What a day...

Today was one of those days. Epic and just went on and on.

Started off with a walk through New York's snow clad streets searching for the smell of strong coffee. I found it, then started my day properly. Soon after I visited all the team in our UN liaison office which is only open 2 years. They gave me the lowdown on the event I was panellist on, suggested some changes to my speech and then we headed off - in the direction of the UN enclave!

The hustle and bustle inside was insane - women (and men!) from all over the world gathered for the annual Commission on the Status of Women. So I was ushered into room 7 where about 100 people were waiting already. I felt at ease, and surprisingly not nervous. Then entered the formidable Michelle Bachellet, Director of UN Women and x President of Chile. Good company!

The event went really well - lots of questions and answers after, a handful of interviews afterwards about our research in West Africa and then it was all over. Within 2 hours, the nerves subsided and a wave of calm set in. A glass of red helped!

A couple more hours of work and mails and I was determined to make an NBA game. So I headed out to the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn where Brooklyn Nets were playing Washington Wizards. Not the best teams in the league but it was my first ever NBA game so I didn't care! Well the nets are second place after the New York Knicks so not so bad. Fabulous game - Debron Williams scored 42 points - amazing! As a old basketball fan - I was like a child again!

So I decided to keep going. And so walked back to Manhattan through Brooklyn and over the Manhattan bridge! Spectacular views all the way. Crazy but sometimes you just have to seize the moment. All in all I walked about 15k - so I will be hurting tomorrow. My ankle certainly will be - but I don't care, it was worth it!