Official A2K Gathering in Chicago, May 7th, 2006!

[quote="dagmaraka]...why not me? do i look like i have no money to offer?...[/quote]

The boxing gloves probably scared them off, dag.

(Not a bad idea, now that I think of it.)

There are escalators and an elevator at the O'Hare mass transit station, and the same at some of the downtown stations as well (a safe bet would be the Clark station). If you arrive at Midway, there are escalators and an elevator at that station too, and also at the Washington and Clark stations downtown.

If you arrive at either airport between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., I would strongly advise you not to take a cab. Midway is better than O'Hare, but either way you'll be stuck in traffic, and the meter will keep spinning as you sit there (and that's a pretty expensive way to do nothing).

One option is to take an airport shuttle bus: these leave from O'Hare at designated spots near the baggage pick-up areas and travel to various hotels downtown. Even if you're not staying at a hotel you can still use the shuttle (I used to take the shuttle bus to the Palmer House Hotel, get out, and then walk half a block to the el). On the whole, the shuttle is cheaper than a cab and you can even get a discount for a round-trip ticket. Information and links regarding ground transportation options at O'Hare can be found at this site.

eoe gives good advice. I have lived and still live in Chicago (since 1958). I am male but have been assaulted once. In my opinion, the best defense is to be aware of danger and avoid it. (which is basically what eoe said)

That's all I'm saying.

eoe, There is much truth to women fears vs men fears. I even go over that edge when I travel to unsafe destinations such as India (my friends said, are you crazy?), Nepal, Bali, London (yikes!), and now considering a trip to Israel in October.

India? Israel? Nepal? What's wrong with those? I think those are perfectly fine for vacationing...must be, since that's where i'm headed, too.

dagmarka, Exactly my point.

No wonder, when I look at the blokes, dagmaraka is associated with ...

well, ya know, maybe it's not safe and reasonable, but i figger...people live there (anywhere) and somehow they (most of them) survive. so i take my risks and go where i please, as i am just incapable of worrying enough for it to stop or slow me down. not saying one should carry a wallet on a stick and walk into a crime ridden neighborhood not looking left or right....... but chicago seems just harmless to me.

shameless self-promotion by walter. that's him and his brothers and cousins. i crashed their family gathering.

Fear does funny things to people; they limit their worldly activities when the best chance of getting killed is driving in your own car at home.

There are always exceptions to any rule; and that is when Walter is the driver in Germany with you as a passenger, and he's going over 200kph. And that's without any maps.

well, driving a car AT HOME does seem pretty wreckless to me.

Right you are, c.i. Fear does indeed do funny things to people. Prevents them from experiencing life to the fullest. When I lived in Chicago I never owned a car but at night, I either traveled in a group, had an escort or, if alone, took a cab. There are always options.

Any novelties?

If you're worried about this, it can be a good idea, especially at night, to catch a cab in front of a hotel with a doorman. Even if you're just walking around the city, you can still get a cab there.

And Joe is right that many of the stops on the West and South Sides aren't necessarily all that safe, but downtown can generally be okay.

Hmmm.. your sig...
It's Nietzsche...

nah i'm not worried. i mostly walked in chicago wherever and whenever and was fine, felt safe.

I'm curious as to whether someone has already completed an estimate of costs from X airport (round trip), hotel, other transportation cost, eating? Please share your figures...whether you mention a hotel or airlines is up to you...JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM.

No one has put together an estimate because the costs vary so widely. People are coming from all over, so airfares/mileage will be different. And people are planning to stay everywhere from hostels to 4-star hotels.

I presume you'd be flying in from Atlanta...you should be able to get some good fares on Expedia or one of the other discount sites.

There is some hotel info on this thread if you read back.

What interests me is...when are most people planning to arrive and depart? Are most planning to arrive on Friday and leave on Sunday? Or stay longer?