Tuesday, May 4, 2010

I made it

I made it to Alexandria last night.  I haven't driven 9 hours by myself in a while, and I have to say that I was pretty boring company for myself.  I listened to the radio but that isn't the same as having a traveling companion.  I had my trusty iPod but to tell you the truth, I didn't feel in the mood to listen to music so I listened to NPR news for about 7 hours. 

The interstate was surprisingly good until I got to Virginia, and there the pot holes were unreal.  What's up with that Virginia? You are my home state and have 2 foot holes in one of the main travel arteries!  But Virginia didn't disappoint on scenery.  It was lush and green with wonderful flowers at every rest stop.  I decided to stop at every rest stop for the last four hours. I needed to get out and walk around.  It helped to keep me awake. 



I stopped off in my old college town on the way up.  I walked to my old residence hall.  I remembered the late night conversations and the years studying there.  It brought back a lot of memories.  The campus is different now. There are key cards on the doors and many new buildings.  But the campus is still as beautiful, if not more so.  The old buildings are venerable.  I may stop on the way back just to walk around again.  I would like to go to the old science building and see if I can find the lecture hall where I sat for so many classes.  Seeing all this made me decide to come back for a class reunion.  I really think that college and graduate school were awesome times.

I didn't stop to eat and was famished by the time I got to the hotel.  It is on the Potomac River.  I had dinner at a Thai restaurant.  It was close by, but there are lots of exotic places to eat in this area.  I like the quaintness of old town Alexandria.  I could probably spend a day going through book and antique shops here.   Maybe tonight there will be some time after the meeting ends.  And perhaps I'll hunt up an Ethiopian restaurant.

Today I feel rested.  I talked to C. and things are good at the farm.  She has been working on the garden and adding more flowers to the English garden that she has started.  I miss her. 

I'm going to get something to eat for lunch and get ready for the afternoon's meeting.  Have a good day.

25 comments:

  1. Glad you had safe travels. You sound good. It's fun to remember, those school days. The college I finished my degree at is only a half hour from where I live, and every time I see the old Maine Hall I get nostalgic. Enjoy your the rest of travel time.

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  2. I enjoy reading about your adventures. You make normal life seem not mundane. I pray my son can learn to accept a drug free life as an adventure. Thank you for your example!

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  3. Syd, your description brought back some wonderful memories! Thank you. I miss Virginia, too. I went to college in Baltimore and then lived in DC for a little while after I graduated. I think I miss the seasons most of all...where I live now, we have only 2 seasons: HOT and fog. I also miss the afternoon thunderstorms in the summer. :)

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  4. What a beautiful time to be in Washington! I hope the cherry blossoms are still in bloom. Safe travels home.

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  5. Oh how fun. I think Virginia is beautiful also. My last trip was to Richmond in 2003. I was born in DC. I'm hoping you get to spend some time doing the things that make you happy. How nice to still be in love with someone that you "miss" them.

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  6. You might once have guessed that I really enjoy "blogged" road trips, whether on plane, train, or...well, motor scooter!

    I hope to hit the blacktopped limerock maybe again in August. But I will sure try to be on regular country road when I reach Virginia.
    Thanks!

    Ready to hear about an Ethiopian restaurant--never been there...

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  7. You take the most wonderful adventures. Happy and safe travels home!

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  8. Do you by chance have Russell's Cottage Roses in your garden back home? I found some in a stranger's yard yesterday here in my Northeast Georgia hometown.

    The owner of the roses is no longer a stranger, and the roses are still calling me today. Ah even the petals are fantabulous....

    It made me smile that you thought you were boring company. Boring...what exactly does that mean? Young children get "bored" when they have too many toys to play with!

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  9. Yorkshire being home of course to the Wuthering Bronte sisters and Porkshire terriers
    ;->...

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  10. That looks like a v nice place... you know a 9 hour drive can get you almost anywhere in the UK. I know Americans laugh and laugh at the British idea of a "long journey" by car. 4 hours is considered an extremely long journey... in 4 hours you can get from London as far as... woo! Yorkshire!! Or somewhere like that

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  11. Nine hours driving can get monotonous. Good thing you stopped often enough to get out and stretch. Hope the meetings go well and you have time to see some things while you are there.

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  12. its fun to folow old roads and visit the places we passed through....sorry about the pot holes. see what i have to deal with. lol.

    hope the rest of your time goes well...

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  13. Sounds beautiful there! The Alexandria visitor's bureau should pay you a commission :)
    God bless.

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  14. Is that University of Virginia? I think I recognize it. My husband went there.

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  15. You should have brought us for that long car ride.We could have taken turns driving,sing Summer camp songs and share Doritos.lol.
    Sounds like you are traveling okay solo..and hey..More Thai for you! lol

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  16. I enjoy traveling alone. Enjoy your trip!

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  17. It looks beautiful, there. Hope you have a good visit!

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  18. Hey Syd, love the pictures. And the post was pretty good too. I used to love to travel by myself.

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  19. Glad you made it to your destination safely. I hope you have an enjoyable time.

    Love,

    SB

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  20. I'm glad you're enjoying the trip. There's something about traveling alone that wakes up the brain cells. Takes you out of your cocoon and deposits you right in the thick of things.

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  21. Nice post on the travels...I am sure C misses you too!!! Safe travels home!

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  22. I love a good road trip and revisiting places from my past. Sounds like a great journey. Thanks for taking us along.

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  23. I too enjoy a good business trip. I always make time to really see the area I am travelling to/through. That sounds like an interesting area...

    I too have bene experiencing a bit of a renaissance wit hregard to college and grad school with my new band job. The band director just graduated from my undergrad so there's lots of story swapping lol.

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