Sunday, November 30, 2008

Oasis! Oasis! Oasis???

Ugh. You know that saying, "be careful what you wish for"? Well I'm finding out that it's pretty damn spot-on.

A few months (or was it weeks?) ago, my sister called me and told me that Oasis would be playing Chicago in December...and would I want to go? Of course. I love concerts, and seeing Oasis has been a dream of mine (they're big, but not big enough in this country to mount a full-on tour of "smaller" cities like KC or St. Louis--so I always missed them). I said "yes," and she bought the tickets (which were expensive). I told her, come hell or high-water, I'd get her there.

But she's changing jobs, and isn't sure if she'll be able to get the day of the show off. Worse, the show is in Chicago, a city I visit, but am not at all familiar with. I've never driven in the city before. Leah has, but can't go with us because she has to work. I've contemplated just flying, because the arena is within walking distance/short cab-ride of the airport...but I just checked out ticket prices and I'm looking at slightly less than $500. That's a lot of money--to top it off this month I have to pay personal property tax on my car, make my first student loan re-payment, AND it's Christmas season.

So basically, flying is out. Which is good because Amber is terrified of flying. But it doesn't matter because she might not even be able to go (she finds out this week...I hope). Anyway, I feel like I now have this little cloud hanging over me. I want to go to this show...but I'm having trouble getting it to work. I guess the first step will be finding out if she can even go--then I can compare the various modes of travel. I've never done Amtrack, but my parents swear by it...so perhaps that's the way to go???

Anyway want to be an alternate for this show in-case she bails??? (Leah can't go, she has to work).

7 comments:

Jason said...

You know what? My financial troubles are boring...

Anonymous said...

If you don't want to drive how about the Megabus? I've never taken it to Chicago, but it leaves from STL and one of my friends used to take the bus there all the time. It's relatively cheap, too. Megabus.com

Jason said...

Oh snap! Are you still not driving?

Yeah, I've heard of Megabus on CNN. Apparently it's super (dare I say "mega") cheap. I'm not sure what we're gonna do.

I have this horrible, terrible feeling that I'm going to have to do something I really don't want to do...I'm gonna have to drive!!!

*gulp*

Jimu said...

directions from buss station to arena

if you left friday morning (at like 1am, you can sleep on the bus) it'd be $20,

and then if you are done by 11pm you can head back and catch the 11:55 bus back to st. louis (ariving 6am) for about $20..

(the buses might not be running that late, but then again it's chicago so who knows.. so you might have to take a taxi back to the bus station from the arena)

travel costs: under $70 if you have to take a cab.. and you'd have no hotel costs either.

Jimu said...

heck if you took your car it'd be aprox $46.35 in gas alone..

(assuming that you get about 20mpg and that gas is $1.50) (distance is 309mi from your house to the arena)

Anonymous said...

Have you checked into Amtrak?

Jason said...

I did. And while the there are trains/buses that are cheap...the real problem is when we get to Chicago.

I'm not a real "mass transit" kind of guy. Last time I was in Chicago, I was with Leah (who had been on the trains before) and we ended up getting trapped inside an empty, non-moving train.

God only knows what would happen if me and my green-as-the-hills sister tried to use the city's transit system (yes, I'm saying we're not smart enough to figure it out).

We'll drive, and I'll face my fears...