If not happy this is as close as I've got.
Chicago
(From Notes so this might not even make sense)
Day 1: Since I've been forced to fly with AA again I'm a little unsure. (If you do not remember the HELL I had with AA last year click this) Heavy soupy fog to begin the day with. Serious Silent Hill stuff. Taxi has phoned to tell me that it'll be late as (understandably) she has to drive slower to be safe.
Which is fine. What is not fine is the fact that I cannot find my flight at the Manchester Airport site. AA is down so I can't check on their site and so is expedia. At this point I am freaking out.
The drive to the airport is relatively uneventful. Except for the moment when some idiot with pulls out on the hard shoulder on the motorway with NO LIGHTS and NO INDICATOR very suddenly. Very grateful the van I'm in has good breaks.
Get to Manchester Airport. Have to bin my poppy (which I remembered I'd lost the head of anyway). Had to bin my Accessorize Pin before I boarded the plane as I didn't want to be turfed off because of being in possession of a tiny pin.
Had to buy a pen because, genius as I am I've emptied my bag and need the pen to fill in fifty million forms. Text Mel for her address which arrives at 2am her time, forgetting the time difference and the fact that a black hole eats any texts she sends me.
*
Find myself seated next to the worlds most annoying man. But he's annoying in the sweetest way that I find myself strangely endeared to him. Even when he laughs out loud in an overly exaggerated way (Evan Almighty is funny, but not *that* funny) and cracks his knuckles ( a sound which Mel and her family desensitized me too :) Yay!) repeatedly.
Every plane I get, every single one the nice air hostesses are ALWAYS on the opposite side to where I am. This trip the genius woman nearly dislocated my shoulder with the trolley. She was rude and managed to tip the Annoying Man's ice all over me without apologising. In fact HE apologised which I thought was very nice but it wasn't his fault. Silly bitch.
*
Land, get through security and get my bag. Don't get chance to wonder where Mel and her family are because there's this yell as I step through the doors and a sign for me :) Which I loved. Set the precdent for a fantastic holiday. Which it was.
We went to Pizza Due? Uno? Some Italian sounding place with food. I am introduced to Chicago Pizza which is deep dish with three inches of cheese apparently XD Very nice. Slight awkwardness as I don't know who to talk to and I'm very shy. Awkwardness out the window when Mel's Mum politely goes to me "Annie watch out". And I turn my head to see what she's letting me know to watch out for.
ARSE THE SIZE OF TEXAS IN MY FACE. Now I should explain our table was for some reason plonked very close to two booths. And this rather...large lady was trying to get out. I unfortunately turned my head just intime to have her large posterior in my face. To my "Would you like me to move?" She happily shook her head and said there was no need. But the damage was alas already done. Arse in face. Shudder.
*
Shopping! Speed shopping!
A race around Chicago, which was as the Sun was setting. Very pretty. Victoria Secret PJs are bought, Victoria Secret which is then visited fifty million times by us both in Chicago and St John as Mel was (rightfully) disgusted that her boobs are apparently too small to fit in the nighties etc offered. Hah! Wish I had that problem. Combined I do feel we were the worst customers for VS. Mine are much too big (apparently unless you want to wear something you wouldn't give to your grannie no bra exists outside at DD in the states. SHOCKING. This is the land of Obesity! Though to be fair we're catching up, so don't feel so bad US!)
*
Oh! And the Red Roof inn does exactly what it says on the tin. Cheap, relatively cheerful and right bang smack where everything is in walking distance. Course, our door was one of those that we had to approach with our electronic keys with the attitude of "If you do it quick it won't notice and will forget that it hates us and does not want us to enter." It took about 30 swipes of our keycard for it to let us in the damn room xD Entertainment all round.
Day 2: So we're off to the Northside today. On the elevated train (now here's a fun fact for you. I hadn't realised till the last time I went to moving on that part of my train to Stockport is in fact elevated in a similar way to the "Ell". It's still as fucking scary. :) ) Fell in love with tokidoki stuff, ended up blowing $100 on a hoodie (my dad's couch ate the pretty heart and crossbones tag from the zip that promptly fell off as soon as I got home. Shocking.)
Okay so we had no clue which way we were coming home and got a couple of stations out of our way, the wrong way :) Slight arguement at the station we ended at as to which way we were supposed to be going. Confused! But an adventure in the end and got back okay XD
Ed Debevic's (sp?) was an experience. I'm generally not accustomed to paying my waitress to abuse me but it was a lot of fun xD We got a diet version of Ed's service apparently as our waitress had a Japanese group in that needed her to stand on a table and scream at them to get them into some sort of order. She did throw our straws at us though XD Was very funny. Would recommend it if you ever get to Chicago.
