Day 2: How many sites can I see in just a few hours?

**beware: this is a very long post!**

6:30am and it’s time to start my day. I get dressed and ready so I can head down and grab something to eat before heading to the station. It’s a warm 54 degrees here, but I’m loving every second of it. **image 1**

I finish my breakfast and call my uber (literally the best invention). **image 2**

I go to the metro station, but all I see are buses. I walk around like a weirdo for 5-7 minutes before realizing I have to go down the stairs (hello regular suburb girl). I get on the metro that I’m pretty positive is the right one, but I’m still a little nervous. **image 3**

I get off at the station I’m supposed to be at and start walking towards the White House (I only know where it is because of signs). I have to get to the visitor center, but I’m not sure how to get there so I ask a random police officer and he tells me! Finally I get to the gate, show them my appointment sheet, and start to head into the line! I make it through security and everything only leaving with a few sarcastic remarks from the secret service agents. We are only allowed to tour the east side of the house, so we just get to see the different rooms and such. None the less, IM STILL INSIDE OBAMAS HOUSE. **image 4-10**

So I make it through my tour, take lots of pictures of the front (as you can see), and start heading out. There’s a handful of secret service agents out front and I happen to snap a selfie with one of them without him looking. **image 11**

Funny story about the service agent who happened to fall victim to my selfie. Apparently the entire area in front of the White House was closed off. Well they said ‘this road is closed off, go right’. So I assumed only the road was. So what do I do? Go right and then cross the road where I see other people walking. I wanted to go to the park, to do some yoga, and next thing I know a guy is yelling at me to go to the right. So I figure ‘oh okay, the park is off limits, I guess I’ll just go down the street.’ To my surprise, the service agent from my selfie rode his bike over to me and said ‘was there a part of my instructions that you didn’t understand?’. Wow, so sassy. ‘I thought just the front road and garden were off limits?’ He replies, ‘No, I said go to the right. And you went down here right in front of me. This is for personnel only so you need to leave’. Well jeez. So I left and sure enough, now I’m lost. I have about an hour and a half before I need to head back to my hotel to check out. My plan was to go to the national zoo and then leave. Well my phone is at 23% so I put it into my maps and it’s too far. So I decide I’ll just go to the WWII memorial or something. Maps says it’ll take me about 24 minutes walking so I head that way. 24 minutes turned into over an hour and I still wasn’t there… So I exit out of maps. Now my phone is at 12% and I have no idea where I am. I finally start to see the Washington Monument and know I have to be kind of close because WWII is right across from it. Finally, I make it!! **image 12**

It’s about 10:45am and I have to check out at 12 so I figure it’s probably time to find a metro nearby. LOL THERES ISN’T ONE. The nearest one is about 20 minutes away so I head towards the Washington Monument where I think the station is. **image 13**

I finally ended up making it to the station and head back to my hotel. I’m able to stay there about 40 minutes before I have to leave so I throw my phone on a charger and try to figure out my game plan for the rest of the day (imagine how successful that ended up being). Now that I’m checked out, I have to carry my bags around with me until I go to the airport to leave. I think I’m an advanced backpacker. **image 14**

I call an uber and head to the station because now I’m hungry and haven’t eaten since breakfast. Since I planned out the rest of my day, I was able to find a taco place near the station I’m getting off at. Tortilla Coast is BOMB incase you ever need a place to eat by the Capitol. Since I’m adulting, I can cross off ‘eat by myself in a restaurant’. **image 15**

I leave the restaurant very full and start to head towards the Capitol building. Luckily, it was just a straight shot up the road so not much to mix up! There was a million people there today, which I’m sure is normal, but dang. I stay there for a few minutes, then make my way across the street to the Supreme Court. **image 16-17**

Now that I’ve seen those two, it’s time to get back onto the metro. Originally I was going to get off at Metro Center and see the shops at National Place and the FBI building. Since I figured I had some extra time, I went to go visit the Lincoln Memorial. I get off at the George Washington University station and start my 1.6 mile walk to the memorial. **image 18**

You know how when you see videos of military training, the guys always have these huge backpacks on their backs? That was literally me today. My bag weighed at least 50 pounds (I don’t think that’s an exaggeration). The way there wasn’t too bad; it’s 67 degrees outside so it feels pretty nice. However, please take a gander at how many stairs there are to actually make it up to the Lincoln Memorial. **image 19**

ALOT MORE THAN YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE. I start the hike and just pretend I’m on a mission. I keep telling myself that it’s only for today, the day is almost over, just a few more hours, it could be worse. Finally I make it up to the top! **image 20**

If you aren’t familiar with the layout of downtown, once you walk out of the Lincoln Memorial, you can see the Washington Monument. The view is absolutely stunning. **image 21**

