I can hardly believe that the day has finally come! I have been planning for this and eagerly anticipating our trip to London for over a year...and now it is here! The only downside to this momentous occasion is the full day of travel. But it is a small price to pay. :)
Here we go:
1. Wake up at 3:30 am to get ready, run through my checklist (a few more times - I always have the feeling that I have forgotten something majorly important), and load up the car. Kevin is a doll for waking up, asking me the basic questions of "do you have your passport and plane tickets," and driving me this early.
2. Arrive at the Illini Amtrak bus terminal at 5:20 am for our 5:45 am bus to Chicago O'Hare. I obviously need to be the first one here, but I start to worry when 5:30 am rolls around and no one else has arrived. Just as my first student pulls up, it begins to rain. How fitting since we are headed to London, but still more than a little annoying - especially when it starts pouring HARD. We are outside but thankfully under a pavilion.
Once everyone arrives and our bus pulls in, we quickly deposit our bags, offer our families hurried hugs and kisses, and dash onto the bus to avoid the downpour. By 5:40 am the rain has stopped and I force the kids off the bus for proper goodbyes and group photo time. I have already warned my gang that I LOVE to take photos and they will have to humor me (with a smile of course)!
Here we go:
1. Wake up at 3:30 am to get ready, run through my checklist (a few more times - I always have the feeling that I have forgotten something majorly important), and load up the car. Kevin is a doll for waking up, asking me the basic questions of "do you have your passport and plane tickets," and driving me this early.
2. Arrive at the Illini Amtrak bus terminal at 5:20 am for our 5:45 am bus to Chicago O'Hare. I obviously need to be the first one here, but I start to worry when 5:30 am rolls around and no one else has arrived. Just as my first student pulls up, it begins to rain. How fitting since we are headed to London, but still more than a little annoying - especially when it starts pouring HARD. We are outside but thankfully under a pavilion.
Once everyone arrives and our bus pulls in, we quickly deposit our bags, offer our families hurried hugs and kisses, and dash onto the bus to avoid the downpour. By 5:40 am the rain has stopped and I force the kids off the bus for proper goodbyes and group photo time. I have already warned my gang that I LOVE to take photos and they will have to humor me (with a smile of course)!
3. A four hour bus ride to Chicago O'Hare! It is one of the easiest
ways to get to and from the airport. Our bus driver was fantastic and I taught
two of his nephews! It is such a small world!
4. Arrival at O'Hare and the easiest automated check in ever! I was able to check us in as a group all at once. We just scanned our passports and waited for the United Airlines people to call our names to check our bags. Thankfully everyone's was under the weight limit. Now off to security...
5. It must be our lucky day because security was quick and easy...unless you forget to take off your shoes and have to go to the back of the line like Jacob.
ways to get to and from the airport. Our bus driver was fantastic and I taught
two of his nephews! It is such a small world!
4. Arrival at O'Hare and the easiest automated check in ever! I was able to check us in as a group all at once. We just scanned our passports and waited for the United Airlines people to call our names to check our bags. Thankfully everyone's was under the weight limit. Now off to security...
5. It must be our lucky day because security was quick and easy...unless you forget to take off your shoes and have to go to the back of the line like Jacob.
6. Now begins the waiting game. It is now about 10:45 am and our flight is
scheduled to depart at 3:40 pm. We are so early that our flight is not even
listed! Two lovely ladies at the information desk tell us the terminal and gate
numbers, and we go in search of some lunch! And then we wait......and
wait....and wait some more.
scheduled to depart at 3:40 pm. We are so early that our flight is not even
listed! Two lovely ladies at the information desk tell us the terminal and gate
numbers, and we go in search of some lunch! And then we wait......and
wait....and wait some more.
7. Boarding! We are the second to last row of the plane, and we did a little rearranging. Gunnar is going to sit next to a stranger (although I offered to switch seats with him), the girls will take the three middle seats, and Jacob will sit next to me by the window. After our Dramamine and such, we are ready to enjoy the next 7 hours and 30 minutes!