The Chicago Episode II
Place & Year: Chicago, Illinois ,USA / 2008
Two days before the Belle Isle episode , I was sitting in the river front facing Canada after grabbing a cup of coffee from The Coffee beanery Store along with my collegue during a short break from my office work. I was talking to my collegue about something that wasn’t really interesting (which people would often find discussing with me) , when one of my friends called and asked if I was ready for a one day trip to Chicago on one of the weekdays in the coming week.I din’t ask the reason. I said yes I would , but I would also work from there. Thus started the one day trip to Chicago.
We planned in on the early morning of Monday for which I already informed my managers , that I would be working from Chicago.Since It was the week of GM shutdown I dint even have to face many hinderances getting the approval from the managers who were in the vacation mood.
Chicago, Illinois, USA
My friend with whom I was driving had to go to the Indian Embassy for a passport related work in Chicago. He also rented the car for the trip. It was Monday morning.I got up at around 3 AM which was kinda sick, took bath and packed my things up. But then I went to his house (walkable distance) and we had a tea. Came down got into the car; Plugged in our MP3 palyer to play a vinayagar song to start with and also Kandar shasti kavasam.Chicago is around 5 hours drive from our place and we knew the day was going to be really hectic and it was. We hit the roads at 4:30 Am.It was dark for more than an hour and after which it was a really cool drive in I 94 towards Chicago. After 3 hours, we were hungry and were trying to pull over to exits where we unfortunately landed up in Closed Wendy’s and McDees.
But the the next exit was fruitful. It was a Burger King; After the late serving of the cheese burger and the watery coffee, we continued.Crossed Indiana and then Illinois. Entering Illinois, we felt the sickness in air.Yes ! Chicago was there. The densely packed and conjusted city was there and I had a bad experience of the city even in my previous visits.But then my friend had a few addresses of different parking lots. The first few we went in weren’t safe enough ; The landed up in a lot where it was full. We had to call up the call center to know if we can park in the reserved slots after 10 Am, for which we had to wait and park.We did. One and half hours of parking hinderances! Huh! Chicago shows now mercy to me and I know that.This was the first visit to Chicago for the friend who came with me. We got into the local orange line train heading to downtown. It was packed ; I could smell our Metro trains running frojm beach to tambaram. It was so similar. After a few loading and unloading onto the buses and trains,we reached the Indian Embassy on the eighth floor of the NBC tower. Guess what, the government office in India is better. My friend and I waited for around an hour to submit the documents , which we had to collect at 4 – 5 PM in the evening. I then remembered that I had to work from Chicago. Went to the Starbucks nearby ; ordered for the Chai Tea ; Had the sprint wireless network and WORKED for sometime.
My friend wanted to go to the Sears Towers, and now after a series of tower mania, I’m bored. But had no other go , went to the top ,took the few snaps outta my SLR, which was not only hanging around my neck but also inducing heavy pains out on my back. Again, down in the downtown , it was the magic moment of the trip; Found our way to Chipotle, a Mexican grill. Man! The food was awesome. Dragging the fully saturated stomach, went to the Indian embassy and collected what was required.
Went back to the parking lot; Started the engine,hit the road. Traffic was at its peak which made us sick. But after an hour of that, it was free ways , really free. Stopped at Wendy’s for a coffee and then again hit I 94 . The drive seemed to be long, perhaps very long during the return . Reached home at 12:15 AM.
And the best part of the trip was the food at Chipotle and the trip wasn’t my favourite for sure.