Quite recently I took my first real, hands down no question, vacation that wasn’t school or work related and that didn’t take place in England.
My friends and I hiked around 4 of Michigan’s fine state parks in 3 days and then we went down to Chicago for 3 days.
The last time I was in Chicago, I was a junior in high school and was traveling for band. (That’s right, band geek, right here.) I remember it like I remember going to DC in the 8th grade or Disney in the 9th grade. You remember all the big things but not the little things like the hotel you stayed in or how you got from one place to another.
Chicago now is such a different place. But really, it’s probably that I’m just a different person. When you travel and you’re a kid things just…magically happen. Your hotel is paid for. The bus is always there to pick you up. And getting lost? Not gonna happen because you have an adult with you. (Note: This wasn’t some kind of eye-opening experience for me because I did all of these planning and paying activities in college BUT it always seems worth noting in my head. The dog days are over.)
I’m just going to digress now.
One of the things I remember about Chicago in 11th grade was Navy Pier and how we didn’t go on the Ferris wheel because it was WAY too expensive. $6?? Are you kidding me?!
Even now, years later, I still kind of find that inflated for a ride that will terrify my (I’m really afraid of heights…) but I spend more on lunch at Chipotle every week so for the “experience” with my friends…why not just go for it?
I can report, it was indeed terrifying. Good thing that cars were enclosed and they didn’t have glass bottoms! The other good that came from this was some quality (quali-tea) shots…

The wheels on the bus go round and round…

Too bad this isn’t the London Eye! “The Eye of The Eye” would’ve been a great title…
Oh, and the post title? Don’t mind me. I just like to sing children’s song in my head…