Flying out of The Windy City

So here I am, on a plane, making my way from Chicago to San Francisco. Finally. First of all, my flight was cancelled. Then I go on another flight that was delayed for over an hour due to some problems at SF. Then it started snowing. I thought that I was going to be spending the night at the airport. Surprisingly though, planes still take off in snow storms. So they spray the plane down to defrost it or something, then spray it with anti-freeze to stop it from dropping out of the sky from frostbite. And sure enough… it took off eventually – snow and all.

Until today I was completely in love with snow – it’s beautiful. But when it means that I’m hanging around airports…. I’ve learnt that it’s not so fun.

Today was the last day of meetings that I have. Lots of work generated because of the meetings – but no more actual meetings. The trip has been fantastic – but from a work perspective – it’s been even better. I love that I’ve had the opportunity to come on a trip like this. I love working face to face with clients, with real people, rather than just the voices in my headphones. To be able to sit in on the meetings that I have I think that I have learnt a lot. Hopefully I’ve been a valuable resource at these meetings too. With enough luck and hard work I’ll get to do it again sometime soon.

Although it’s been a busy week with work, I’ve managed to fit in some fun this week.

On Tuesday afternoon I went up to the observation deck at the Hancock Tower in Chicago – what a view! I was already in love with Chicago, but seeing it from the 94th floor from one of the most prominent buildings in the city, was amazing. I could see as far as Ohio on the other side of Lake Michigan, which is so big its hard to believe it’s a lake. I could see north along the ‘Gold Coast’ (which has nothing on our Gold Coast but is beautiful none the less). Looking out west across the city gave me a good perspective on just how flat it is out there. Not a mountain in site – just Chicago as far as the eye could see. The buildings of Chicago are just amazing.

After those amazing views I got to see a bit of Chicago by ground as we drove out to the suburbs for another couple of days with another client. It was beautiful to see everything with snow dusted over it. I managed to fit in a bit more shopping at the “mall” across the way. It was a pretty big mall – but very much like our shopping centers. Picked up a couple of bargain t-shirts, which is a little hard to think about when you’re still dusting the snow out of your hair.

Wednesday was broken up nicely with a Mexican lunch at a local place. I don’t think that I’ve ever had Mexican before! Unless you count Uni Tuesdays half price margaritas at Mexican House in Berwick. And today, Thursday, we ate at the Weber Grill – as in Weber BBQ. Which I had always thought was an Australian brand, but apparently not…. I’ll have to look into that.

So now I’ve got a couple of days to unwind in San Francisco before I make the long flight home to Australia. I hope to get up to date with some work, my blog, and do a bit of sightseeing around SF, including Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Not sure if I’ll do any shopping as I’m already at my baggage weight limit, and I was wearing most of my heaviest things today! But I’m sure I’ll work something out. Such a shame to waste so many bargains.

I think that this has been my longest blog so far – so yay me for using my time on a plane a little productive. But its time for me to go because my battery is about to give up on me. Phone is almost dead, computer is almost dead, and iPod is almost dead. I feel so disconnected!

Take care all and hopefully I can put this post up in the morning from my hotel along with a heap of photos for you to look at. Because I know that’s the real reason that you come to look at the blog – photos photos photos!