Hello from Chicago - First Impressions

So here I am again, on another short excursionabout 10 to 15 minutes to get me to Fullerton.I
away from home. I've been awake for an houram usually pretty proud of my 'highly developed
already and decided the best thing is to get upsense of orientation', but when I left the Fullerton
and put my first impressions on paper. Sinceel-train station it was dark already and I promptly
there is only a one hour time difference betweenended up walking westwards on Fullerton, in the
Toronto and Chicago I decided yesterday I wasn'topposite direction of where I was supposed to go.
even going to change my watch over. So when II managed to successfully delay my arrival at the
came down this morning to use the freeyouth hostel by about 45 minutes due to walking
computer at the Arlington Youth Hostel inin the wrong direction and not being able to
Chicago, I realized it's not 7 am, but actually onlyconnect with anyone who might have known
6 am. Well, even better, that'll give me morewhere the youth hostel is. None of the DePaul
chance to explore.A trip to Chicago has been inuniversity students that I asked had any idea of
the works for a while. I have been here twicewhere the intersection of Lincoln and Fullerton
before, once in 2001 with 3 of my friends, andwas, they were probably all new in town
once in April of 2003 to meet my friend Lindathemselves. I finally arrived at the next larger
who I have known from back home in Austriaintersection "Ashland" and realized I had walked
since we are 10 years old. You realize you areabout 2 or 3 km westwards, in the wrong
getting old when you can say to someone thatdirection.Pretty tired from rolling my suitcase
you have known them for 30 years...So Linda,around I decided to catch the bus back east on
who now lives in Indiana, and I decided to reuniteFullerton and arrived at the Arlington House not
in Chicago again, so she is planning to come inmuch later. The Arlington House with its large
today at 10:25 with the South Shore Railway Line.entrance hall full of young (and older) travellers
I, on the other hand, decided to fly this time,and its absolutely spartanic rooms (no closets, no
instead of driving or taking the train (15 hoursnight tables, no table lamps, no chairs, no desks -
from Toronto!!!) as I did the last two times.As I'vejust a metal bunk bed for our private room) is
done several times this year already in my tripsalways an experience. But I love it, it makes me
to New York City and Vancouver/Victoria, Ifeel young again to hang out with all these world
decided to use my Airmiles to come down totravellers and adventurers of different ages.I had
Chicago on a free flight, and what a great decisionoriginally planned to head downtown, but due to
that was since the flight is just over an hour long.my detour I was pretty pooped and decided to
With the help of Airmiles, this is shaping up to bejust go and eat something locally. I strolled south
a really reasonable and cost-effective weekendon Clark Street which has many lively little
getaway in a great city that will allow me to keeprestaurants and plopped myself down in a place
my costs as low as possible.Yesterday, I flew outcalled Ranalli's where I had an extremely filling
of Pearson International Airport at 4:45 pm andsoup, salad and tiramisu dinner. After all this
arrived at 5:30 Chicago time. Chicago's O'Harerunning around it was nice to sit down, read the
Airport is the world's busiest airport, and judgingpaper, including the events calendar and try to
by the size of the terminals, I can only concur.figure out what adventures could be in store for
After walking what felt like miles I reached thethis weekend.Today I got up early, actually an
level where the subway trains depart, and Ihour earlier than I thought since I want to do
bought a 3-day visitor ticket for US$12.00.some exploring before my friend Linda comes
Chicago, similar to New York City, has a greatinto town. I am planning to meet her at 10:25 at
transit system, with a large network ofthe Randolph Street train station, so I have a few
interconnected buses, subways and elevatedhours for exploring before she comes into town.I
trains. I am fascinated by the "el-train" systemmight take a bus north, or go south into the Old
that runs through the downtown area and theTown Neighbourhood, close to North Street.It's
"Loop" as it is called. The train on stilts has been ingoing to be interesting.....Susanne Pacher is the
existence since the early 1900s, and it allows youpublisher of a website called Travel and
to see some of the beautiful architecture thatTransitions( Travel and Transitions deals with
Chicago has to offer.My destination was theunconventional travel and is chock full of advice,
Arlington House Youth Hostel, a place I hadtips, real life travel experiences, interviews with
already stayed at during my earlier two trips. Attravellers and travel experts, insights and
US$56.00 per night for a private room for 2reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and
people (albeit with a shared bathroom), you can'tmany other features. You will also find stories
beat the pricing. The Arlington House is located inabout life and the transitions that we face as we
the beautiful neighbourhood of Lincoln Park andgo through our own personal life-long
literally just 15 minutes from downtown by el-trainjourneys.Submit your own travel stories in our
or bus. It took me 45 minutes by train to get tofirst travel story contest( and have a chance to
the Washington Station downtown where Iwin an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon
changed over to the red line which just tookRiver.