We must have left early that morning, nineish, tennish. Full day of shopping and we crawl back to the hotel at nine pm that evening. This is of course after we have bought cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory ($15!!!!!) and got Subway (though the lady at the hotel tried to send us back to the subway station. And looked terribly embarassed when I queried "you mean the food place right?" I felt so sorry for her XD Would have felt more sorry for us had we followed her directions!!)
*
Day 3: Have gotten up early and stomped, sang and generally made a nusicance of myself to try and wake Mel up. Decide to go get us coffee from the complimentary coffee machine downstairs. Return after spilling some on the floor (and making a "OHGODWASN'TME!" face) and wake her up to coffeee after I get tired of waiting. :) Course the coffee tastes like ratpiss but it's caffiene.
More shopping. Decide the Seers Tower is far too far to trek in the cold and shopping sounds like a much better idea.
Who knew H&M had invaded the US?
Day 4: Unsuccessful trek for breakfast. Ended up with sugary goods from Starbucks. Settling in at Mel's. Slight awkwardness with meeting everyone but that's just me. Back to Mel's :) Which is in Indiana.
Day 5: Shedd Aquarium trip. Missed two trains to get back into Chicago, eventually get there with Heather and Mel and explore the aquarium. V.nice lady let us get in even though we should have paid for one of us (Mel's pass was only free for two adults and she couldn't like about Heather being underage XD Bless her honest soul.) Lots of fun, dodgy minimovie which I shall upload when I get a XD card reader for my camera.
Heather is a crazy, crazy loon. :) Who drives like a madwoman. But she's adorable XD
Dinner with Mel's mum, sister and Alex (who pretended he wasn't there so when Mel phoned and he answered in her kitchen without her knowing. Was pouting when she realised XD XD) Felt very ill, though think it was travelling without a seatbelt in the back of a strange car (Heather I <3 you though!).
Dinner was lovely, Brunswick Stew and Apple Cider cake made by Mel's Mum. Serious headache, went to lay down as soon as the table broke up and woke up the next morning to Mel tapping pointedly going on the door which was responded to by me with a grunted "whaaa?"
Though I think she appreciated the alone time with Alex. XD They're very cute together.
Day 6: Off to Petsmart with the dogs, spent the day worried about Mel really. Bit of a todo tonight which I can't help with but can't help wanting to help :(
I think we went to her mall today too.
Day 7: Found $18 on card which turned out to be $11 from another txn which hadn't been authorised. Bugger. Portillos for hotdogs again since I was informed that the hotdog I'd had while I was in the Chicago branch of Portillos was a Polish dog. Let Mel order and am semi-converted. I still can't get past the "It's lips and ass Annie in that!" which she cheerfully declared on many occassion.
Mel's aunt bought us dinner, which as i was feeling very rough was a salad. Had the finer points of Baseball explained to me XD Not quite as clueless regarding it now.
Day 8: Chatted with Mel's Mum a while, found out she was a little apprehenisve about having me over :) Which was entirely understandable and that she was much happier with the fact that it was just me that Mel was meeting and not everyone else. The ride to the airport though....
Now Alex is a very good driver. I'd just like to get that off my chest first. BUT WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THE REST OF THE PEOPLE ON THE ROAD?
Re: Some idiot on the road, take your pick which one. There were that many.
"are you okay Annie?"
"I'm fine. Discovering religion."
"What?"
"I think I've just found God."
I was so scared that I was shaking badly while waiting in the queue for the security checkpoint. Though the funniest bit, accidentally of course, was when Alex hugged me at the airport and I sort of froze and before I could clap my mouth shut I went:
"OHGODTHEHUGGINGTHING!"
I'm not keen on hugs really XD I'd explained this earlier and the poor boy apologised and leapt about 12 feet away :D
*
Seat was broken on the way back to the UK (Swear they give me that one on purpose). Was ignored by the hostesses (again the nice ones were on the opposite side to me). Had stupidly volunteered to work on the day I flew back.
*
Day 9: On the flight I'm fairly sure the guy next to me lifted my blanket up and held it up before putting it back. Now I have no idea why but I was suitably freaked out not to be able to sleep. I get to my job after being without sleep for nearly 33 hours I think. I was freaking hallucinating. Mel has this fake alsation dog on her back porch. I could have sworn I'd seen it by the bathroom door with a trilby on.
Yeah.
40 hours I went without sleep that those two days. NEVER again.
