We are on our way

Well today is the day we finally fly out to Chicago. Alarm went off at 3am Donna had not long got to sleep and I had only had about 3 hours but we both got up straight away. The bus was due at 4.01 and we were ready at 3.50. Checked out and waiting. It took about 15 mins to get back to Terminal 2 and after being there yesterday we knew exactly where we were going, for a change! Well we were early so we thought it would be wise to check the weight of the cases on the scales, a good job too as we had to jugggle the contents between the cases and bags to get them all witin limits.
I thought we were doing really well with self check in until I realized that we hadn't got the adhesive labels for the cases that everyone else was attaching to theirs.....I had to find a member of staff who quickly told me how to access my booking again and add the luggage and then print the labels. Just a little wait then till they checked our baggage...a few seconds concern as one case is just over but after a slight delay the kind lady let it go. Well we were ready for breakfast so we went to Leon and had a Breakfast Roll it was a quite interesting mix of bacon egg salad and a spicy tomato chutney on what was like a wholemeal muffin. A quick mooch around the shops

and it was time to make the 20 minute walk to gate B48. Arrived in plenty of time and sat relaxing waiting to board. It wasn't long before we were sat buckled up in the Boeing 767-300 and coasting down the runway..... Up up and we were on our way straight through the clouds to the bright blue sky leaving the fluffy white pillows like a carpet below us.
And that was pretty much how it stayed for the next 7 hours but just coming toward the end of the flight the clouds melted away giving us some great views of Canada and finally Lake Michigan. Then rising from the shore we caught our first glimpse of the Skyscrapers of the Windy City. We banked past it and headed up to the airport. A really smooth landing and a pretty quick queue for immigration then the worries started.....I have finally got to drive an automatic car from what should be the passenger side on the wrong side of the road!!!
After fencing off the Alamo agents attempts to upgrade me I finally got my hands on the car a New Hyundai Elantra and very nice too.I took a while to set my satnav up and get used to the wipers indicators etc before making my first hesitant moves onto to Interstate 90. Slowly but surely making our way into Chicago the satnav did it's job and I, more or less, kept my act together and we're soon at our hotel. We had to drive around the block 2 or 3 times to find the carpark but was not too stressful, well not until I saw the price anyway. Well the Palmer House Hilton is certainly something very grand looking with an old fashioned feel and an amazing painted ceiling in

the lobby. We took a slightly smaller room in order to get booked straight in so it was off to get settled in. After a while we thought we should go out and explore. So off we went..amazed at how the cars travel under the raised railway lines it really has to be seen. The straight narrow streets and a mix of old and new buildings towering over you from all sides. We walked around a couple of blocks before finding our way to Millennium Park and the famous Bean. It's a truly magnificent bit of sculpture positioned and designed to give some great picture opportunities.It's also the Chicago Jazz Festival so there are plenty of stalls and performances. Well we had a good walk down through the park and to the harbour Lake Michigan was so blue and the contrast with Skyline was amazing.
Then we found a little place where we had Burger and Fries.... very nice too....Would recommend the Good Stuff Eatery glad we chose this not the Nando's next door. Despite it being only 6pm it's really 12am to us and Donna had so little sleep last night that it was time to

get a beer from the 7/11 and head back to the hotel where we can get a good sleep before a busy sightseeing day tomorrow. So goodnight for now.