Chicago, USA

I’ll be honest, Chicago didn’t really do it for me. I know that’s borderline sacrilege to say about a city that people absolutely rave about, but sometimes a place just doesn’t click and you have to own it. Maybe I didn’t give it enough time, maybe I was in the wrong headspace, or maybe it was just one of those cities that needs a local to show you around. Either way, my lasting impression of Chicago was that it felt a bit… boring. Sorry, Chicago.

That said, there was one massive exception that single-handedly saved the whole stop. On the first night we went to see Buddy Guy and BB King live. Buddy Guy AND BB King, on the same stage, in Chicago - the home of the blues. The venue was intimate enough that you could feel the music in your chest, and watching two old masters trade licks back and forth was genuinely one of the best live music experiences of my life. If you’re going to see the blues anywhere, it might as well be Chicago.

The second night we hit up a comedy club, which was a good laugh. Nothing life-changing, but a solid night out and a nice change of pace from the usual hostel bar routine. Stand-up comedy in America just hits differently - they really know how to do it over there.

Beyond that, Chicago was a bit of a blur. We walked around, saw the sights, did the things you’re supposed to do, but none of it really stuck with me. Not every city is going to blow your mind, and that’s fine. Next stop was New York, which I had a feeling would more than make up for it.