a PC.
Enjoy your travels!
Peace-- Kendra Lynn ("hippie cheerleader")

[Virginia]

HI Steffie,

Thanks as always for sharing with us. I guess you read my thread about the TSA and our flying?! They basically told me that they don't care as long as they do not feel you are trying to deceive them in some way! They claim to have "seen it all" so you simply approach them with your ID and say quitely, "I'm transgendered" and look them straight in the eye and smile and in 99% of the cases you will not have any problem at all!

Glad you had a good time!

Love ya,

Virginia

[Lori A]

Sorry about your experience in NYC in a rental, been lost there myself, but I was 70 feet long by 8&1/2 feet wide and 13'6" tall with bad directions

[Bobie]

Thanks as always for sharing with us. it was very nice