Monday, April 14, 2008

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 Chicago Cont.

I wake this morning freshly showered back into my dirty clothes. At least I did pack a pair of underwear, so much for being optimistic about not needing a change of clothes. I have plenty of time to shop in Chicago to buy more, if I want, but no room in my carry-on to put the dirty ones and actually no real desire to bother anyway.

I take my breakfast voucher downstairs in the lobby and find a Starbucks. While one persons dream, this is my nightmare. I don't drink coffee, latte or tea. I can't stand biscotti. They sell mugs and even have a Cranium bingo game. I considered buying the Cranium game since it is one that I don't have, but seriously don't need! I manage to buy almost all of my $10 voucher on my yogurt, raspberry-lemon low fat coffee cake and a chocolate chip cookie. All I really wanted was a muffin and a fruit - oh well, it was free.

Check-out at the hotel was 1p.m., but I didn't really have any desire to sit in the room staring/watching t.v. and didn't want to pay .60/min to use the computer so I took the shuttle to the airport to wait. As if 11 hours the day before wasn't enough! On the shuttle was a United employee that recognized me from the night before. I didn't think I looked that bad, but maybe I did. I guess a shower really doesn't do wonders! ;) He thought that my flight should be OK, but other 777's for the day had been canceled already elsewhere.

While spending time in the airport, I managed to make calls to friends and family and started working on my "travel journal". Without it, I would have forgotten the simple things. Like...when talking with my dad (which I'm not sure if I have mentioned before - has diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, 9 angioplasty, 3-bypass surgery, etc. He lives in Florida with his wife in a retirement village.) he mentions that he went to the doctor the day before. I ask a few questions and he tells me that he has been given pills for "Decompression". Seriously, "Decompression". I ask him, "What????" And he repeats it several times. I'm trying not to laugh, seriously, I tried HARD. When I asked him what pills he was prescribed, his wife tells him Zoloft. Then I ask him, "You mean DEPRESSION, dad?" Somethings just make me laugh!

There were 22 people without seats on the 4p.m. flight so I never would have made standby. I managed to spend my lunch voucher and then got a salad with my dinner voucher for the plane. I have also purchased four bananas in the past 24 hours!

I was finally on the plane. I couldn't have been any luckier in the seat arrangement. I had a very nice and attractive gentleman, Travis, sitting next to me. We got along well. He, his wife and their 8 month old were travelling from Louisiana for his wife's business trip - he was just along as babysitter. They were in first class. The flight was good and went quickly between the conversation, napping and flipping through movies. London, here I come!

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