Where To Start?

Crikey!  We’ve been here less than 48 hours yet it seems like a month and I could already write pages about the experience to date…I won’t though!

It’s always pressured when you land in America. The first hurdle is clearing Immigration and on my part, the challenge of getting a human type response out of the Border Force agent. Linda always instructs me to keep my mouth shut during the process but that is like the proverbial “red rag to the bull!” On this occasion we got a partial smile, which was most welcome. 

Next hurdle, the luggage, which with the advent of Apple air tags, has become a touch less stressful. If everything goes to plan, you know before the baggage carousel starts that your cases will appear. I did get interrogated by a fellow passenger regarding this amazing product and she vowed to acquire some before her next trip.  I really should be on commission with Apple! 

The third hurdle is collecting the hire car and by this time, the stressometer is moving into the amber zone. Being an Avis Preferred member does bring its benefits and speeds the process of collection up but Chicago O’Hare is a massive airport with thousands of passengers and this inevitably leads to queues and delays, in this case, to leave the parking lot! Those delays weren’t helped when it was our turn to leave and I was asked by the gate attendant for my driving licence, normal practice I might add, so I should have been ready!  I wasn’t and I couldn’t find it 😳😳😳! Panic, more panic and beads of sweat on my forehead and a look of terror on my face.  After what seemed like a year but was only a couple of minutes, Linda located my missing wallet and we were set free.  Phew… 

And so to the final hurdle, satnav and its ability to guide us to our night’s resting place.  It’s where the stressometer goes totally off the scale and yet again, as on so many previous occasions, it didn’t let me down. No gps signal!  Remember this is 0300 UK time and isn’t fun when you are tired and pitched in to all that traffic with no idea where you are going! However and of course similar to every previous occasion, things always work out.  There in the distance was the beautiful green glowing sign of the Holiday Inn Express and its promise of a comfy bed and a defibrillator to get my heart working again!

Why do we do this travel thing? Because we love it. 

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