The world in one city.

Just 12 months away seems too long. The last time I was here I shared my experience of the city with another - but even with the pain of the end of that relationship with me as I wander through the streets of Manhattan once again, I feel nothing but gratitude at being here at this time.

I have always held the view that you take away from your time here whatever you need and desire to, and my experience has been that if you embrace the city and all it has to offer, it will in turn embrace you.

It is the city of hedonism, of getting needs and desires met - whatever these may be. And although you reach the end of many days here having really had enough, you feel as though you are truly living and experiencing all that life and this city have to offer.

I believe it is this understanding of being in a place where you can have everything and anything you have the courage and self-belief to reach out and take that unites New Yorkers, and makes this the warmest and most alive metropolis you could ever hope to visit, not to mention feel a part of.

As one New Yorker put it to me: "We know it's tough here. So we help each other out." I speak only for myself when I say this, but I can't imagine at this time anything more inspiring than that.