Well, it was far from over. We arrived in Chicago, anxious to be on the last leg of our journey. Looking forward to seeing loved ones. We got through customs, with baggage in tow we headed towards the monitor to see which gate our departing flight would be. Only to find out it had been cancelled due to bad weather in OKC.
The prospect of another night in a hotel room and no guarantee of leaving Chicago next day. I suggested to Gene we could drive to OKC. We didn't want to lug or very large four suitcases and hand baggage to the room, only to have to do it again the next day. Having to go through the tedious process of checking into O'hare airport. The twelve hour drive seemed tame in comparison.
Gene agreed with me and were off looking for a car to rent. What followed was a comedy of errors. Neither one of us had a working cell phone. We checked with Budget, but they were out of cars. We headed back to the terminal, baggage in tow. I was able to secure a car with Avis. We got to the counter and then I realized , I didn't have my driver's license with me. Since I was going to do the bulk of the driving, we both felt daunted. But, we decided, I would drive anyway and take our chances. I will have to be very careful and not speed! Which is very tough for me!
We called Leslie and Reina to let them know the flight had been cancelled and that we were driving home. Only to find out a blizzard was heading to OK. Okay, I thought what else can go wrong?! Both Reina and Leslie were concerned for our safety. But, I think Reina knows I would be fine driving. Leslie, on the other hand had reason to be concerned. She really does not know my driving history.
Anyhow, we were on our way. I thought I was mad for doing this. I had had some sleep on the plane, but, in all honesty I was driving with a deficit in the sleep department.
About two hours into the drive, I began to get sleepy. Gene was taking a nap, the night sky was upon us. I thought break was in order and then decide how much further I could go. Since we didn't have cell phones, we had to look for places with pay phones. Not an easy task! We were able to put our calls on the credit card and talk with the two daughters. Letting them know we were fine and that we would go on until we can or if bad weather stops us. I assured Leslie, I would be a responsible driver.
As I was driving, I thought my ability to stay up late was definitely coming in handy. And, My love of driving long distances was also very helpful for a twelve hour journey.
Gene and I also remarked about all the different flights we had taken in India. Not one was delayed, late or cancelled. Amazing how in this country air travel is now a headache. Whereas in India, it was such a joy. We were on eight different flights during our time in India. Every single flight there was pleasant. All the crew members were courteous and helpful. Everyone on the flight got good food to eat, not just first class passengers. And, then we land in Chicago and our flight is cancelled with no good reason. The staff was less than helpful. We had to fend for ourselves. Not pleasant.
Well, after driving for about six hours, I decided I would drive all the way home. There was no point in stopping on the way. So, we pressed on. Gene is not a talker, but he did do well in keeping me awake. We stopped every couple of hours, stretched our legs ate horrible snack foods, drank coke and coffee. Oh, how I missed all those great Indian dishes of the past month!
We made it to OKC at 6:30 a.m. Exactly twelve hours later, and I didn't speed at all! There was very little snow on the ground, I got us home, Gene was kind enough to bring my suitcases in . We hugged goodbye. He went to his house and I went to sleep.
And, so ended our excellent adventure!
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