Chicago 2016 - Day Two

I've had sleepless nights before, but last night was something out of the box. I know that jet lag can impact people, so it wasn't too surprising that we were pretty much asleep at 9.30pm. But when we woke up and saw light coming through the curtains, we thought we had slept through the alarm and leapt out of bed to get ready. 

But we hadn't slept through the alarm at all. In fact there was a very bright light over the car park that was the problem. So, while it was only 11.30pm, we were awake. With people outside calling to each other, and the TV in the next room on all night, and the light shining through the curtains, I'm not sure that I got any sleep until about 5.00am, and with the alarm set for 6.00am, it was going to be another long day. And it was. But it has finished well. 

The ride to the LA Airport was nothing short of amazing. I sit and watch Grand Prix drivers and sometimes wonder what it would be like to be in that car. Today might be as close as I get. The driver of our shuttle bus was amazing!! He got us there in plenty of time for our journey through customs. 

After flying from Melbourne to LA, four hours on a plane didn't seem so frightening, but it wasn't an exciting thought either. As it turns out it seemed to go very quickly. Flying across some of the states meant we were able to see some very different landscapes - desert in Arizona, snow somewhere else, and then rain in Chicago. It's nice and cool in Chicago today. 

We got off the plane, collected our bags, and boarded a shuttle bus. More than 100 minutes later, we were at our accommodation for the next few days. It seems to be a beautiful old building, and the rooms that we have look like they should be quite comfortable. 

Leaving our bags here, we went out to meet Tom for the first time in eight months. It was wonderful to see him waving to us as he walked towards us, and very wonderful to share a group hug on the footpath. We shared dinner together at a place called Vapiano. Good food and a comfortable place to be. It was so good to sit with Tom again. 

When we got back to our room, we coudn't open the door! Fortunately, our call for assistance was answered quickly and we were able to get in. So now, while Tom has returned to his rooms to continue his study work, we are sitting at a table enjoying a cup of tea while watching Star Trek Movies.