DC: Day 1 - Getting There

Oh, Say Can DC …

DAY 1 – Getting There

Let's talk about business trips. While I’m not in “the business,” per se, my significant other is. So, when it comes to the occasional trip, I’ll be a tagalong. Pay my own ticket and that’s that. This time it was Washington DC.

I didn’t know if I was actually going to go until 2 weeks ago. It took some convincing, works shifts that needed covering, and a couple glasses of wine to put me on that flight. But I got there.

I couldn’t fly the same airline as my boyfriend (his company paid for Virgin nonstop flights, of course). Trusty US Airlines was what I could afford. I had a 3-hour layaway in Philadelphia -- which is desperately close to DC, yet far away when you’re stuck in an airport.

This guy helped out on my layover.

 For my first time traveling solo, I’m pretty proud. Not too turbulent there. Minus the overtly touchy-feely couple I sat next to on my first flight and the shameless-selfie taker on the second. But I handled them like a pro.

Next thing I knew, I was waiting for a shuttle to take me back to the hotel. We were ready to go, until this couple ran up to the driver out of breath, “Can –“ (insert wheeze here) “you take us to our place,” (insert more out of breath sounds). And, of course, the driver won’t turn down more riders. Here in my shuttle was the overly eager husband and the obviously tired, aggravated wife. And while he and I small talked she would budge in, “yeah, it should be great,” in a tone that meant she really wasn’t expecting it to be great. Always surprises me how some couples work.

Anyway, this couple wasn’t just staying at any hotel – they rented a house. An obscure house that, apparently, I couldn’t have been dropped off before finding. If you’ve driven, or been driven, around DC you know those roads can be crazy confusing. The shuttle driver actually asked me which way I wanted to take to the hotel. Heck if I know!

He admitted he had already driven that way and, apparently, traffic was so bad that he didn’t want to go back. Well, "Sorry," I thought. In my head I was saying this sassily and sarcastically, but out loud I was being apologetic and polite like my Momma taught me.

“I’m definitely not coming back here tonight!” He said. And I took a dollar off his tip for that statement.

Gorgeous, right?

Finally, we arrived at the hotel where my boyfriend met me in the lobby. It probably was one of, if not, the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed at – the Gaylord National Resort and ConventionCenter.

That night consisted of drinks at their rooftop bar. Mussels. Fries and more drinks at a restaurant downtown. Not to mention, we were sitting next to a very vivacious group of women celebrating a birthday. Dinner and a show? Yes, please!

After, we headed back to the room as my boyfriend had an early morning in store. Me, not so much an early riser – but you’ll read about how I spent my second day next!