I haven't used this blog for a while, but as there a few asking for updates on our travel to storm-hit Jersey City, I figured I could use this, at least whilst we have mobile internet signal...
About 2 hours ago we set off in a very full truck towards NJ. It is not overly comfortable but no worse than a budget airline, and at least with this method of transport we can stop and get out!
Doug has picked a route which takes us a few hours South before we cut across; this should mean we avoid hitting the storm head-on, unlike with route through Canada. Our first day of driving should be long and uneventful; but tomorrow we will hit West Virginia for about an hour where the storm is currently depositing 2-3ft of snow. We are however expecting the highway to be open by tomorrow, and likewise expecting the worst of the weather and flooding to have receded ahead of arrival in Jersey City.
What awaits us there is a little bit of an unknown; a colleague lives a little further towards the Hudson river and has had his car swept away by 5ft of water (he didn't heed warnings to move it to higher ground) and the bottom floor of his building was flooded. He is fine but is assessing damage. The good news for us is that our apartment is further from the river and about 8ft off street level with a basement below. This will be bad for whoever is below us but should have spared our apartment from anything catastrophic. Further good news is that another colleague nearer to us is mostly ok barring loss of power. We may be without power when we arrive, but as many millions are out this will be both expected and resolved as soon as possible.
Early reports are saying that transport tunnels are very badly flooded so it is likely many won't be able to get to our office, even if it is open. World Trade Center is a construction zone and is at the end of Manhattan which has seen a lot of flooding. No one at our building has been there to give us an update so we are playing work by ear. Those with power and Internet are able to work from home.
As always we are travelling with caution and of course today won't tell us much from this distance. More updates will follow as I know more! It is also Doug's 70th birthday so we are planning in stopping for something nice to eat this evening before finding a motel. Should raise our spirits!
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