ARRIVED SAFELY IN D.C.
Travel went without a hitch. You know that piece of advice about arriving at the airport two hours before your plane leaves? If your plane leaves at a non-rush time forget about it. I slightly overslept, arrived at the airport parking lot one hour before my flight was to leave, checked in, got through security, and had 20 minutes of quality newspaper reading time before my plane boarded.
Leaving Reagan National I decided to take the Metro into D.C. I regret that now for two reasons. First, while saving a few bucks on the taxi I missed riding past the monuments and government buildings. I get a kick out of that despite being a small-government guy. Riding through tunnels doesn't offer the same vibe. Second, my hotel isn't near a Metro station so I walked for about 20 minutes. I could use a nap.
The initial impressions of my hotel are a mixed bag. My room isn't cramped and it has a queen-size bed. But it was warm, and the only window I can open is the one in my bathroom. On the plus side the wi-fi is working flawlessly.