"Where do you want to go on holiday this year?" my girlfriend Mia asked me.

Several countries ran through my mind. Living in London many European/African destinations flashed across my brain. Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Malta, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt. All warm countries, and all no more than a five hour flight away.

"I don't know" I replied.

"How about America?"

America. I had always wanted to go there. I am a movie buff. I watch them all the time and most of my favorite movies were set there. The Godfather, Donnie Brasco, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Usual Suspects, Deadly Pursuit, True Romance, the list goes on. I had often dreamed about visiting those places I saw in the movies. So when Mia mentioned going across The Pond I was all ears.

It turned out that she had family living there. She had an aunt and uncle living in New York and another pair in Stamford, Connecticut. After a three minute conversation we agreed to go and booked the flights the next day. Luckily, as her family were there we didn't have to book accommodation.

Boarding the plane to New York I was as excited as I had ever been. America. I was finally going there. The flight was long but endurable and we landed with no fuss. The first thing I remember about leaving the plane was the heat. It was mid July and I had never felt heat like it. I had spent twenty seven years growing up in Scotland, which is famous for being cold and wet and the heat was immense, like being in a hairdryer.

Anyway we got through customs and immigration after about an hour and we were met by Mia's father Chris and her uncle Steve. After hugs and handshakes we jumped in Steve's car and drove to his home in Queens to pick up the rest of the family. It was Friday afternoon and we were all, as a family going to go visit the rest of the family in Stamford.

I loved the drive. We drove through New York and ended up going over a huge bridge that I can't remember the name of. I saw the Yankees stadium from the road and loved seeing those huge cars that you have.

Pulling up at Mia's aunt and uncle's house in Stamford was amazing. To get to the house we drove through a huge woodland. We ended up at this massive house with the biggest backyard I had ever seen, it looked like a continuation of the woods.

Mia's mother Karen and brother Andy were already there. The thing I remember most about arriving at that house was her uncle Martin. He shook my hand, handed me a cold bottle of Sam Adams and showed us where the pool was. Great days. Ten minutes later I was cooling off in the pool with the whole family to the smell of meat from the barbecue.

We drank and ate delicious food. I was tired as my body clock was five hours ahead but I decided to stay up as long as possible to sync it back up. After playing in the pool with Mia and her little cousins we ate a delicious barbecue and stayed up talking and drinking. Mia's family are all Irish. I'm also a Gael, so I fitted right in.

The thing I remember most about that night was the fire flies. I could see little luminous green dots flying about. We don't have them in the UK and I watched as the kids tried to catch them. Their laughter was infectious and it was a great sight to see them running about, laughing and trying to catch them. I had only been in the country for a few hours and felt right at home.

I got off to bed late but buzzing. I was finally here.

I woke up in the morning to glorious sunshine. It was boiling hot at nine AM, and I wasn't used to it. Looking out of the bedroom window I was amazed to see two bright red birds hopping about in the dark green trees. They were cardinal birds, beautiful fiery red and I loved them. We don't have them in the UK and I watched them hopping about for about half an hour.

Two days after arriving we all went to a theme park. We jumped in the car and went to Lake Compounce. It was a great day out. We went to the theme park and the water park. We rode an old wooden rollercoaster and swam in a lake with warm water.

We spent three days in Stamford, having family time and then we all went to stay with her aunt and uncle in New York.

I was sad to leave Connecticut behind. I really liked it there. Anyway we hit New York and I was as happy as I have ever been.

Being in New York was a strange experience at first. As previously mentioned I had grown up watching movies set there and now finally being there it all seemed so familiar. The sidewalks, trains, yellow cabs, pizza parlous all looked exactly like I had seen in the movies and I felt like I had been there before.

For the first couple of days we hit the city and behaved like tourists. We went everywhere. Times Square, Chinatown, Little Italy, Central Park. I was amazed to see so many American flags. They were on almost every building and home that I saw. I thought it was great. I had never seen such patriotism and pride. It was refreshing as we don't really do that in the UK unless there is rugby or football on. We even went up to the top of the Empire State Building. Living in a big city like London I soon got bored of Manhattan, tired of the big city, so we decided to go other places.

For the rest of our time in the country we hung around Queens and Brooklyn. I was so happy in these places. They reminded me of Glasgow, my home city. Local working people, living normal working lives. We drank in local bars devoid of tourists (apart from us).

There are so many happy memories from this trip, that I couldn't list them all. My favorite memory was of a little bar we found in Brooklyn. Mia, me, her aunt, uncle and cousins had gone to Brooklyn to go to a very good Thai restaurant. After dinner the family went home. Mia and I decided to stay and went hunting for a bar.

Walking about Brooklyn reminded me a little of the Notting Hill area of London. It seemed arty and Bohemian, like Notting Hill. Anyway we found this little bar which was decked out as a beach bar. There was ankle deep sand on the floor and buckets and spades were scattered throughout the floor. In the corner was a live jazz band who were brilliant. The locals and bar staff were so fiendly and I didn't want to leave.

Another great memory about New York was the pizza. I had never tasted anything like that and one day I ate so much that I was almost sick.

For the eight days or so I spent in America that first time I was at my happiest. The food, weather, beer and people were all great. I saw all the sights I had seen in the movies. I ate a delicious meal in Little Italy, saw the whole city from the top of the Empire State Building, ate slice after slice of the best pizza I had ever tasted. But most of all I shared it with family. Family who I was meeting for the first time. Family who met me with open arms and massive hearts. Family who introduced me to a country I have grown to love as much as my own.

I know the above might not seem exciting or interesting to most people but to me that first trip to America was the best trip I have ever had. Nothing has topped it yet. Not even the week I spent in Morocco and the beautiful drive through the Sahara desert comes close to that trip.

So many great memories within such a short period of time. I can honestly say that at this time New York is the best place I have ever visited and I had the time of my life.