Time zones have finally caught up to me. Four in a week probably isn’t the most wise decision and never have I truly felt like I could consider myself a traveler until now. Four time zones – we are crazy. And I got up at 4:30AM with no sign of respite or back to sleep. Nope, tossing and turning had to stop otherwise a very unhappy Jock would follow today, so I come into the next room and write this blog.

Flights to Chicago from Las Vegas were uneventful – oh, except for that incredible warm, gooey deliciousness called Cinnabon. Now, THAT was an event. Ever since that sickly cinnamony smell entered my nostrils last week at the airport, I’ve been a-craving them and I finally tickled my fancy yesterday. I didn’t feel guilty, ashamed – I just felt calm like the days when Aunt Frona and Aunt Sheila would boost me up in their arms to help me pick the bun of my choice – until the sugar rush kicked in and I was bouncing off the cabin walls.

But don’t worry – you won’t find me using one of those automatic wheelchairs anytime soon with an oxygen mask attached to my face. Nope, I made sure to work out twice as hard today. But it was so worth it.

The day flew by yesterday – a quick lunch at Panera Bread in Naperville turned into a three hour discussion with the 19 year old cashier, followed by another hour of speaking with his aunt and cousins who happened to stop by. I have a feeling this might be a recurring theme for Jock and I. We seem to be entering a phase of approachability – or is that just our returning naivety to American culture?

Regardless, the 19 year old cashier/skateboarder/graffiti artist was one of the most refreshing young men we have spoken to in a long time. He had that refreshing candor and joie de vivre that perhaps comes from experiencing his best friend’s death at a young age – he set up a memoriam where they skateboard on the anniversary of his death every year and apparently over 80 people show up each time. He was so curious about life in England and how it was different from America. “Don’t hold back, I want to know what we do wrong or differently in this country. I’ve never been anywhere else,” he said. But oh, does he want to travel. Jock and he exchanged emails and unlike the days when I was younger (probably his age) and would exchange emails with just about anyone and never keep in touch – I would love to find out what he gets up to. I have a feeling he’ll do well.

Today we go into the city of Chicago and do some site seeing.

A few photos from our trip thus far:

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