Bucking and plunging Up early in the splendid Ritz Carlton to pack in a frenzy. Outside, the sky blue and the Chicago skyscrapers glittering. Checked out, and met Toby and Romy in the luxurious lobby for a sad goodbye. Then off in a yellow taxi to O'Hare airport. The friendly driver asking us where we were from. When we said England, he repeated the word as if he'd never heard of it. O'Hare not my favourite airport, and the United Airlines check in a shambles, but the flight to Toronto fine, despite rude cabin crew and inter-passenger bickering. Last time I was there on a business trip, I had to argue for 45 minutes before I was let onto the plane, as they had lost my booking. At Toronto a beer and some small grub, before catching the Thomas Cook flight to England. Something rather nice about being called mate by the steward, and the cabin crew almost stereotypically gay, and the Irish head stewardess making the whole plane laugh as she talked to us over the PA. The flight ...
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Chicago by air and river To Island Airport by cab. Porter Airlines very nice and professional, but it was a prop plane which chugged through the cloud a lot of the time, which I didn't particularly like. Chicago grey and rainy when we arrived at Midtown airport. Toby given his traditional hard time at US customs, having to field annoying questions like: 'so, they teach English in Canada, do they?' To the Ritz Carlton by cab. The clump of enormous buildings downtown seeming a bit disappointing from afar, until you got amongst them. Passed Navy Pier and the W hotel, which is the only part of Chicago I knew from my business trip several years ago. Pulled up at the Ritz Carlton, and was warmly greeted. Swanky and cool hotel. Lorraine and I have a wonderful room on the 20th floor. After a half an hour crash out, Toby, Lorraine and I made our way up the Majestic Mile, grabbing a sandwich before making for the new Millennium Park park. Two stunning and monumental works of public a...
Chicago - scrap of a diary I found in April 2011 One of those longer than ever days yesterday. Spent the first half pottering about in a considerable amount of fear. I tidied up. I went around the corner and bought myself ten fags smoked two nervously in the back garden. A couple of phone calls to Mum and Mas, and Bob and packed and set off. Once I had set off I felt better, although entirely still like a condemned man. On the plane reading a book about luck that Mike lent me. I was actually fabulously lucky on this journey. I only realised after the event that I had been upgraded. My seat number was 1A First Class. So the flight was even more restful than business class. I had been able to go to the Red Carpet lounge in Heathrow and drink free gin and tonics and smoke some nervous gaspers. The flight had its turbulent moments but with judicious gin and tonics I kept the horror well at bay. I was able to get quite flat in my seat and had my legs up in front of me all the way. It w...