We've arrived!

Wow! I can't believe we are finally here. It all seems a bit surreal. The plane trip went really smoothly.
Back track - We were a bit worried, as Dante had the gastro bug, and was feeling pretty terrible. So he boarded the plane with an ice-cream buckets, and spare pairs of undies. But fortunately he didn't need them. By the time we got to Chicago, he was feeling much better.
Also, at 11pm two nights before we left, Scott received a phonecall to say that his dad was in hospital after being bitten by a snake. It was an anxious wait till we found out he was all OK the next afternoon.
After these two blips, everything went smoothly. We arrived at the hotel, and got to bed by midnight.

First day
- episodes of friendliness-
* Ben is an ethics lecturer at the university. He lives next door to Graham Cole, and met Scott when he visited last year. He picked Scott up from the airport in Chicago with all our luggage, and brought them to the hotel. He had also done some grocery shopping for us, which was fantastic. Amazingly, it included a box with my favourite tea in it - lady grey.

* Kate woke up at 11am, but couldn't work out how to get the shower working. Woke up the kids, and called for the maintenance man. He came, and after showing us what to do, chatted for a while about the local attractions, the history of the area, and the chance of seeing deer outside our window. He said we could call for him, or stop him in the hallway if we had any questions.

*We went to the shopping centre (Westfield) to pick up a few things. I thought it was huge, but apparently it is a small one compared to others. Fortunately we quickly encountered the info desk. The children were all given balloons, and we were pointed in the right direction. The man wanted to know what kangaroo meat was like. I did a raving add for it (even though I've only eaten it a couple of times myself). When it was time to go home again, we went back to the info desk, and they called a taxi for us. All the kids were given an extra balloon (not so good thought the parents). They said if we have any questions about anything, just to ask them. Didn't quite give us their personal phone number, but close to it.

- what's different so far-
* The light switches turn on and off the opposite way
*McDonalds sells iced-tea
* American flags everywhere
*Driving on the wrong side of the road
*Kettles (see below)

In the hotel there is a coffee percolator, but no kettle to make a cup of tea. At the shops, we asked the lady for a kettle, and she showed up some saucepans. No, we wanted something to boil water in, like a jug. She showed us an old-fashioned kettle that you put on the stove. Hmm, closer, but do you have anything else? "Oh, do you want a tea-pot?"She dubiously said that they have electric tea pots. "Yes"we said, very enthusiastically. She showed us where they were, and tried to pull out the switch that you flick to turn on. She obviously had never used one before. We bought the tea-pot, and I enjoyed my lady grey tea this evening.

- memorable quotes-
*Dante, disappointed because "The trees have no leaves on them. I thought they only fell off with the snow."
* Angela, on spotting a man with a cowboy hat on in the shopping centre, "Look, a cowboy, from Western Australia"

That's probably a good summary of our first day in Chicago. The landscape so far is very flat, and pretty bleak and wintry. Fortunately, they have been having a warm spell, so it wasn't too cold. Snow is forecast for Friday. Our hotel is wonderful. They provide breakfast, and dinner four nights a week, hot cider with cinnamon and cloves, and an open fireplace in the lounge. It is very much like an American postcard. Tomorrow morning I go to pick up a hire car - so that will be a new adventure!