Nuggets from New York : one

Reality (and jet lag) bites

We got back from New York on Sunday night, well supposedly it was Sunday night, it felt more like a morning-afternoon hybrid. I was ready for a nap, but not quite for sleep.

I wasn't sure how to approach jet lag avoidance. The old advice that I had been given the first time I flew long haul 'to just pretend you're in the destination time zone', didn't seem to be cutting the mustard, especially since I was served lunch on the way out at what ought to have been 5am New York time.

When we arrived States-side we had to take on Wednesday again, almost from scratch, it was quite an effort to make it to 8pm when I reluctantly allowed myself to go to bed. We did nothing more taxing than transfer from the airport to the hotel, have a look around a local cathedral and find somewhere good for beer and chow. Excellent brewed on site beer and a fantastic Gothic revival cathedral should have been heaven, but feeling like a grizzly baby bear with a sore head it felt more like pulling my own teeth with rusty pliers. I have honestly never experienced such a foul mood: I was short tempered, abraisive, and genuinely hell to be around. I've never been so tired, I think I would have sold my soul for an early night. Such a weird emotion. The exhaustion left me powerless and frustrated.

The pub was fantastic though, we had a great altbier and something that had been cooked up on the house. I'd like to say it took the edge off the jet lag, but even after a pint and some delicious buffalo wings I was still a miserable bugger.