And that'd be an update for you.
(From Notes so this might not even make sense)
Day 1: Since I've been forced to fly with AA again I'm a little unsure. (If you do not remember the HELL I had with AA last year click this) Heavy soupy fog to begin the day with. Serious Silent Hill stuff. Taxi has phoned to tell me that it'll be late as (understandably) she has to drive slower to be safe.
Which is fine. What is not fine is the fact that I cannot find my flight at the Manchester Airport site. AA is down so I can't check on their site and so is expedia. At this point I am freaking out.
The drive to the airport is relatively uneventful. Except for the moment when some idiot with pulls out on the hard shoulder on the motorway with NO LIGHTS and NO INDICATOR very suddenly. Very grateful the van I'm in has good breaks.
Get to Manchester Airport. Have to bin my poppy (which I remembered I'd lost the head of anyway). Had to bin my Accessorize Pin before I boarded the plane as I didn't want to be turfed off because of being in possession of a tiny pin.
Had to buy a pen because, genius as I am I've emptied my bag and need the pen to fill in fifty million forms. Text Mel for her address which arrives at 2am her time, forgetting the time difference and the fact that a black hole eats any texts she sends me.
*
Find myself seated next to the worlds most annoying man. But he's annoying in the sweetest way that I find myself strangely endeared to him. Even when he laughs out loud in an overly exaggerated way (Evan Almighty is funny, but not *that* funny) and cracks his knuckles ( a sound which Mel and her family desensitized me too :) Yay!) repeatedly.
Every plane I get, every single one the nice air hostesses are ALWAYS on the opposite side to where I am. This trip the genius woman nearly dislocated my shoulder with the trolley. She was rude and managed to tip the Annoying Man's ice all over me without apologising. In fact HE apologised which I thought was very nice but it wasn't his fault. Silly bitch.
*
Land, get through security and get my bag. Don't get chance to wonder where Mel and her family are because there's this yell as I step through the doors and a sign for me :) Which I loved. Set the precdent for a fantastic holiday. Which it was.
We went to Pizza Due? Uno? Some Italian sounding place with food. I am introduced to Chicago Pizza which is deep dish with three inches of cheese apparently XD Very nice. Slight awkwardness as I don't know who to talk to and I'm very shy. Awkwardness out the window when Mel's Mum politely goes to me "Annie watch out". And I turn my head to see what she's letting me know to watch out for.
ARSE THE SIZE OF TEXAS IN MY FACE. Now I should explain our table was for some reason plonked very close to two booths. And this rather...large lady was trying to get out. I unfortunately turned my head just intime to have her large posterior in my face. To my "Would you like me to move?" She happily shook her head and said there was no need. But the damage was alas already done. Arse in face. Shudder.
*
Shopping! Speed shopping!
A race around Chicago, which was as the Sun was setting. Very pretty. Victoria Secret PJs are bought, Victoria Secret which is then visited fifty million times by us both in Chicago and St John as Mel was (rightfully) disgusted that her boobs are apparently too small to fit in the nighties etc offered. Hah! Wish I had that problem. Combined I do feel we were the worst customers for VS. Mine are much too big (apparently unless you want to wear something you wouldn't give to your grannie no bra exists outside at DD in the states. SHOCKING. This is the land of Obesity! Though to be fair we're catching up, so don't feel so bad US!)
*
Oh! And the Red Roof inn does exactly what it says on the tin. Cheap, relatively cheerful and right bang smack where everything is in walking distance. Course, our door was one of those that we had to approach with our electronic keys with the attitude of "If you do it quick it won't notice and will forget that it hates us and does not want us to enter." It took about 30 swipes of our keycard for it to let us in the damn room xD Entertainment all round.
Day 2: So we're off to the Northside today. On the elevated train (now here's a fun fact for you. I hadn't realised till the last time I went to moving on that part of my train to Stockport is in fact elevated in a similar way to the "Ell". It's still as fucking scary. :) ) Fell in love with tokidoki stuff, ended up blowing $100 on a hoodie (my dad's couch ate the pretty heart and crossbones tag from the zip that promptly fell off as soon as I got home. Shocking.)
Okay so we had no clue which way we were coming home and got a couple of stations out of our way, the wrong way :) Slight arguement at the station we ended at as to which way we were supposed to be going. Confused! But an adventure in the end and got back okay XD
Ed Debevic's (sp?) was an experience. I'm generally not accustomed to paying my waitress to abuse me but it was a lot of fun xD We got a diet version of Ed's service apparently as our waitress had a Japanese group in that needed her to stand on a table and scream at them to get them into some sort of order. She did throw our straws at us though XD Was very funny. Would recommend it if you ever get to Chicago.
