Delayed…Adventures of O’Hare Terminal 5

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Delayed…Adventures of O’Hare Terminal 5

With all the continuous things that have happened over the past 6 weeks, I was not surprised to find I did not get the upgrade to business class that I had hoped for. To make it up to me though, my bike FINALLY got to fly for free. At least I have an aisle seat and only one person to let out when needed. My flight is 90 minutes late and for once it is not O’Hare. The plane is just now rolling in, and all I can hope for is that the pilots can make some time in the air. These are things you expect when you travel. The further you fly, the more things can go as not planned.

As I have spent these past few hours roaming Terminal 5, I have come to the conclusion that it completely sucks. I have walked to both ends and back to the middle to find that there are only 3 duty free shops and no place to eat. Oh wait, I could eat, but then I would have to exit the secure area, get something, then return back to go through another full on body search again.

I am absolutely amazed by people. The great thing about the international terminal is that there are walks of life you wouldn’t normally see at my regular gates of the airport. Little kids are exceptionally curious of everyone. It is so adorable to hear them talk in all languages and look perplexed at each other when they don’t understand what the other is saying. I am amazed by the girl in her 30’s talking on the phone and twirling her gum with her finger. I am amazed how all the elders have packed their little snack packs from home or family members to have their comfort food on their long journey. Men in their pajama’s with short sweaters pulled-over gives me a little chuckle. No screaming babies or children…yet. Chumples in the winter J I am amazed that there will be 300 people boarding this plane and spending 14 hours in closed quarters for meals and sleep, finding their places in the aisle to pray for sunrise, sunset and the other 3 times a day they have to. All I can hope for is that they really have my vegetarian meal for me or it will be long flight living on chocolate covered edaname, almonds and spiced channa.

Never have I gone into a race feeling so out of shape. Training was going perfect until the choice between work and training had to be made during the month of February. As sad as I want to be about my lack of preparation (to the point I even thought about asking to drop down in distance once I got to registration), I am excited for the adventure I am bout to embark on. I am excited to experience a different culture I have really never been exposed to. I am excited to taste new foods. I am excited to walk into my first Mosque and for it to be in the Middle East at that! I am excited to see a real desert. I must try something new while I am there…maybe sand-boarding; and I have never even snow-boarded before! I am excited for this adventure.

Not many people can say they have raced in this desert frontier. Let alone to be able to have raced in Europe, Africa and North American as well over the past couple years. WOW…I am so lucky! I feel so blessed to be able to do these things. To be able to race all over the world and experience different lands I would not normally get to see. These are the two things I love. This is what I want to be doing. This is what I should be doing. This is what makes my life so perfect.

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