What's Up ATL?

So its been awhile, a long while, since I have written but as I sit here in Atlanta, I have managed to find some time to do so. Yesterday I began my journey to Atlanta for training for business. I am here until Wednesday so maybe I will find some more time to post updates.
So it begins yesterday when I left for Atlanta from Kansas City. I arrived plenty early in Kansas City Airport to go through the whole security checkpoint scenario only to find out that my flight was delayed. So i thought, okay...its only 30 minute delay. I am sure you already know where this is going. I check back in another 30 minutes to find that it had been delayed another 30 minutes. Okay Okay. I spend some time with the girlfriend in a eating lounge within the airport where i drank my first cup of coffee from Starbucks. Yea i know...Guess i am not a big fan of coffee. After I go through security i wait some more before boarding the plane for about an hour. Fun times. When boarding time came I boarded and we waited for the pilot to come on the intercom.
After we get all strapped up and went through all the instructions, the pilot told us that we had to wait an hour because the Atlanta airport shutdown due to storms. Great I am thinking to myself. So we wait on the plane. After an hour and a half passed, the pilot came over and gave us "Some More Bad News". It turns out that the Approach Radar in Atlanta wasnt working...But the weather was better. So we get to wait another hour...on the plane. Fun. At this point, my original flight, which was supposed to leave at 3 PM, was now 4 hours late. We went ahead and headed out on the runway to prepare for take off...when we were given the okay that the radar was back up. Well we waited for about 45 minutes on the runway where we were served drinks and snacks. We finally take off around 7:30 PM.
We arrive in Atlanta just under 2 hours, but its now close to 10:30 PM. As i exit the plane, I am overwhelmed by everything. The airport is huge, but with all the delays and the closing of the airport...there are literally thousands of people. You can barely move and I have no idea where to go. I follow a few people who got off the plane and followed signs thats pointed to baggage claims. So we go underground...and we walk...and we walk...and we walk so more. It took 30 mins to walk from our terminal to the baggage claim. And this is with escalators that are moving with us walking on them to get their faster. So after walking for about at least 3 miles, i make it to the baggage claim. Oh my gosh...where will my luggage be? There are 16 very large baggage claim conveyors with hundreds of people around each. I find where my luggage is supposed to be...and i wait in a line to get up to the claim. I am about 5 people back from the conveyor and there is absolutely no way to get close. Fun Fun. I luckily find a break after waiting for 30 minutes and see my bag go around a couple of times and I just hoped that it was mine. Sure enough it was. Whew! Okay...now where. I need a ride to the hotel. So i find a sign that says ground transportation...and i go and wait in line for a taxi...and this line too has about 100 people waiting in it. So i finally get in my taxi and make it to my hotel after a scary taxi ride. I check in, and i go up 19 floors to my room and realize its late...and i am hungry.
So the story continues...I can't sleep. Their is a hospital near by...just a block away...and every 15 mins an ambulance goes by with sirens. The 16 lane interstate in the other direction is noisey. Wow...the tall building of atlanta are just outside as i look over the balcony. I am not anywhere close to home.
I also take a visit downtown and take the Marta Train. Very interesting for me. I have never ridden in a subway/underground train. Either way, being underground in downtown Atlanta is kind of scary. I make it to a place called Underground Atlanta, which is very cool with everything looking all old and historic. But I feel very uncomfortable because this environment is nothing like i am used to. I visit a couple of stores and make it back to the train to head back close to the hotel.
I stop and eat at an authentic Italian retaurant and eat some pretty good Ravioli. Yum! But this brings me to now. I sit here in the hotel room and think about how i have it back home. There is so much that I take for granted. Being in downtown atlanta, there are just so many people...everywhere. Looking out my window, seeing 20 plus tall skyscrapers makes me appreciate my small little town back home.
Well I better get back to business. I will hopefully keep an update of anything new when and if it happens.