surreal nights

i started my journey to the DC area last wednesday evening.
kat (who is awesome) drove me to the airport. good real conversations we had.
i was so excited again about the self check-in at the airport. (for anyone who has yet to experience this... it is way better than the grocery store self check-out, which produces more frustration than time saved.) you swipe a credit card for identification purposes. you touch "yes" this is my flight. you touch "yes" i'm checking baggage. you touch "yes" this seat will be fine. then it prints out your boarding pass, the dude or chick behind the counter gives you a sticker for your luggage, and you are on you merry way. no long lines. glorious.
i head into the terminal, get myself a nice chicken pesto sandwich and spur my mind to journey in a book.
i flew out of o'hare. one of the biggest airports in the country. but as i got on the plane i was shocked at its size. it was so small. i almost had to bend over a little to walk through. and i'm only 5'7". you couldn't even fit normal size carry ons. people were having to leave them at the gate to be put on the plane. i sat next to a nice older business man, had a short conversation about who we each are and i continue my reading. half way there i'm realizing the effects of a small plane on ones ears. i felt like i was scuba diving. i had to keep popping them with assistance. none of this yawning/chewing stuff was working. i mean i had to plug my nose and blow. (as i write this i picture myself and giggle.. i'm sure i was quite a sight.)
then the pilot announces that there is a lunar eclipse. but its on the left side and i'm on the right side, no biggie. but everyone around me starts talking about how this will probably be the only time we'll see a lunar eclipse from a plane and all the people on the left side were leaving there seats in order to allow the people on the right side to come over and look. (i've never experienced such nice people on a plane.) by the way. it was cool.
when we arrived... they couldn't connect the plane to the terminal so we exited down stairs to the outside. then entered the airport which was super small. i mean all this combined i just felt like i was stepping back in time to a place with much less technology. bizarre. all i kept thinking is this night is so bizarre.
then i waited about 45 mins for the hotel shuttle after calling them. i met a nice man from pennsylvania and another one from bermuda with a cool accent. he reminded me a little of Mr. Howell from Gilligan's Island. i just sat there on the bench... waiting. upon arrival to the hotel i headed up to my friends room. a little confusion on the room sitch left 4 women with one king size bed. each of the other three women were already in bed (sad, cause i was not the least bit tired) and i ended up sleeping or at least laying on an armchair for the night.
that was the first day of my trip.
(it gets much better... i'm sure i'll write about it.)