I’m pretty sure I can still hear my alarm clock buzzing. When the blare of the alarm goes off at 4 a.m. on the dot, it’s not a noise you can easily get out of your mind. Brutal!
But at least I had to get up at that horrific hour for something fun! I woke up at 4 a.m. and was out the door by 4:15 a.m. to catch the 5:40 a.m. flight to Chicago O’Hare. It was the first flight out of the Jacksonville airport, so making my way through security was a breeze. I suppose that’s one bonus for waking up so early!
(The “max wait time” was part of a scrolling marquee. I made it through security in less than ten minutes.)
Before I unloaded everything on the conveyor belt at security, I chugged a peppermint Hint water in an effort to fight travel dehydration.
This water is ridiculously delicious. It’s so refreshing and I could drink it by the gallon.
Once I was on the plane, I slept for the first hour or so before I started to feel uncomfortable and restless. I broke out the portable breakfast I packed and ate a Luna bar and an apple before I tried my best to sleep again. (I ate the peanuts after I landed.)
When I landed in Chicago, the flight attendant announced that it was negative two degrees outside. Holy heck, we are not in Florida anymore. I think my face froze off as I walked off the plane and into the terminal. Brrr!
Now that I am in Chicago, I’ve abandoned all thoughts of sleeping on my next flight to New York City and ordered a hot cappuccino from Starbucks to enjoy while I blog.
I have a three-hour layover (I’ll take it for roundtrip tickets under $245 to NYC during the holidays!) and I’m trying my best to get on an earlier flight. I’m on standby and feeling hopeful, but I have work I need to do today anyway, so I’m okay even if I don’t make it out of here anytime soon. Plus, I’m hoping to find an isolated corner of the airport to paint my nails while I wait.
I packed a sparkly color (Orly FX Rose Pixel) that I thought would add a little pizzazz to my nails during the holiday season.
See ya from NYC!!!!!!
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Hey Julie!! You are in my sweet city Chicago?? woohoo! I know you are from around here ..I grew up in Palatine as well…although right about now I would be happy in Florida.
Hope you have a safe flight and a great trip to NYC 🙂 Happy Holidays!!
Yes!!! I love being here even if it is just for a layover. I miss it a lot!!!
It certainly is cold up here! And chicago is a tad colder feeling cause the ‘windy city’. Getting up extra early for less TSA hassle is worth it in my opinion!
Have a safe flight 🙂
Have fun in New York! Love that nail polish!
What a flight deal- awesome! I can’t wait to see pics of New York during Christmas- my dream! <3 🙂
Have a safe flight to my home, NYC! I’m going to Santacon too tomorrow, hopefully I recognize you if I see you! My fiance, cousin, her husband and I are being Buddy the Elf… complete with homemade outfit and wigs hahaha have fun!
Love this!!! Hope to run into you, too!
Layovers are not the most fun, but I always try to come up with a game plan of doing things to keep myself busy while waiting – starbucks and painting nails sounds perfect!! Stay warm. 🙂
Have so much fun in NYC!! I wish I was on a plane there too:)
Hope you have a safe flight!! What a fun time!! Enjoy! 🙂
Have a safe flight! 🙂 Love your posts.
You’re going to love it here at Christmas! We have a friend from Florida flying in today for a visit & we can’t wait to show him NYC at Christnas!
If you have a chance, visit Jacob’s Pickles on the Upper West Side for brunch! It isn’t healthy, but it is delicious! 🙂
Have fun! NYC is wonderful during the holidays! I live only a half hour away in Jersey. 🙂
Every day only gets colder than the day before. I hope you survive the freezing temperatures!! My best advice is to wear lots of layers!!
I need to try that water! Airports can be fun. Make the best of it. Enjoy that delicious coffee and find a place to sneak that pretty polish on. Travel safe!
I live in Chicago, and holy heck is it cold! Seriously I’ve been inside for 20 minutes and I think my legs are still frozen. Mad props to all of the people I saw running this morning (total of 2 ppl)…Also, love the nail color. Made me realize that mine need a little sparkle too. Thanks for the inspiration.
How on earth did you get round trip tickets for less than $245.00? My tickets to NYC next week were definitely not that cheap : ( Then again, I did just buy them in late October, so I’m sure that’s some of the reason for the higher rate.
Have a safe flight to NYC!
Love the polish! ORLY is the best. Have fun in NYC!
-2 degrees sounds so miserable. I’m ready for this artic blast to GO AWAY! 🙂
I live near NYC and its VERY cold. It might snow Saturday night into Sunday, so there your snow! enjoy.
I used to have to wake up every day at 4am for work. It was awful…what was even more awful was that my alarm ringtone was a song that I like….
I can no longer listen to that song anymore…it reminds me of 4am…whoops!
