Big Day Out

After a little down time, I was ready to venture out of Bethesda and see what Arlington has to offer. Enter first Metro ride experience. For someone who, as a child, would get anxiety when navigating the airport, the idea of riding on various trains to get to a destination made me a bit uneasy. However, armed with my trusty Metro map, printed in color, I was certain that I could handle this. Easy enough, right? Wrong.

Things were going well enough, despite some delays because it was Saturday and not as many trains run on the weekends. Then it came time to get off the red line and change to the blue line. "You've got this", I thought as I headed down a flight of stairs to the blue/orange line. Feeling suave and maybe even a little cocky, I picked up the pace once I saw that the train was getting ready to pull out. Whew. Onboard and ready for the main event. It wasn't until a few stops later I look up and notice a sign, almost mockingly stating 'orange' line.

In a panic I get off the train and two Metro workers, sensing my distress, kindly ask if I need some help. They try to explain what I need to do to get to my final destination, and all I really hear is something about taking a bus. Huh?! Thankfully my friend HDL was waiting to meet me so I called her and explained my situation and she directed me exactly where I needed to go. People were not kidding when they warned me about the adjustment it is learning how to get around this city.

The drama of DC travel was quickly forgotten once HDL greeted me and we were able to visit Costco, a favorite pastime of ours when we were roommates in Phoenix. We also checked out the Pentagon City mall, another place of comfort for yours truly. Familiar face, familiar places. Couldn't ask for more. Oh, and I discovered the Nordstorm Rack here is pretty decent, which is helping the Last Chance withdrawals I've been having. Hallelujah.

Later in the evening, I met up with some girls who live in Arlington whom I'd never met before. I had been in contact with one of them a month or so ago about housing. She seemed really friendly when we talked before so I figured she would be fun to hang out with and would most likely have cool friends. My presumptions were correct and they were very sweet to let me tag along with them to eat at a delicious Thai restaurant in Shirlington. (Which, btw Jill, I already know exactly what you and I will share when you come visit and we eat there ;). Overall, a fun but exhausting day.

And I still had to Metro back home. Ugh. Roughly an hour of my life. As I entered the station to head towards MD, I felt confident that it would be easy peezy this time around. Not so. It wasn't a clear cut route, at least not for a novice like myself, because not only was it late, but there was also maintenance at some stops. Again, a Metro worker told me something about needing to take a bus which makes me think that it must be some sort of a joke they play on the obvious newbies. Luckily, I asked a nice older man if he could direct me where to go. He obliged and then we chatted and I learned that he had immigrated from Ethiopia three years ago and he told me a bit about his experience in America. So glad I didn't have the same ordeal that I had had previously in the day.

Fun Fact: the DC Metro takes great pride in cleanliness (as evidenced by the above sign)to the point that you can be ticketed if you are seen eating or drinking. I am definitely in support of this. Sure beats the Marta trains in ATL that would reek of curry, among other things.