If you're from a country where traffic of all kinds (motor and foot) moves on the left, then take heed of this bit of advice: when in NY's busy streets, it pays to walk on the right of the footpath. If you don't, you might find it takes you twice as long to get anywhere, because you'll spend your time dodging people all over, and people will get pissed off and wonder what the hell you're doing on their side of the footpath. Just a little tip!

If you're coming to NY, be ready to pay dearly for dinner and drinks. Not only are you legally bound to pay your check (of course), but you're morally and socially bound to give a 15%-20% tip. Don't ask me why, that's just the way it is. If you buy a drink and do not tip a bartender at all, you'll go straight to hell. Don't ask me why, that's just the way it is. OK, if the service is particularly bad, you don't need to tip, but you still may go to hell, I'm not sure. (Can you tell I bartend at night?)

Viniendo de España, un sitio donde los semáforos peatonales pasan casi instantáneamente del verde al rojo, me sentí ciertamente engañado por los semáforos neoyorquinos. En promedio estan en verde unos quince segundos, empiezan a parpadear durante diez segundos más hasta que finalmente se ponen en rojo. Por lo que es ciertamente molesto la primera vez, cuando corres desesperadamente para cruzar la calle, y cuando llegas te das cuenta que no solo no se ha puesto rojo aún, sino que la gente sige cruzando tranquilísimamente y mirándote como si vinieras de Marte. No cuesta acostumbrarse, pero vale la pena saberlo de antemano...

Take a trip on NYC subways at 3 pm and have the ride of your life. Thousands of rowdy, unsupervised high school kids from every school and neighborhood imaginable fill all of the train lines at this time. I remember being 13 years old and taking the trains at this time - at times it felt a bit like Lord of the Flies. I think most adults that have to work until 5:30 or 6:00 pm are glad that their schedule forces them to miss this teenage rush hour.

NY is perhaps the most extreme city in an extreme country. Expect the best and worst of everything at any time of day or night all thrown together so as to form an incredibly dynamic and crazy place inhabited by some of the most ambitious and talented people on the planet. Hold on!