Starting the trip

 Most of today was just tourist in DC. First we found a Walgreen’s to buy replacement mosquito repellant since TSA had confiscated our previous bottle in Austin.  And a few other things.  

We went to the sculpture garden next to the National Gallery of Art and then the National Gallery of Art.  After a couple of hours there, we realized that the National Gallery of Art is different from the National Portrait Gallery, where Linda wanted to see the portraits of Michelle and Barack Obama.  So we walked on over to that.  Then it turns out that museum is 4 floors of stuff — some of it pretty good stuff — but so much of it.  By the time we got thru with it — and by got thru, we were just tired out and still probably had 3 and a half floors to go — we needed to head back to the hotel, for the actual prepared part of the trip.

First there was a walk (4 blocks) to the Nat Geo headquarters where there was a presentation and introduction to the staff who would be going on the trip, then to a mingling opportunity

 until it was time to walk back to the hotel, up to the top floor, for more mingling and dinner.  

After dinner they went over the short term scheduling and getting ready for the next day, which would be our flight to Panama.  Medical things — covid and malaria and mosquitos, and getting the bags ready to be put on the plane — if we get the bags out in the hall tonight by 9:30, then all we have to do in the morning is eat breakfast and get on the bus (7:00AM) to go to the airport.

They say the plane will be in a special hanger for private jets, and we will go thru the terminal and to the special hanger.  And no photography in the special hanger because there will be a lot of private jets that want their privacy.  

So back to the room to sort out what goes in the luggage and what goes in our carry on back packs. Tomorrow it’s an early breakfast and on the bus by 7:00!


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