DC Lofty

It’s Wednesday. It’s Washington DC. It’s 37^oC.

At least that is what the young German girl told me yesterday it would be. She is staying in the same hostel as us (DC Lofty) and is on her way to or from Orlando, I wasn’t really listening. That’s because Golden Boy (guy in yellow t-shirt) is shouting instructions and stories at her that he knows from his time there. That’s just two of the characters we have met here. There’s also Josh. He is a student from South Korea staying here for 6 days (for some reason) and turned up at the hostel at the same time as us. Incidentally, we trekked the distance there in the hot hot sun, through a bit of a dodgy neighbourhood, and finally rocked up at half 2 to find (a) Josh just arriving, and (b) a note on the door stating “Gone for lunch, back at 4.30pm”. Well this really doesn’t help our situation. Baking hot, sweating cobs, and thirsty beyond belief. How long do they need for lunch?! And the England game was kicking off at 2.45pm too! So Josh and James set off to find a convenience store and a bar to watch said football, and I stayed with the luggage outside the hostel, in the vain hope they would return early. After 5 minutes some old woman came out and I managed to get me, Josh and the luggage inside (James was still nowhere to be seen, but he knew where we were) and into the blissful air-conditioning. I might say at this point that Josh is brilliant. He is so over-the-top with enthusiasm. See the following dialogue:

Josh – So how long are you guys travelling for then?

James – Oh, a little over 6 months.

Josh – SIX MONTHS?! OH MY GOD THAT’S CRAZY!

James – How long are you travelling for then, Josh?

Josh – Me? About 3 months.

After signing in at reception and dumping our stuff in the room we wandered out for a stroll to Stoney’s Bar, apparently the one place in DC that MAY be showing the football (other than the DC Lofty living room), and grab a beer and some grub. Thankfully England won, to the despair of Ukrainian/American Office-worker guy, but who knew a LOT about English football. Apart from the fact, and I still vehemently argue this point, that he believed the only reason that Man City won the league this year is because Milner played nearly every game. He also said that Joe Hart was rubbish. So maybe he didn’t know all that much after all.

Mmm-hmmm that WAS a tasty burger!

A quick stop off at the local deli store and a load of laundry washed and cleaned later and we were discussing our next moves through the US of States over a glass of $5.99 Shiraz.......from a red plastic cup. Josh was in and out, asking us about New York whilst waiting for a coat hanger that the staff had apparently gone off to get for him:

Josh – So how much did you guys pay to stay in New York?

James/Tim – Hmmm, about 400 dollars or so for 4 nights at the YMCA.

Josh – 400 DOLLARS?! THAT’S CRAZY MAN!!

We had still not yet the two mystery guests who would be using the second set of bunk beds in our room, but we knew their luggage was in the locker and they would be here soon. Hopefully they weren’t working in a casino or something and come back at 4 in the morning and wake us up. But as James left the busy living rooms downstairs to get his Blog Book from upstairs, he returned to inform me that I had been correct. I had assumed that the our bunkmates were a couple, due to the matching padlocks on the lockers. And sure enough, on returning to the room I was introduced to Kyle (29) and Betsy (21). A married couple who were in town looking to get an apartment to rent, or failing that, to move back to Savannah. As this was our first night sharing a room with people we didn’t know we were unsure of the etiquette of how it would work, but we got chatting and they aborted their third and deciding game of the Magic Card Game (or whatever it was...something to do with wizards and elves and stuff....but they assured us they weren’t geeks). A quick introduction turned into a chat. The chat turned into several discussions including, in no particular order: their political stand point, their favourite Beetles album, slavery, English history, hiking, Top Gear and both me and James having “perfect hair” that was an indication that we looked English. Over 2 hours later and it was most definitely time for some shut-eye, as we had to “do” Washington in a (very hot) day and they needed to get their apartment sorted. Sadly, they informed us that they were only staying the one night, so me and James would need to wait and see who our next guest of honour would be...

An early start was in order, to try and beat the heat that was on the way later in the day. Heading off to the Washington Monument it seemed warm, sure, but still comfortable enough to get on with the obligatory sight-seeing. A mooch round the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Gallery of Art and the Capitol Building and we were ready for some grub, a beer, and more than that...a good cold shower on return to DC Lofty!! It was hell getting around in that sun, I sure as heck haven’t seen that weather in good ol’ Blighty before, but we will acclimatise to it in no time.

I don't know why he didn't use a proper toilet...

After the cold shower and a shave (a beard on day like that is not a good idea, and I should have shaved it off before going out...may have strange sun tan mark on my face now :o\) our new bunkmate entered the room whilst James was downstairs. Now we had been worried about getting someone who was a little bit.....different, and had obviously hoped for some people of our own age, interests, etc. So I was clearly quite happy when in walked Anna, a 20 year old blonde Swedish girl. Not bad, could have been a lot worse I thought to myself. After nipping to the bathroom to top up my water, I find James back in the room and Anna packing up her things! It turns out that she had managed to switch rooms to the one next door where her friend is staying, so we get the room to ourselves, hurrah!

A night of planning tonight and then it’s off to Niagara Falls tomorrow. Greyhound here we come again!