I made it to the states in one piece, granted quite jetlagged and exhausted. Upon searching my bags and finding my fursuit, TSA decided that it was my intent to work in America and detained me for an hour or so whilst they called up the FWA hotel and checked the website to see if the con actually existed. If the strange looks about a almost 30 year old fat balding man wearing a dragon costume wasn't awkward enough; "seasons of love" (the theme to FWA) certainly raised a lot of questions. "Is this a sex convention" I was asked... Fortunately I've had a few years of experience with FurDU to know the right things to say to not sound like I am basically going to have penis in every orifice for the next foreseeable future. Satisfied that I was a harmless pervert and not gonna steal american jobs, they let me go.

26 hours of traveling, 9400 miles (1500kms) covered and a very talkative pill-popping woman next to me and I arrived at Chicago.  Macroceli Was already there, patiently awaiting to collect his meal/guest. There it was, snow... the fabled creature of legend finally revealed to me for the first time. Having never seen it before I underestimated it's bite and quickly learnt that shit is cooollld. Not before I throw a pile of it at the unimpressed Rex. This would become the recurring feature, every time there was snow readily able to be thrown at him....

.... I imagine Mac likes snow a whole lot less now...

After a day or two recovering from jetlag and I managed to maintain a sleeping pattern fit for the elderly. Dinner at 6pm, bed at dark and up at daybreak prepared for the day of knitting and rocking. I also immediately fell in love with a big black woman from mcdonalds who was super friendly and genuine when giving me my order... AND A TEEEENNN PIECE MIGHTY WINGS!!! (despite that wasn't at all what I ordered :P) I also went to the fabled lands of a 24hour supermarket at 3am... a legendary place where us backwards Australians could only ever dream of. I felt like I had to take my shoes off at the door and sacrifice a big mac or something to the welcome-er. We bought bacon.

Saturday arrived and it was time to see a bear in the wild  tolstoy to be exact! I would like to suggest that if you removed all the massive supermarkets and department stores between the two of them, they could be neighbors... but since every shop, caryard and foodplace is a square mile in size... they are at the opposite ends of the city. I imagine this is what the world would be like for me, if I was infact drake's size!
We had a pretty awesome dinner, First time having ever experienced a deep pan pizza I made quick work of a slice or two before inspecting what Macroceli had done. Rather than eating his pizza, he decided he would try and make it look like he had eaten it by smearing it across the table and plate.. nibbling on a bit of crust before declaring he was full! Lots of jokes and fun and good times were had and one very bad joke.. when the waitress asked if Tolstoy needed a new soda and I exclaimed that the rohypnol had yet to dissolve in his current one... she didn't find that all too funny. We then went out for ice-cream but was kicked out as macroceli just spread his across the table instead of eating it. Headed back to bears place where we met his cousin and played with his adorable dogs! I fell asleep on the car ride home :) tuckered out little dragon ;P

Since then I've been doing my best to not get sick.

On thursday Mac and I will be driving the long haul from Chicago to Atlanta leaving nice and early (4amish?) to arrive when rego opens and maybe to drop my book off at the artist ally before most likely collapsing in a pile of sleep and eat!

I'm both excited and nervous about this con as it's the first time I've attended a con where I haven't known a huge crowd of people too hide in. Whilst I know a bunch of folks going... it'll be a step out of my comfort zone getting to know lots of new people and stuff :) Super excited to be seeing everyone at FWA, meeting purity, Ashetiger,  Lost-cat,  Infernous for the first time and and seeing my old friends again :D (YAY  dingoroo )

OH also also also!!  OzKangaroo has repaired Drake suit; made heaps of changes (now a padded and fat and happy drake!) Thanks so much roo! you are amazing <3

I will elaborate more on the events and stuff as they happen, but here is a quick summary of post con adventure!

After the con we're gonna hit up the coke museum then we start the leg 2 of the adventure! A road trip to Orlando!!! For the first part  Chase has been amazing in offering his place to stay, followed by the weekend with  Blimpwolf time and budget permit we're hitting up universal at least... I NEEED to do harry potter world again *gasm* and then head home for a week in chicago before home to australia!

If I am at any place that you are, and you'd like to meet or catch up; please feel free to hit me up to hang out!; I'm not a creeper, I'm fairly able to maintain a conversation and my hygiene standards are acceptable. I'm often reserved and shy at first but always happy to meet new folks and make new friends :D

Looking forward to sharing my adventure with you all! Either irl or on here when it happens.

-Drake :D