After the Conference one of those glitches we appear to occur from time to time when travelling happened. I had intended to spend time with my friend David, prior to flying out to Chicago. And although we carefully compared notes and dates, somehow the days became mixed up, and the very day I was to spend with David turned out to be the day I was flying out. We were both greatly disappointed by this turn of events. So on to Chicago and another comedy of errors.
No this is not the hotel in which I was staying. This photo is of the statues to be seen along one of the main boulevards, portraying the arrival of the early settlers. It is of interest to note that in 1900, 90% of the population was agrarian, living on farms and small holdings. Today 90% of the population is urbanised with the remaining ten percent living on farms.
On my arrival at the hotel which I felt sure I had made a booking on-line for, you can imagine my surprise to be told that this was not so. Suffice it to say, they were able to supply me with the necessary accomodation - fortunately.
The next disconcerting episode concerned the telephone as each time I phoned the lady with whom I was to stay, just as we commenced our conversation it would drop out. After many tries on both our parts we eventually were able to have a continual line, only to find that her answering service kept on cycling so that we were unable to have a continual conversation.
Eventually I received the message that her husband would pick me up at 6.30am the next morning. At 6.30 am he arrived to pick me up - yet reception failed to inform me, so that eventually he went on his way thinking I must have slept in, or some such thing.
In due course I contacted reception to try and ascertain what had occurred, and received the information of his arrival and subsequent departure. Then commenced another series of phone calls with the ongoing problem of the answering machine still un-resolved.
The instructions on how to catch a train eventually filtered through, so off I set to do so. Upon arrival at the station I was rather surprised at the rather old-world set up, more in line with the early 1900's, or even late 1800's, than the 21st century.
The waiting area was in a cavern like area in semi-darkness where one waited till about twenty minutes prior to the departure time when the gate was then opened, enabling the passengers to enter the platform, and be designated the carriage in which you were to travel by the conductor.
So far so good. Except at the head of the platform there was a list of the stations at which it was to stop, and the station listed before the one to which I was travelling was listed as after as I read it. I feel sure you can image what happened next. Yes I travelled past my station.
One of the other travellers took pity upon me and allowed me to use his mobile phone to inform my friend that I would be up to an hour and a half later than expected, due to this error of mine.
The next couple of days were spent in the very pleasant company of my friends and their two sons, sharing my knowledge and assisting in the establishment of their organic vegetable garden.
No comments:
Post a Comment