Extended StayAmerica Washington DC-Herndon

... that we were ok. We also dropped in briefly for a visit to their son Cam and to see his 3 kids which we had not seen for quite a while, especially the newest one to the brood who is a real cutie.

I finally crashed at 2130 as I just gave out from the lack of sleep the night before. All-in-all a very nice day in spite of the torrents of rain we had as the day turned bright and sunny with puffy clouds in the sky.

... don't miss the half hour movie that is in an auditorium on one of the lower levels of the museum (not co-located with the exhibit.) That night we went to a lecture at the National Cathedral: "America and the World: Picking up the Pieces." This featured Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski talking about their new book "America and the World: Conversations on the Future of American Foreign Policy." The panel discussion ...

... No worries, 2 new tires later and some really oily tempura we were back on the road and made it into DC by about midnight. I of course fell asleep right when Chris needed help with directions. oh well.... Katie is staying with a Family in DC and their place is sweet. She's working on Capital Hill and gave us a detailed tour of the Capital. We almost saw the PM of Pakistan, but didn't ...

... Liz had two suitcases and her 1 year old son, Rufus. We ran into the airport only to find a massive checkin line for Northwestern airlines and very dismissive and rude staff. I stood in line and could see Liz working things about in her head. She decided that it would be quicker if we checked in at the sidewalk. So we moved out there. Mind you, every time we moved anywhere we were moving four suitcases and a stroller. This isn't as easy as it sounds ...

... Bears, Gorillas, Elephants, Hippos, and Aanae's favorite, Lions. It was good training for having a kid on my back as Evan and Aanae took turns riding Daddy. It was quite a workout but not as bad as I had expected. Then we went to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum which we all enjoyed but it took a while to convince Aanae that the Dinosaurs would not hurt her. (lots of fun having a 3 yr old screaming at the ...

... the rest of the kids. I wasn't in charge but I felt that someone needed to take charge and I organised a game of kickball, with counsellors joining in too. It was quite a confidence boost to think I could be of use to the rest of the landsports department in a role thats not just as an archery instructor. I'm still in two minds as to whether I'm enjoying it though. Everything is extreme here, either it's going amazingly or everything is ...

Hey All!!! Leaving in T-1hour....from the house! With tons of packing behind me and still a bit to do (anyone who has traveled with me knows to expect this) ;-) Nerves are getting a little high and the excitment is starting to hit!!! Anyone who wants to follow our first legs of the trip (Brad, lol) the flight ...

... love to lurk around crowded areas. So, try avoiding places like bus stations and street celebrations or places where you need to jostle. Things You Must Carry: Wherever you go, always be sure that you keep the pepper spary and the flashlight. Avoid those dark and deserted lanes and streets. If you must, then carry a small but heavy flashlight in your hand. Use Money Belts or... Money belts are quite safe, but most thieves know how to fool 'em! So ...

... ups. It's okay if you get lost and confused. It's okay if you feel discouraged. It's all okay." There was something about her words that hit a really deep part of me and resonated loudly as I walked home and I applied those words to my entire NY experience. "Wow," I thought. "Maybe it's okay to acknowledge that I feel vulnerable. Maybe it's okay to admit that I am sometimes scared and intimidated, and it would be great if there were moments when I didn't have to be strong ...

... one morning at breakfast. I also was able to get in another scuba dive on Huahine. It was on the morning of the day it rained all day so it didn't really interfere with the guys activities. Cathy and Rose never forgave us for this. Anyway, we went on a dive in a pass off the island with a divemaster named Lulu. We all fell in love with her the first time she spoke to us in what she thought was English, but with that sexy French accent. The dive was very exciting as ...