Note: Washington, DC is not actually in Virginia. I know this, but offexploring won't let me start a blog in the US with no state. So there...

It had to happen sometime. I'd spent the most part of my Amtraking life I'm relative bliss as the routes I was taking were pretty much deserted. No so on the east coast! I got off the train after spending a good few hours sat next to a man more than twice my width. Even Amtrak seats struggle to contain that. I shouldn't be nasty to him, however, because he was a genuinely nice guy and gave me a lot of tips for things to see should I happen to go to his city of origin, Philadelphia (which was in my plans), and gave me some great dishes to try in New York City. This guy liked his food and was super nice. I obviously can't remember his name...

It was late afternoon in DC when I got there and it was warm. I spent a lot if the afternoon playing technical support with David, who worked at Washington Downtown Hostel (great staff there), trying to fix the wireless router. No such luck. I did get free pizza and salad from a Spanish girl and a beer from David. Overall a good start!

On my first full day here I met up with my cousin Lisa! She just happened to be here at the time I was around as she's on an internship with a law firm for the first part of summer. Small world! So I met her and her very knowledgeable friend Nicole and we checked out some of the main sights. Capitol Building, the Botanic Gardens, History of the American Indian (where Nicole had to leave us to find some lost friends), then to the Air and Space museum to look at the sun through a telescope and marvel at the achievements of the Wright brothers. Lisa and I then walked to the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial (where it started to rain a bit), then past the Vietnam Memorial to the Lincoln Memorial. The reflective pool didn't look so reflective as it had been literally dug up and the only water there were puddles from the rain. Hmmm.

We decided to come back via the White House to get a photo or two and see the place. We made a huge mistake in walking across the green in front of the White House, as it was almost a swamp! I had flashbacks of muddy times at V Festival as our feet sank into the mud outside the White House. Washington WAS built on a swamp, after all. When we got to the other side, I'd removed my now muddy, now smelly sandals and Lisa somehow had mud all over her! Her flip-flops broke so they went to the bin, and we ended up washing our feet and footwear using a sprinkler outside the halls of justice. A good barefoot walk back to Union Station and we got there half an hour later than planned. I said goodbye to Lisa then spent the evening using the station's wifi to arrange Niagara Falls accommodation and to panic about there not being any New York City accommodation available. Whilst there I met a Spanish couple who gave me two tickets for an open top bus tour of DC. I'm doing very well out of the Spanish these days!

When I eventually got back I met Emily, who was starting work for the hostel the next day. My feelings for her were so momentous* that I offered to take her on the bus tour with me tomorrow.

So, that day kicked off with me walking through Capital Pride and spending a long time in the Museum of American Natural History, seeing the impressive Hope Diamond, made more impressive by the crowds of people jostling around it to take photos. Afterwards, I jumped on the bus going out to Arlington Cemetery and The Pentagon. I didn't get off at either because it was raining and I had to get back to meet Emily who had just got off work. We got on the red route which took us around the main mall route and then we did almost the same with the night tour! Back to the hostel for a giant pizza and then out for a couple of drinks. It was a nice end to a good day.

In other news, my plans have changed and I'm now going to Philadelphia tomorrow to spend a couple of nights with Nadine, a friend of Steph's. Thanks, Steph!

[* According to Emily. She's also really modest.]