Travel Day, Continued

2024-05-24 Publican Tavern breakfast — 2024-05-24 Publican Tavern Breakfast (O’Hare)

7:32AM Chicago O’Hare Airport. I’m in the middle of my three-hour layover at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. I didn’t sleep on the red-eye from Las Vegas to Chicago and I knew I should get breakfast while I waited in Chicago. I was originally thinking of just getting something at McDonald’s, mostly because it’s cheap and I wasn’t really sure about getting a “real” breakfast. But after walking all around the airport, it just seemed wrong to have a meal that I could have anywhere. So I decided against McDonald’s and chose a rustic looking place called Publican’s Tavern. Surprise, they might have nice wooden tables and linen napkins, but it the same food corporation who runs all of the food outlets at this airport, HMS, so… I’m not too sure about my choice, especially when the sausage turn out to be basically a hotdog (ok, it really was a not spicy bratwurst. So, I am going to slow down in the food (and drink) for the rest of the day (I also wish I could take a proper nap. Ugh.

1:09PM Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport. So what do you do when you arrive at the airport after over 13-hours of travel and there’s no one available to get you from the airport to your hotel? I sent an ”I’ve arrived” message and got two “unavailable” responses. Then I called the hotel to determine/confirm that they don’t offer an airport shuttle service (this has got to be one of the smallest “international” airports that I have ever seen!). Yeah, no hotel shuttle. Uber wanted to charge me $69 for the honor. Lyft offered the same trip for $43.99 (plus tip). Yeah, it’s a 25-minute drive to the hotel and there’s no other option. I’m not feeling the warm fuzzies right now. I’m sure I’ll feel better after a nap and some socializing with family.

2024-05-24 Battle Creek-Kalamazoo International Airport

8:00PM Moonrakers Restaurant. I was able to connect with Joyce and Dano for dinner and travel recovery. We also visited the local superstore, Meijer, to pick up some ice cream and, for me, zero-calorie Snapple. I am going to sleep very well tonight. 7AM wake-up alarm set so that I don’t miss the “free” breakfast downstairs. Good night, y’all