1:00 PM Picked up photos, wrote the descriptions on the back, and left for the capital.

Until and including May 5, 1995, I was used to driving to a point-of-interest, parking the car nearby, and seeing whatever I had to see. I never considered any other options for transportation. I did not know it then, but Washington DC has the BEST subway system of any city in the country. It is the cleanest and the most efficient subway system in the country. But I did not know that then. I would not know it until after 11:00 that night, when I would be 200 miles away in Wilmington, Delaware!

At 2:00 PM, I parked at the Ellipse. I was very lucky to find a space, but I did not know that at that time. I photographed the Washington Monument and the White House, then got back to my car and started driving. I had not known the value of finding an empty and free parking space in downtown Washington DC, and I let mine go!!!

FIFTY MINUTES LATER, after searching everywhere for another parking space, I finally found one along Ohio Drive in West Potomac Park. From there, The Lincoln Memorial was a mile walk. I walked to and went inside the Lincoln Memorial. That was my first sightseeing attraction in the District. . After spending some time there, I walked another two miles from the Lincoln Memorial to the National Air & Space Museum. Along the way, there was a subway station...

(In each city, the "subway" has a different name. In Bombay, the same thing is called "Local". In Atlanta, it is called "MARTA". Washington's system is called "METRO". Later, when I got to Boston, I found out that Bostonians call it "T". In Chicago, it is known as "L". In London it is the "Underground". New Yorkers call it "Subway". Going to Washington and asking a Washingtonian "Where is the nearest subway station?" would almost always get the reply, "Huh? The WHAT station? Oh, you mean the METRO! It's over there!" When I was in Chicago, I was in this conversation: Me: "Excuse me, where is the nearest T station?" [I got confused with Boston] Hospital orderly: "The WHAT station?" Me: "[realizing my mistake] The Subway" HO: "SUBWAY! There is a Subway restaurant two blocks down the road on the left." Me: "No, I don't want the restaurant. Where is the nearest Subway TRAIN station?" HO: "We don't have subway trains here. We've got L's." Me: "[did not understand him] Excuse me?" HO: "L" Me: "Oh, O.K. thanks anyway!" And I left! Later, I remembered that "L" meant "elevated" trains -- I had forgotten that! The person I was speaking to was a hospital orderly... I'll explain that part later... Now back to the story...)

This subway station... no... this METRO station was close to the Washington Monument[15]. I went in and read their regulations and everything that I needed to know about riding the METRO. I did not buy a ticket yet; I just walked out and went to the Air and Space Museum.

I knew that the original Wright Flyer, The Spirit of St. Louis, and Apollo 11 were at the Air and Space Museum. I did not know they were ALL in the same room! That was too much for me. Immediately after entering the museum, I was in the "Pioneers of Flight" Gallery. I stopped suddenly, and the person behind me bumped into me. I did not pay any attention. I was too stunned by what I saw. The Flyer, The Spirit of St. Louis, Apollo 11, Bell X-1, Mercury Friendship 7, Gemini 4, and the first jet-propelled rocket were ALL in the same gallery, immediately after entering the museum. I got dizzy. My first impression of the Air and Space Museum was "" [nothing]. Then... amazement. "What now? Which one do I see first? Which one is closest? Where do I go now?" I stepped out of the building. Sat on the steps, and looked East to the Capitol and West to the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. This was all too much. I needed a drink. I went back inside the museum and drank some water from a fountain. Then I realized again where I was. Within my eyesight were several historical record-breaking air and space craft. I took another drink. Then I left the museum and walked along the mall from there to the Capitol, then back all the way to Potomac Park, passing by the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial again. I was back to the car by 6:30 PM.

In less than four hours, the city of Washington had completely overwhelmed poor ol' me. My emotions ranged from excitement on arrival at the capital city to amazement and awe at what I saw immediately after entering the National Air and Space Museum. I needed a break, and Sachin provided that break for
me.

Last night, I had called Sachin in Pittsburgh. He asked me what my plans were for this weekend, and I told him. He said he was coming to Wilmington, Delaware on this day. He would be staying at the Sheraton Hotel[16] and he invited me to come up to Wilmington for the weekend. "Sheraton Hotel? Gladly!" Of course I accepted. I told him I would spend the day sightseeing in Washington, then drive three hours from Washington to Wilmington. I told him I would be getting to Wilmington at about 10:00 PM, which was perfect for him, since he was expecting to arrive in Wilmington at about 9:00 PM.

I left West Potomac Park at 6:40 PM.

7:00 PM Got lost and entered Virginia on Arlington Bridge (South of Washington DC -- I wanted to go North to Maryland!); 137394 Miles

7:15 PM Maryland on Capital Beltway (I-495); 137412 miles

8:20 PM - 8:50 PM Driving through Baltimore.

9:30 PM Dinner-to-go at Taco Bell in Aberdeen, Maryland. Next to the Taco Bell, there was a phone. I called the Sheraton Hotel in Wilmington to see if Sachin had checked in yet. He still was not there. I was getting late, so I ate the dinner while driving.

10:00 PM Delaware; 137529 Miles

10:20 PM Arrived at Sheraton Suites Hotel in Wilmington. Sachin had checked in, and he came down and helped me bring some of my luggage upstairs to his suite.

License Plates:

BND BABE	VA	Honda Civic
MTNRWVU	VA	Honda Accord
EA-NUPE	NC	Nissan Stanza

Expenses:

$43.68	Chase	Days Inn	Annapolis, MD
$7.49	Discover	Annapolis Mall: Photo-mailer envelope, notepad, Washington postcard book	Annapolis, MD
$3	Cash	Hallmark -- Annapolis Mall: postcard and greeting card	Annapolis, MD
$54.29	Discover	Annapolis Mall: Film Developing -- Ritz 1-hour Camera	Annapolis, MD
$12	Discover	Gas	Creswell, Maryland
$2	Cash	Taco Bell Dinner	Aberdeen, MD
$2	Cash	Toll	I-95, Maryland
$2	Cash	Toll	I-95, Delaware

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