Our trip has started! Ok, well technically it started 4 days ago, but the hotel we checked into had their internet go down and unfortunately we were relying on my iPhone for connectivity, which means I couldn’t blog about our experiences. So, let me catch you all up to speed!

Day 1 – drive 9 hours to Chicago. Check into a hotel. Sleep. Make ramen using a coffee maker.

Day 2 – explore Chicago. Take some of our hard earned personal savings and splurge on some local attractions, including the Shedd Aquarium, and the Field Museum

Day 3 – Visit the Museum of Science and Industry, visit Hyde Park, find food, eat, sleep.

Day 4 – Find Navy Pier. Walk to Millennium Park, walk to the Sears Tower, ride the bus back to the pier, get on the wrong bus. Hop a different bus and hope to God it takes us back to the pier. Arrive at the pier, and ride the ferris wheel.

Day 5 – Check out of hotel, drive to Bird is the Word in Batavia, IL. Fuel up on coffee. Drive to middle of nowherseville, Iowa, and spend 4 enjoyable hours at Iowa Parrot Rescue. Realize it’s too late to camp. Drive to the nearest location with food and wifi. Make spur of the moment to drive all night to South Dakota. Stop at McDonalds and take advantage of cheap food and free wifi to update this blog.

While at Bird is the Word in Batavia, I was met with some curious looks if I asked the women behind the counter if I could ask her some questions for a questionnaire. I explained we were driving across the country collecting data on bird rescues and stores – I believe at first she thought I was some sneaky competition trying to figure out tricks of the trade! When I assured her the questions were not anything invasive she immediately relaxed and willingly answered the 20 questions I had compiled. I know – you are curious about what the Q&A are, right? Sorry, that will be uploaded at some point tomorrow. Each facility will have its own page complete with a write-up and photos. Maybe when I have better internet.

In the meantime, here are some photos!