Kate Hawkesby: Donald Trump drama strikes New York again

So Trump is in New York being arraigned today, it’s history in the making. What's funny about this is we're actually heading to New York for the school holidays, this is the last day I'll be on air for a couple of weeks, so we're heading back at a time of Trump dramas. This is ironic because the last time we were in New York was a long time ago, 2016, and we were there for work covering the Presidential election. At that stage, back in the pre-Trump era, everybody thought Hilary Clinton would win. Nobody believed Trump could be President, bar Trump himself of course, so we did a dangerous thing people do, which is write him off. Everybody it seemed had written him off, not just us, and all media were at the same place election night – Clinton HQ. We were stationed at her campaign headquarters and I was busy having photos taken at the lectern with the flag saying, Mrs President dangling from it. There was celebrities everywhere – the whole shebang had shut down 11th Avenue, there were outdoor stages, Katy Perry was singing, live screens, food trucks, supporters up the wazoo, and media by the mile. It was all on. The mood was celebrator, until it wasn’t. We all know the story. The tables turned, the numbers started coming in, and with it the shock. Trump was going to win. Now, suddenly the mood changed. This was now a very volatile time to be in New York. My husband was, at the time, working two jobs both ends of the day - which meant he had to do shows back to NZ at 2am NY time and 10am NY time - to his ZB and Seven Sharp jobs. This also involved being woken by producers at all hours being told to go get footage and audio of protests in the streets etc. It was exhausting. The place was swarming with police and protestors. It was a crazy busy chaotic time, so we decided New York was just a hectic, chaotic, and crazy place. But we hadn’t given it a fair crack, a work trip is not the same as a holiday. We vowed when we left that we’d go back one day as tourists, to have a holiday there and just enjoy the place. So fast forward seven years and we’re finally heading back. But look whose rearing their head again just as we do?  Can you believe it? Why does Trump have to make everything about him? How is it we only visit New York twice in a seven year period, and both times Trump is looming large in the news, the place is swarming with cops and secret service, with protests forecast to unfold. On the one hand we get to witness New York during two historic events – a Presidential election and a President getting indicted. But I wouldn’t mind being in New York without the protests if possible? Graham Norton was on Mike’s show yesterday, he’s currently holidaying in New York too, and he said it’s the best place in the world for ‘old peoples fun’. Which sounds right up my husband’s alley But he qualified that statement as meaning,  it’s got great restaurants, exhibits, shows, they deliver things so you don’t have to walk too far, and it’s easy to get a cab anytime. It’s perfect, Graham Norton said, for the older tourist. Which I guess now is us! So I’ll keep you posted on my Instagram and I’ll let you know how it went when we get back. And I just hope all the Trump drama has died down by the time we arrive, so we can actually get around and enjoy the place.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.