Superstorm Sandy: "Chilling quietness surrounds our hotel" [VIDEO]
Sue Dutton, trainer at the Express & Star, is in New York celebrating her 50th birthday with five friends.
The group are staying at Marriott Marquis on Broadway which seems to have escaped the full force of hurricane Sandy.
She said: "We arrived on Sunday afternoon to find out that a storm was planned to hit New York the following evening.
"The weather was lovely so we took a stroll around Central Park and noticed on our way back to the hotel that people were beginning to close off parts of the park, along with subways, shops and public buildings.
"When we returned to the hotel, a letter had been pushed under our door explaining procedures we must follow – to close blinds and blackout curtains, stay away from windows, remain in our rooms and pay attention to any PA announcements.
"We are on the 39th floor and didn't hear or see anything of the hurricane.
"We were very scared and concerned, but thankfully, we have been really well protected as we are in the centre of the city.
"The only signs that hurricane Sandy hit New York is the quietness. The city has stopped. There is little sign of life, with all the shops closed and no traffic or transport moving.
"Everything has stopped. We did find one place open for breakfast, but it has such limited stocks as supplies cannot get through.
Destroyed
"We haven't seen anything other than the remains of a crane that fell from an apartment block, yet the news is telling us that all around us is pretty much a disaster area.
"We know JFK airport is flooded along with most of Long Island, and an electrical fire in Queens has destroyed 50 homes, so all around us, it has been happening, but nothing here. The group have said it is as if we are on a parallel universe to everyone else.
"We are due to fly back to the UK on Thursday but think it will prove challenging.
"The Americans have dealt with the hurricane so well.
"We even saw homeless people being taken to shelters, and there has been plenty of news updates and information.
"I have not been able to do anything or go anywhere I wanted to as part of my 50th celebrations.
"But who else can say 'For my 50th birthday I went to see a hurricane in New York, and missed it'."
