Days 18/19 - falls at Potomac/greyhound to Raleigh NC

 We started our last full day in DC by getting horribly lost after breakfast. However having found a metro stop, an hour later than intended, we went to meet a family friend who lives in Maryland. We spent the rest of the morning trekking along the Potomac river, ending at some falls which separate Maryland from Virginia. The afternoon was defined by drinking, chicken wings and the Zoo. A fun time was had by all, and the drinking continued on into the evening...

This was perhaps a mistake, due to the fact we were taking a six hour coach journey to Raleigh, North Carolina the next day. However I was completely hangover-free, and looking forward to taking the trip. Little did I know that we would almost miss the bus, hailing it down on the street as it attempted to leave us stranded in the coach station (relying on a stranger to make it stop in the end...). Not did we realise that we would be stopping over in Richmond, Virginia, for two hours, or quite how many strange people would be just hanging around the station there. Other than asking for money, no one really bothered us, but we nonetheless retreated to the café to skulk in corner armed with a cappuccino and hot dog...

In fairness when we got back on the coach the journey was also ok, and we're now spending the next few days relaxing with family in North Carolina. It seems very suburban, and although this isn't the 'Deep South', we've already seen several 'pro- life' car bumper stickers...

This weekend we are heading the the Appalachian mountains for some hiking, which I'm really looking forward to despite the fact that the only shoes I have are flip flops and canvas...