Washington D.C.

The trip into Washington D.C. was one that I was not looking forward to. For weeks I had been hearing the agonizing stories of lengthy traffic delays and a poorly structured networking system. After three hours of sitting in traffic and numerous fights with Mandy, I knew my story would be no different to others. However with the car safely stowed in the parking garage the true experience of one of the most diverse cities in the world was still to come.

We arrived at our hostel at just the right time. Hosteling International was a unique experience. The hostel was filled with the sounds and smells of travelers from all over the world.

People from every corner of the earth had converged in this one place to experience the capitol of the United States of America. As we checked in we realized that a tour was preparing to leave.

We had a great evening chatting with people from all over the world. After our tour we ended up in a pub chatting with an Irish guy who had just finished a triathlon and then we all went on a midnight run to McDonald’s.

Washington D.C. is a city which can only truly be enjoyed as a pedestrian. From the hustle & bustle of China Town to the riches and royals of Georgetown we were in for a weekend like no other.

With the easy accessible metro & bus system it makes commuting strangely relaxing. As a city fueled by the amplification of the “American Dream” there is a history in the area which would take months to appreciate.

Being on a backpackers budget we benefited from the fact that all the monuments and museums were free to visit.

Some which we took advantage of were the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Memorial, the WWII Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the POW memorial, and several others. Educational tours we took included the African portion of the Smithsonian Art Museum and the Holocaust Museum.

No visit to the capital would be completed without paying a visit to the President of the United States house.

With all of our pictures taken and blisters on our feet we left on the next chapter of our adventure with smiles on our faces.