Now that I’ve made it there, I start my 1.6 mile back to the station; uphill I might add. Not an easy task, but I made it. It’s starting to get around 3:30 and I have to be at the airport by 6:30 (flight leaves at 8:55 and mom keeps telling me to get there early). So I make a decision to cut out the mall and FBI building. Instead, I head to the National Zoo! By now my shoulders are actually killing me and I can see the dents in my skin from where my bra strap and bag straps have been sitting for almost 4 hours. However, one more stop and then to the airport I go. I even got to hear an accordion player on the metro! **image 22-23**

I’m walking into the zoo and about 20 minutes into it, my shoulders and back just can’t take the weight of my bag anymore. So I do what every logical adult does: rents a stroller to throw my bag into. My phone is now at 4% and there’s no way I’m getting to an outlet any time soon. I really should get my battery checked out. Anyways, I stroll my way through the zoo and right before my phone dies, I am able to capture some pictures of pandas. **image 24-25**

I leave the zoo around 5:30pm, way later than I had planned considering the schedule I made for myself (what a waste) had be catching a bus, a long way from me, at 6pm. Not gonna happen. I’m dreading the way back, I’ve had a long day, and I just want to get onto the plane. I get onto the metro towards Gallery Place station and switch trains towards Greenbelt. At Greenbelt there is a bus that will bring me to the airport. My phone is dead, I’m not sure when I will get to where I need to be, and I’m starting to worry a little. Nonetheless, I eventually made it to Greenbelt station at 6:22pm. I thought the next bus left at 6:30 so I rush over to it since I know I cannot afford to miss it. I get there, get on, and the driver tells us we’re leaving in 15 minutes. *rolls eyes* I was able to take a short 15 minute nap on the bus ride to the airport so I am pretty grateful for that. However, panic starts to set it as my phone is still dead, I don’t have a boarding pass (cause it’s on my phone), and I’m not sure how long security is going to take. To my surprise, they have self service stations inside that you can print a boarding pass! Hooray! I quickly print and get into security which, luckily, didn’t take too long. I’m heading to my gate around 7:45 and boarding starts at 8:25. I plug my phone in but it’s not turning on. So instead I go and grab food while it charges in hopes it will be on when I come back so I can call my family and let them know I’m still alive. Once I’m back to my phone, it’s still not on. Nothing I am doing is turning it on and now I’m freaking out. My uncle is supposed to be picking me up at Manchester airport, but how does he know if I have even gotten on the plane? I can’t call him or my mom or my dad. I ask a random gentleman if I can borrow his phone and he literally told me no… Who says that to someone who looks like a kid?! Sooo: cue mental breakdown. Now I’m crying because I don’t know what to do, I can’t call anyone because I don’t have a phone, I’ve had a long day of walking over 10 miles, and my back and shoulders hurt from my bag. I try to gather myself and head to the boarding guy to ask if he has a phone. He doesn’t but directs me to the customer service desk. Now I’m in full tears, trying to not look like a lunatic, and ask this lady if she has a phone I can borrow. Praise Lord, she lets me use hers. I dial my moms number hoping she answers (she never answers numbers she doesn’t know). BUT THIS TIME SHE DID! I tell her I’m at the airport waiting to board, my phone isn’t turning on, and I need her to call my uncle to let him know I’m still coming. She can clearly hear that I’m a mess so she asks if I’m okay. Cue extra mental breakdown. I tell her I’m freaking out cause I don’t know what to do and my phone won’t turn on. She tells me to take a few deep breaths and to just get onto the plane. I say okay, hang up, and hope for the best. I’m a mess for about the next 20 minutes but finally pull myself together in time to board. A few spots ahead of me is this really cute guy, baseball player of course. For those wondering how I know he’s a baseball player, they all dress the same. Usually wearing sweats, a football tshirt (idk why), a baseball hat with oakleys or some sort of sunglasses on top, and you can usually make out a dip can in their pocket. I’m getting onto the plane and see that he sat in an isle seat but the row is empty. So of course, I ask if he’s sitting with anyone. He isn’t so I move to take the window seat. Finally my phone has turned on so I text my mom and uncle and let them know it’s on but I’m turning it off so I can text them when I land. **image 26**

The flight went well, I offered the cute guy my nuts (haha get it peanuts but nuts ;D), and we make a safe landing. I get my stuff and head out the gate of Manchester airport. **image 27**

My uncle was waiting for me at the end and he carried my bag for me (thank god). Now we head back to his house, and I call my parents to let them know I made it. I am currently in bed, showered, and ready to hit the hay. My plans for tomorrow involve sleeping in and probably doing nothing important so don’t be surprised if I don’t make a blog. Although, I will try! I appreciate all the comments and well wishes for my trip, and I hope my day 2 has kept you on the edge of your seat! I took on Washington, DC by myself and I accomplished it! It has been quite the adventure indeed.