Hello from Chicago,
So it is 7:30 and I am at the Days Inn in Chicago. It is quite cold here and there is a lot more snow than in Saskatoon. The trip was quite uneventful, but since I have nothing else to do(Nfl playoffs are done for the night, good work Arizona, and go Colts go)I thought I might as well get into the habit of posting on here. Because of the increased Airport Security, the Saskatoon International Airport has constituted a second security check to go along with a ban of carry on luggage on all flights bound for the USA. United Airlines suggested that I go through security one and a half hours early to get through the security in time for my flight. The first step was the normal security process and took all of 3 minutes to complete. I then proceeded to the departure area where I waited for about an hour. Then the secondary security process began which consisted of a search of everyone's personal belonging and an intensive pat down for everyone boarding the plan. After this they sent us to sit on green plastic patio chairs in a hallway for 10 minutes before we boarded the plane... The mighty Saskatoon Airport. The plane was maybe a fifth full. Arrived in Chicago no problem then proceeded to the huge customs line where it really sunk in just how big this airport really was. It took maybe 30 minutes to get through customs and in the line I saw passports from such places as Germany, the UK, Japan, China, Ireland and Mexico. Just to hammer the point home I proceed to the airports own LRT-like train system that shuttles people between terminals. My hotel's shuttle van pulled up just as I walked outside to try and find it (60 minutes after the family who boarded it with me phoned for it)and off we were to the Days Inn Chicago. I can't believe that this place is considered an airport hotel seeing as it took 25 minutes to get here. Regardless I have my shuttle back to the airport booked for 9am tomorrow and look forward to a night of excited, restless sleep. The hotel is OK, and for $50 bucks a night it is pretty much what I expected. About the same quality hotel as I stayed at in Humboldt half the summer when I worked for the Department of Highways.
I just received a message from Kurt who gave me his buddies number who were gonna travel with. He's in Bangkok right now and it sounds like he might join me on the train from Bangkok to Chang Mai to meet up with Kurt. This sounds good to me, as I'm not really sure what to expect from a 13 hour night train on my second day in Thailand. This guy actually writes a blog of his own which is quite good. You can check it out at stophavingaboringlife.com. I am positively dreading my 23 hour trip from Chicago to Bangkok. I stop in Tokyo for 3 hours on the way to re-fuel, but otherwise that's all flying time. I am now gonna head off to my room to re-pack (I get to take a carry-on bag on my next flight, Thank God)and rest up. The next time I check-in, I will be in Asia. Goodnight!
