Bad to worse to great

Bad...

I failed my first toll booth. I didn't understand the signage and ended up driving through the toll station like someone who had already paid instead of stopping and paying. In my defense, GPS lady told me to keep left and zip through. I suppose if she told me to drive off the bridge I'd do it too. Anyway, I was feeling a bit sick about it being a visitor in the country and all and not wanting the border services folks to have my licence plate photo posted to a Most Wanted board. At the next toll gate I confessed my sin to the attendant.

"Oh no, they're going to take your first born for that!" he said with a laugh. Then he wrote me up a pink note and told me I could pay the fee online within seven days, no problem. Actually, I found out, I can't do that. Only residents of the US can do that. I have to mail a cheque (ahem, check) for $1.90 to the toll collector.

to worse...

We found our way to the Best Western River North in downtown Chicago without any other hiccups. It's one of only two downtown Chicago hotels that has free parking. We were early for check in and unfortunately we couldn't have our room. Nobody was getting a room because the hotel had some issue with their water supply. So we walked to Starbucks to chill for a bit. Actually, we walked, got chilled, and then warmed up with the hot java. My blood boiled a bit when I knocked over my coffee onto my sleeve. Then my arm was cold and wet. I took a picture so I would never forget my first Chicago experience.

At three we returned to the hotel and checked in. The front desk informed us that the water was just coming back on and it might take some time for the hot water to start flowing. Inside the room I pulled my coffee stained t-shirt off and went to soak the sleeve in the sink with some stain remover (my mom packs everything, thank goodness.) I turned the tap and nothing happened. Harumph. The phone rang. It was the front desk telling me that the water was actually taking a little longer than anticipated. Fine. We unpacked the wine and cheese.

It wasn't terribly long before the water was flowing but it was icy cold from both taps. I gave it another 20 minutes/glass of wine and then tried again. Still icy. Feeling like I couldn't properly start my Chicago visit without a good, proper hand washing I called the Best Western 1-800 number and crossed my fingers for a free night's stay.

"We can move you to another room, miss. A suite," Best Western said. My ears perked.

"And the hot water is running there?" I asked and then added, "I mean, I don't want to move just for the sake of moving." Because really, a room change from a small king room to an oversized king suite with fridge is no upgrade if the room still doesn't have hot running water. I was assured that the water was a-okay.

...to great!

And that is how I got us a room big enough for me to do three cartwheels in. Really, I tested this out. I tried to get my mom to capture the acrobatics on camera but something didn't work so all you get to see is a still pic.

The King Suite, unlike our standard king room includes breakfast at the hotel restaurant. And housekeeping knocked on our door with free bottles of water and chocolates for our pillows. I'm happy with that.

We walked around and shopped a bit tonight. There is a bitter cold wind that makes me wish I'd packed a warmer jacket but at least at the end of the day I can return to my room, take a hot shower and do a few cartwheel and somersault passes to warm up.