We must have left early that morning, nineish, tennish. Full day of shopping and we crawl back to the hotel at nine pm that evening. This is of course after we have bought cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory ($15!!!!!) and got Subway (though the lady at the hotel tried to send us back to the subway station. And looked terribly embarassed when I queried "you mean the food place right?" I felt so sorry for her XD Would have felt more sorry for us had we followed her directions!!)
*
Day 3: Have gotten up early and stomped, sang and generally made a nusicance of myself to try and wake Mel up. Decide to go get us coffee from the complimentary coffee machine downstairs. Return after spilling some on the floor (and making a "OHGODWASN'TME!" face) and wake her up to coffeee after I get tired of waiting. :) Course the coffee tastes like ratpiss but it's caffiene.
More shopping. Decide the Seers Tower is far too far to trek in the cold and shopping sounds like a much better idea.
Who knew H&M had invaded the US?
Day 4: Unsuccessful trek for breakfast. Ended up with sugary goods from Starbucks. Settling in at Mel's. Slight awkwardness with meeting everyone but that's just me. Back to Mel's :) Which is in Indiana.
Day 5: Shedd Aquarium trip. Missed two trains to get back into Chicago, eventually get there with Heather and Mel and explore the aquarium. V.nice lady let us get in even though we should have paid for one of us (Mel's pass was only free for two adults and she couldn't like about Heather being underage XD Bless her honest soul.) Lots of fun, dodgy minimovie which I shall upload when I get a XD card reader for my camera.
Heather is a crazy, crazy loon. :) Who drives like a madwoman. But she's adorable XD
Dinner with Mel's mum, sister and Alex (who pretended he wasn't there so when Mel phoned and he answered in her kitchen without her knowing. Was pouting when she realised XD XD) Felt very ill, though think it was travelling without a seatbelt in the back of a strange car (Heather I <3 you though!).
Dinner was lovely, Brunswick Stew and Apple Cider cake made by Mel's Mum. Serious headache, went to lay down as soon as the table broke up and woke up the next morning to Mel tapping pointedly going on the door which was responded to by me with a grunted "whaaa?"
Though I think she appreciated the alone time with Alex. XD They're very cute together.
Day 6: Off to Petsmart with the dogs, spent the day worried about Mel really. Bit of a todo tonight which I can't help with but can't help wanting to help :(
I think we went to her mall today too.
Day 7: Found $18 on card which turned out to be $11 from another txn which hadn't been authorised. Bugger. Portillos for hotdogs again since I was informed that the hotdog I'd had while I was in the Chicago branch of Portillos was a Polish dog. Let Mel order and am semi-converted. I still can't get past the "It's lips and ass Annie in that!" which she cheerfully declared on many occassion.
Mel's aunt bought us dinner, which as i was feeling very rough was a salad. Had the finer points of Baseball explained to me XD Not quite as clueless regarding it now.
Day 8: Chatted with Mel's Mum a while, found out she was a little apprehenisve about having me over :) Which was entirely understandable and that she was much happier with the fact that it was just me that Mel was meeting and not everyone else. The ride to the airport though....
Now Alex is a very good driver. I'd just like to get that off my chest first. BUT WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THE REST OF THE PEOPLE ON THE ROAD?
Re: Some idiot on the road, take your pick which one. There were that many.
"are you okay Annie?"
"I'm fine. Discovering religion."
"What?"
"I think I've just found God."
I was so scared that I was shaking badly while waiting in the queue for the security checkpoint. Though the funniest bit, accidentally of course, was when Alex hugged me at the airport and I sort of froze and before I could clap my mouth shut I went:
"OHGODTHEHUGGINGTHING!"
I'm not keen on hugs really XD I'd explained this earlier and the poor boy apologised and leapt about 12 feet away :D
*
Seat was broken on the way back to the UK (Swear they give me that one on purpose). Was ignored by the hostesses (again the nice ones were on the opposite side to me). Had stupidly volunteered to work on the day I flew back.
*
Day 9: On the flight I'm fairly sure the guy next to me lifted my blanket up and held it up before putting it back. Now I have no idea why but I was suitably freaked out not to be able to sleep. I get to my job after being without sleep for nearly 33 hours I think. I was freaking hallucinating. Mel has this fake alsation dog on her back porch. I could have sworn I'd seen it by the bathroom door with a trilby on.
Yeah.
40 hours I went without sleep that those two days. NEVER again.
And that'd be an update for you.