New York Bound!

One can travel to NYC from DC in many forms. Each have their costs and their benefits. Let's examine the ones that I've considered. For me, booking by plane isn't so much an expense, as long as the time is shorter, and it definitely is. The flight from Ronald Reagan National Airport to La Guardia is 35 mins, with the addition of having to circle above NYC for 30 extra mins, puts you at about a total travel time of one hour.

But, once you add that it takes me about an hour to get to the airport, another 10 mins to arrive before boarding, boarding 30 mins before the flight leaves... you've already added another 100 mins to the fray. THEN, you add the fact that LGA isn't my final destination, I have to get on another bus before I arrive anywhere in the city - which is generously another hour's travel time.

So, when I add it all up, from my house which is outside DC to my friend's apt in Manhattan - it is a total of 60+100+60 = 220 mins = 3h40mins - using a combination of metro, plane and bus to get to my final destination in the Upper West Side.

Well... that's how things normally are, if they all run smoothly. In my case on Sunday, this definitely didn't happen. I departed from my house at noon, only to be stranded midway at the metro in Chinatown at 1:10 pm. With a 2:30 flight, I should have had plenty of time to arrive at the airport and grab lunch before boarding. After what seemed like waiting for 10 mins for the Yellow line to Reagan, 3x over, I realized that it actually had been 30 mins! Finally, an announcement comes over the intercom, there is fire and smoke sighted at the Reagan metro, expect further delays. I look up and there's still 8 mins before another YL line train is even due to arrive. No trains are going to Reagan at 1:10. I sit down next to a good looking young guy with a nicely defined jaw line and a willingness to catch my eye and hold it.

Another announcement comes over the intercom, it's that ubiquitous voice again. All the yellow and blue line trains that normally go to the airport and being asked to turn back - I look at my watch and back at the clock, the 8 mins haven't changed and at this point I have to decide if I even want to go to NYC at all. I relent, leaving my seat next to the cute young man that I perhaps could have commiserated with...

I call my aunt and get on the red line metro back toward Shady Grove. Another hour later, I arrive in Rockville where my amazing aunt has generously volunteered to take me to the airport. I arrive at National at 2:45, 15 mins after my scheduled flight, but that's fine because there's a flight to LGA every hour on the half hour. I just book myself for the next flight and pass through security. The plane leaves at 3:30 and we arrive promptly at 4:35. A ride on the M60 into Manhattan later, and I'm sitting at my friends apartment on Columbus Ave and 97th by 5:30. All in all, total transport time of - 5h30mins.

Hectic! to say the least, but hey. I had arrived.