Travel Snapshot: O'Hare Airport

Our journey to London began at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The newest terminal has a colorful light display above the moving walkway traveling underground between the terminal and the main hub. If you prefer the low ceilings and tighter hallways of the old terminal, it's still there.


In fact, the connecting tunnel between the security check point and the two terminals is itself a bright space to contemplate your upcoming flight. The glass walls were covered with artwork from students in an after school program and displayed prominent city landmarks as well as local scenes.

We had plenty of time before our flight took off, so Liz and I scoured the airport for photo opportunities while Amy stayed at the gate with the luggage. No need to pity her though, she was sitting next to a Scotsman who regaled her with tales from the island. Actually, they just talked about travel plans but almost anything sounds majestic with a Scottish accent.

We also presented Liz with a paperback copy of Roald Dahl's book Matilda. This is when she learned that we had secured tickets to see the West End production of the show based on the book. She has become quite a fan of Dahl's books and the musicals based on them. In the months prior to our trip, she began listening to the Broadway production of Matilda which was a nice change after a year of James and the Giant Peach everyday on the way to school.

We flew United Airlines overnight directly into Heathrow. Our plane was on time and we had no trouble boarding. The three of us had seats together in the middle section, which gave us two aisles and someone to lean on in the middle. We tried sleeping through the flight but it's not the same as curling up in your own bed.

To read more about our trip to London, click here.