Sweet Home, Chicago
To the Journey
- Well, it’s been a long two years, hasn’t it?
- Testing, Testing, Swab 1-2-3…
- Off to Heathrow (Take the coach they say. It’s fun they say)
- Cathay Pacific T3 lounge, Heathrow Airport
- AA87 London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare International (Main Cabin Extra)
- Into the USA, Crown Plaza O’Hare
- Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Airplane Art from the Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Fooding around Chicago… Badly
- Starbucks Reserve Rosterary, North Michigan Avenue
- Exploring Chicago with a smartphone
- Back to O’Hare, British Airways Lounge
- BA296 Chicago O’Hare to London Heathrow (World Traveller Plus – Premium Economy)
- Welcome back to the UK, or how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
- To the Journey
To the Journey
Well, it might have been a six or seven-day trip. But all the memories of travelling came back – and why I travel. In this case, not to see buildings or places, but to see people and friends.
And after a rough two years (I have plenty of stories from the past two years I’ll write from the back lines that one day), it’s good to be back exploring.
It’s why I travel sometimes – not just for the experiences, but to catch up with friends, meet new people and explore our great world of ours.
Whilst travel isn’t seamless yet (for there are plenty of hoops to jump, to get from A to B, be it in the form of testing, paperwork, poorly written apps, vague promises and plenty of stick swaps up noses), each day things are improving. The world is starting to move again, with things changing each day.
As travellers (be it for business or pleasure), it can be confusing. But being able to keep up to date with whatever arcane rules are in play at that time.
Let’s do some one-line wrap-ups to move this trip report into its final stages.
National Express – It got me from A to B, if a little late in the end.
Cathay Pacific Lounge at Terminal 3 – if there’s any place at Heathrow I would like to call “home”, this is it: with the great service and comfortable atmosphere.
American Airlines AA87 – More than passable with the low loads – although, I suspect things would be a lot more different if the aircraft was more loaded up. That 10-across seating layout in Economy Class is just brutal.
Crowne Plaza O’Hare – Impressive, considering the upgrade provisioned. No moans here.
Hyatt Regency O’Hare – I wrote disappointing in my review – and even after a few weeks, that view has solidified. This is a case of must do better.
British Airways BA296 – Premium Economy continues to be the sweet spot in travel, in terms of space and comfort – however, problems at BA”s London home base show… and show badly.
Avanti West Coast – provides its possible to book a cheap ticket on a train at a moment’s notice and not be married to open priced tickets.
Dear Chicago. Let’s not leave it too long until next time, please.
And that’s your lot for Sweet Home, Chicago. Take it away The Blues Brothers to end the trip report.
Coming Next/In the Pipeline/
There are a lot of trips in deep-level planning at the moment, with at least three trips currently being planned out. But where?
- June will see me back in Hamburg as we check in on the world of Passenger Experience at Aircraft Interiors Expo, with me covering the show, with updates on the ground as well as a trip report too (and it’s shaping up to be a stinker too).
- July and August – will see me take advantage of very well priced tickets and a Finnair Airbus A350… or four as I get to know Helsinki a bit more than I possibly could have wanted to. It’ll make the change of also leaving Helsinki Airport ( something I’ve so far done).
- And who knows in October? Back to that same old place more probable than not, with more stories from Chicago and maybe beyond if I get my finger out in planning.
As for what else… it is still dependent on what parts of the world choose to open up when they choose to. Who knows what the year will bring after two years of restrictions.
Because life is a journey. Be it with each step we take, each journey, each adventure and each experience.
Here’s to the journey.
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