Ahh my nails are glittery silver right now! With an accent nail of deep red. Great minds think alike! 😀 I’m flying HOME on Saturday and I can’t wait. Seeing this travel post just made me even more excited!!
Hi there,
quick question, where did you find the peppermint water? it looks delish and so very refreshing. I need to try it for sure. 🙂
Thanks,
Dana
Peppermint water sounds so odd, but I bet it is super refreshing! I’ll have to be on the lookout for it!
I wake up at 4 am for work everyday. The bright side is I don’t deal with rush hour going to work or coming home. The negative is I feel like the only person awake on the planet.
Safe travels! Starbucks makes everything better, even long layovers. 🙂
Welcome to Chicago!!! My windows have ice… on the inside. Yep, so fun here. Hope it’s warmer in NYC!
Yum to that luna bar!! I don’t think I’ve ever had that flavor. Have a safe flight to NYC 🙂
i hope you have the BEST time at santa con! so exciting! can’t wait to see your pics =)
I had a 5AM wake-up followed by a layover at O’Hare on Tuesday! That’s not a bad airport to be stuck in for a couple hours.. LOVED the Christmas decorations 🙂 And I’ll be in NYC on Saturday.. hope you’re going to see the tree!
I love O’Hare Airport during Christmas season! It smells like Garett’s popcorn and reminds me of Home Alone. 🙂
Your travel bag is adorable. I wish I was more disciplined on traveling snacks. I always indulge at the airport. You will be my motivation for my next trip, to pack healthy snacks and not buy junk at the airport – Starbucks won’t count though 😉 Safe travels!
Woop woop!!!! Travel safe and see you in NYC 🙂 (I painted my nails with a little Essi Penny Talk – LOVE IT)!
I am from Chicago!!! I currently go to school in Champaign, but I’m from Elmhurst, which is right near Palatine! I tell all my college friends about your blog, we’re obsessed!
Thanks so much to you and your friends for reading!! <3
Ooh painting nails during a long layover is probably a great way to pass the time, also at least youre at O’Hare, an airport with sites and sounds and whatnot rather than a boring middle of nowhere airport.
-2?! Do you know how much I would kill to have that! Its -40C here where I am like every. single.day.
omg where do you live! im in ottawa and it was -28C today with wind chill. i thought i was going to freeze waiting for the bus!
I’m in Edmonton, and we’ve already hit some days where the weather with windchill is -40C! The sad part is, it’s not even technically winter yet!!
I’m in Thunder Bay! -40 with windchill has been the standard every day for the last 2 weeks at least…and the worst is yet to come….
Hi!! (from Chicago 😉 )
I’m always so impressed with you for thinking ahead and having healthy snacks on hand! I always eat horribly when traveling because I don’t plan ahead!
Smart of you to pack nail polish for the layover! Brr I know Chicago is an awesome city but I HATE wind and as a result have never had any desire to go there. Even in the summer I can’t stand wind because I chill easily. I definitely pack my own plane snacks too!
Julie –
I would LOVE it if you would do a post on how to travel with carry-on luggage. With all the travel that you do, I bet you would have fantastic ideas. With the holidays coming up, I’m sure that many of us are traveling! I would love tips on how to manage those pesky liquid requirements with security and what not!
THANK YOU
Love the nail polish! And yesss when you are not from up north, the cold is felt within minutes of landing! Safe trip to New York! 😀
Good luck getting on an earlier flight! Where’s your bag from? I love it!
i’ve had that hint flavored water before too – ALL the flavors are so good!
ok, HOW do you get up at 4am and be out the door by 4:15?!!
Smart girl to pack nail polish! That is a GREAT way to pass the time! Have a safe flight!
I’ve spent many long layovers in Ohare, excellent people watching there but painting your nails is a great idea! Hope you got on an earlier flight 🙂 I love the black and white bag in one of your pictures. Can you tell me what brand it is or where I could get it?
Haha don’t even get me started on the temperature here in Ottawa, Canada. Lets just say that minus two degrees ain’t no thang 😉
Have fun! I can’t wait to hear about your trip! Oh and p.s. the carrot cake Luna bar is so good isn’t it?
Last week I was walking through downtown Boston and noticed a weird smell. An older woman was crouched over in what used to be a payphone, painting her nails. (The payphone wasn’t a booth, just openly exposed.) It was about 20 degrees out. That’s what I envisioned when you said you’re planning to paint your nails in the airport. 😉
Ah I am going to SantaCon as well! Maybe I’ll see you there! Either way, stay warm, its COLD here!
Yikessss!!! That is COLD!!!!! It seems like all of the US is colder than usual. Great job of making the most of your layover~they can be quite frustrating when you have little to do, haha.
Have a safe trip (a bit late but hopefully all going well!) That hint water sounds amazing! We need an Irish company to jump on the healthy beverage that tastes nice bandwagon!!!