My Story in Lists|Places I've Been|Ann Arbor Michigan

It's not a place that has been on my list of places to visit. From what I can tell, it's never made Trip.Advsiors or any top 10 list that I'm aware of. If it had not been that we opened an office in Ann Arbor, I would have missed the opportunity to visit the lovely little college town.

Our office was located off State Street, smack dab in the middle of the quaint downtown.  It was an easy walk from the hotel I was staying at, called the Campus Inn. The president of our company who is quite familiar with Ann Arbor, after all, he owns a house bordering on a mansion there, recommended that I stay there. Although there were likely cheaper options since that's where Ron recommended and I wouldn't need a rental car as it was walking distance to the office, I decided to heed his advice and book a room.

I arrived on a Sunday night and was scheduled to leave on Thursday or Friday of the same week. I was a bit apprehensive about the trip for several reasons. It was after my trip to Doheny Beach. I was feeling much better having changing the chemo treatment regime, I was still feeling the side effects. Dealing with anemia was the most bothersome as it left me extremely short of breath and tired.

Room Service the First Night I Arrived Hit the SPOT!!

Good or bad, my way to deal with it was ignore my concerns or pray about it leaving all the dirty work in God's hand and hope for the best. Not the best thing in the world, but it's important for me to keep on moving. It's better than doing nothing and waiting for things to change on their own.

Followed by Breakfast at the Coffee Shop the Next Morning Made Me feel like a Queen!

Tim offered to pick me up from the hotel my first morning in Ann Arbor. I wasn't going to be foolish enough to turn down the offer. Tim was staying at a hotel on the outskirts of town. He stopped by the Campus Inn the first evening  each of us arrived. He shared with me his experience with some other NWP folks that he drove around the quaint town of Ann Arbor and how they were late the first morning he picked them up. Note to self, be ready on time!!

I was downstairs, waiting in the lobby at our agreed upon prescribed meeting time. It was a quick 5 minute drive from The Campus Inn to the office parking lot. After an escalator ride to the street or basement level of the building, one could go straight to the office or turn to the left to the nearby Starbucks...score another one for Debbi and her handy-dandy trusty Starbucks App.

My Home Away from Home

As we walked from Starbucks to the office, we ran into a little alcove filled with artwork that employs, spray paint as the main art medium.

Spray Paint is a Form of Art Media

 
The old, boring, staid Debbi would have walked by with my nose up in the air appalled at how the walls were defaced. The newer, more savvy with it Debbie found it beautiful and fascinating.

I do notice things...don't I?

The other concern I had was in regard to my hotel reservations. Once, again, I waited too long to book the hotel and there was no room at the inn on the last night of my stay. I had a few choices, book another hotel for the entire stay, book two hotels, one at the Campus Inn for the nights available and then one elsewhere for the last night, book one room for the nights available at the Campus Inn and try to get a room for the last night while I was there. After all, whose going to turn away a friendly face like mine?!?

Passing Thru the Other Side of Town

Let's just say, I didn't get lucky and ended up having to change hotels on the last night I was there. This entailed a long, long walk from the office to the car rental office. While the route displayed on Google maps turned out to be on the money, the travel time was significantly off. The anemia I had didn't help. By the time I arrived at the car rental office, I was wiped out. On the plus side, the jaunt to the rental office took me to a different side of town where I passed fire hydrants prettied up with spray paint and upscale stores and restaurants. How I wished I had more time to spare.

Fire Hydrants prettied up with Spray Paint as the Art Medium

Classic Building Seen Around the Streets of Ann Arbor...Oh, So, Lovely

My final concern was in regard to the transportation to/from the airport and Ann Arbor. It's not a hop-skip-jump between the two. The taxi ride from the airport to the hotel was almost $70.00. Thankfully, I took the taxi-driver's business card when he dropped me off at the hotel. He took the time then to ask how I was getting back to the airport, handing me his card, he offered to drive me back to the airport if I needed. I had hoped one of my co-workers would be able to give me a ride, but no such luck. Turns out the taxi-driver was true to his word. He not only answered the call the first time I dialed his number, but he showed up at the appointed time.
 

Watching an Early Morning Delivery

All of this boring detail to say how much I loved Ann Arbor. As I mentioned before, it's definitely a college town, but with a good mixture of young and old. I was surprised at the number of older residents, but taking into account the number of instructors, professors and business owners, it makes sense that there would be a good size population of older folks. It felt good not to feel over the hill at a town that caters to college aged populations.

All the parked bikes are indicative of a college town

Tim, a co-worker who works remotely from Denver was also in Ann Arbor at the same time as me. He was kind enough to pick me up and drop me off at the Campus Inn the first night I was there. After that I was able to walk the blocks between the Campus Inn and the office.

Empty fields located across the street from the car rental office

Upon leaving the office building off State Street, one had a choice to turn right or left. Left took me back to the hotel. Right took me to shops and restaurants and the school campus. I felt well enough to take the right turn for several nights in a row. The crisp, cool air combined with swirling orange, yellow leaves that drifted slowly, ever slowly to the damp ground made me wish I could stay there forever soaking in the ambiance, drinking in the feeling of fall that I miss so much in California.

Turning right off State Street from the Office takes one through dorms and other University of Michigan buildings

 There was a friendly coffee shop that served up tasty mochas, yummy sandwiches and delicious scoops of ice cream that I frequented. There was also the standard fare of Chipotle, Panera Bread and Billy Bob's sandwich shop.

There was also the obligatory school store containing piles and piles of school spirited paraphernalia for University of Michigan afficionados. I went into the store several times intending on buying a logod shirt, sweatshirt or other random item, but I couldn't bring myself to spend the amount of money they wanted me to spend so I came back empty-handed each time.

University of Michigan Showing Their School Spirit

All in all, considering the condition of my health and body when I traveled to Ann Arbor, the trip was a success. I would love to go back again, with someone else or in better order than I was. I was happy that I managed to keep the stress as low as I did. As a goodbye, while we were driving away from the campus, the fall foliage whirled above the ground in a lovely partnership with the wind. Mesmerized by the movement, I almost missed a chance at taking a picture of the dance. At the last minute, I managed to capture a shot of it.

Signs of Fall Slipping into Winter

 

 It wasn't quite the shot I envisioned or hoped for, but it was better than nothing at all.