November 2019, New York
Straight roads and skyscrapers
I was in that place that I had seen countless times in photographs
Having resumed her dyeing and weaving work, she set a goal of finding a gallery to hold a solo exhibition.
To travel alone as a wheelchair user to as far away a place as possible
To tackle these two challenges, I chose New York, known as the center of art.
And one more thing
In our daily lives, there is always a vague feeling in the back of our minds.
I hated myself for being lost and unable to move forward, and I wanted to change, so I was vaguely searching for "something"
28-day solo trip
Apart from the accommodation in Harlem where I stayed from the first day, everything else was decided on a whim on the spot.
I walked around Central Park every day to get from Harlem to 59th Street.
The unfamiliar road was very difficult
I got muscle pain
I have blisters on my hands
Honestly, it was tough.
Still, the view of the city coming into view
The desire to grow was what drove me
Anyway, I ran
I had a strong will to visit this place, and I wanted to experience it more.
I avoided public transportation as much as possible and pushed my wheelchair.
In a strange place, all I can rely on are free Wi-Fi spots, my poor English, and a sense of hope that things will work out.
That was good
I came across the Flatiron Building
If you avoid the roads that seem difficult to drive on, you will come across Broadway.
I ended up in Times Square
I sloshed down the slope while humming a song, but at the end of the slope was a dead end.
There were times when I regretted turning back
I wandered around Chinatown and Soho on my way back to my lodgings.
I spotted the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center while driving.
At dusk, I was crossing the Brooklyn Bridge
I saw a small Statue of Liberty in the direction I was looking at the sunset.
I was moved to tears
I saw the sea for the first time in a long time
The long climb up the Williamsburg Bridge
People cycling and running come and go
People often ask me if I'm okay.
"I'm training!" I replied.
I rowed hard
I looked back many times to make sure I was moving forward.
When I stopped to take a break, I saw some words written in spray paint at my feet.
"DON'T STOP"
New York City taught me
and
I will be visiting this place again in two years.
