Day 4

Yesterday we started in DC and ended up in NYC. We decided that since the DC Mall was going to be full of runners, cars and buses that we should take the DC Metro into town. What a great experience that was. It took about 40 minutes with one transfer to a different train. It was clean and really easy to use. I think all the kids really liked the adventure of taking a metro in a gigantic city.

In the evening we ate at a great deli where the food was amazing. Then we saw 39 Steps on Broadway and Times Square. I don't think the kids could believe the amount of people there.

A full day in NYC! Today was great and jam packed with the sights, sounds, and smells of NYC. We started the day with a guided sightseeing tour centered in Lower Manhattan. The World Trade Center site and memorial moved us to tears.

We will see everyone (carpoolers) tomorrow at the PHX airport. Our flight arrives at 10:30 pm and I will try and update this blog while we are in transit to keep everyone informed.

DC Day 3

Yesterday was a full day. We went on a guided sightseeing tour of DC, to Arlington, Mount Vernon, and to Alexandria for a ghost tour. Our ghost teller must have scared one of my students ( I won't name names) 10 times!

It rained almost all day yesterday but I think it was fortunate for us. Some of the places we visited were almost empty. We had the run of Mount Vernon, pretty much walking straight into George Washington's house without waiting.

Wow -- what a first day! The plane broke on the tarmac -- engines would not start for three hours. The kids were great on the plane, taking the difficulties in stride. After the plane got into the air it was smooth sailing for the most part. Once we got to Atlanta we power walked (ran) to another concourse and 7 of us got onto the next plane while I worked with the ticket agent for the next 40 minutes to shoehorn the other 28 onto the next flight. It all worked!

Our bus driver and tour director met us at the airport. Deb the tour director is from Tuscon and is great. Sadly, with the flight delays we missed our capital appointment but we did then get to spend a little more time in the Holocaust Museum and then the student got to choose which Smithsonian they wanted to see.

Diner was nice. We went to Union Station and received a voucher for what ever we wanted. I ate Indian food and was very satisfied. Everyone seemed to be satiated. Finally, after diner we went and toured the monuments.

Sorry about the lack of original pictures, we went to the Lincoln Memorial but the picture above is from Google. I brought the wrong USB cable but I am trying to get one of the kids to take some pictures with their camera phone and email to me. There still is a possibility I can get some pictures up here. Everybody says hello! -- silas