1227 miles later (part 2)...

Right, so I've got a bit of a backlog of blogging to do. Or a backblog, I suppose you could call it. Without missing out too much, here's an express route to the last week. On Thursday and Friday I spent 48 hours with Patsy and her parents. Patsy was the most amazing guide, showing me around Chicago with the passion of someone, who despite having lived in London for 15 years, still loves the place she was brought up. Her parents, Stan and Cathy, were the most wonderfully kind hosts to me, Stan even donating a big coat to keep me warm as the north of the States gets colder. In the short time I was there it was fascinating to gain a brief understanding of their life stories, Stan (full name Stanislaus) coming from a Polish immigrant family who arrived at Ellis Island, whilst Cathy came from a Scandinavian background. Stan spent 2 years in the Armed Forces at a time when doing such a thing would help pay you through college. Most of his co-students had done the same thing. At 82, he only retired recently, whilst his wife Cathy still works today at a school for children with learning disabilities. On Thursday Stan gave me a driving tour of Chicago, and on Friday Patsy gave a full 8 hour walking tour through the streets of downtown Chicago. Friday evening we sat down to watch the classic Chicago caper mover The Blues Brothers.

Stan, myself and Cathy, outside their Arlington Heights home (30/10/10)

Even though they were only able to host me for 2 nights, I planned to stay in Chicago. I had attempted to find my first couchsurf experience, but failed, so booked myself into a hostel in the Greektown part of Chicago. As it happened, this was not far from the Willis Tower, at one point the tallest building in the world, so I headed there on Saturday afternoon to go to the viewing platform. I went up at 4pm, but stayed for 3 hours and read my book allowing daylight to dissipate and for me to get not just a great daytime view, but also the sun setting and then the city at night. One thing I will never tire of is spectacular views.

The sun setting over Chicago, from the Willis Tower (30/10/10)

Despite my failure to find a couchsurf, I was invited to a couchsurf hosted Halloween party, so on Saturday evening, I made my way there. And that is where the random journey began...