Can you give me a tour of the UN?

Hello from 10,000 feet!!

Gogo, an in-flight wifi provider, gave out free passes to everyone on my plane before boarding. As a result of that freebie, which I didn't even have to ask for,

1) I'm-a disclosin', per FCC rules.

2) I'm admitting my bias: Let the record state that given the choice between a flight without free wifi thanks to Gogo, and one with it, I would opt for the latter. Now you know.

and

3) I'm happy!! Because I have some askings to report.

In chronological order:

At the conference, I met a guy who gives tours of the U.N. He shared a few funny stories about the sheltered people taking his tours -- like people who think African is a language. At the end of our chat, when he told me to let him know if I ever want a tour, I took down his contact info. I didn't plan on following up so soon, but today I found myself with a few hours to kill -- in New York.

So I dropped him this email:

SUBJECT: UN Tour?

BODY: Hi Name,

We met briefly at Yale this weekend, when you kindly invited me to get in touch if I'd ever like a tour of the UN.

I'm actually in NY today with some free time before I head back to California. I have no idea how it works -- if one needs advance tickets or a reservation -- but if you have room in any of your tours today, I'd love to come and at last see the UN in person!

Thanks, best wishes,
La Roxy

He replied in a matter of minutes, saying that I should give him my number and if he can make it happen, he'll let me know. I shot back my number.

Alas, I write to you from the flight after no phone call. I had an awesome afternoon (including one retail asking, detailed in the next post), so no regrets. Even though it didn't work out, I appreciate whatever efforts he made on my behalf.

Now I really want to take that tour! Can't believe I've been to NY so many times and never visited the UN. Am I not, like, the cliche of the sheltered, dumb American? Ohmigod, time to, like, recitify that, and improve my cross-cultural understandings. I'll stop for tacos or pho when I get back to Cali.

UPDATE: The guide just wrote back to say he was swamped all day with school groups, but to try again next time I'm in NY. I shall look forward to it. Thanks again for the invitation!

By the way, here are a few pics of the self-guided tour I took instead:

Sunset reflecting off of some building near JFK.

Trash, East Village. I'd love to ask that shoe where its other half went.

Preschoolers in Morningside Park.