Wallamble

The final day of our trip arrived. After a quick stop at the drive-thru Starbucks (for mum)…

we headed back to the park for the day…

(There were much bigger rides but mum + dad were too busy going on those to take photos of them!)

…before happily heading home to our own beds 🙂

Well we were off on the road again…

Although we spent a fair bit of time in the car throughout this trip, iPads and silly games kept us in good spirits…

We headed back to Pennsylvania to visit the Gettysburg National Historic Site…

Where we were lucky enough to catch a re-enactment…

…and finished our visit at the Soldiers National Cemetery…

Before killing time buying cheese flavoured popcorn for Eli, soft pretzles for dad and chocolate freckles for Lachie at the Bird-In-Hand Farmers Market…

Before heading to Dutch Wonderland as a reward to Lachie and Eli for being such champions and so well behaved on our trip 🙂

Then back to the hotel for a well deserved rest, good night 🙂

We spent a pretty chilled day in Shenandoah National Park…

Although we did have a good shower and dress up for dinner 🙂

(check out Eli’s lip gloss and eye shadow – ooh la la!)

A final action packed day in Washington before heading to Shenandoah National Park (70 miles west) in the evening. Time to see all the final highlights before getting out of the city of a while.

First stop was the Smithsonian National Air + Space Museum this time.
(with the hightlights being Wright’s actual plane and the unmanned drones)

Hirshhorn Gallery Sculpture Museum

Finally lunch in Chinatown (at Nandos of course!) before jumping in car and heading to Shenandoah National Park (via a little drive around the Pentagon).

The drive I66 was via I66…that’s as close as we’ll get to route 66 (Chicago to LA) for a while!

The views along the Skyline drive into the park were breath taking.

More bug hunting and swing time…

You would think that once we got to our cabin we’d be exhausted…but no Lachie and Eli still mustered the energy to show the locals how to tear up a dance floor after dinner 🙂

The day started with an early morning visit to the White House. Although we couldn’t take any picccies inside, here are some peripheral photos…

( A big thank you to Senator Lautenberg for organizing this for us – you rock!)

We frocked up…

and headed in….via 15 layers of security!
(lachie had a great chat with Kyle a Secret Service Man. If only he was a little older as that may just be the coolest thing he does for quiet some time!)

Then we went back to the hotel for breakfast, before heading out, past China Town and the mint

to the National Archives. Where we saw the Constituions, Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta. Shame we couldn’t take any piccies their either but like the White House they will be well ingrained in our memories. (Or at least Bianca + Nathan’s!)

We walked past the FBI Headquarters (J Edgar Hoover Building)…

We had an early lunch at Union Station

Did some bug hunting and berry hoarding while we waited for…

The Capitol Building

Our  Capitol Tour
(Senator Lautenberg – you still rock!)

A play on the lawn…

Possibily witnessed some cat burglers on the national history museum?

Saw some more beautiful buildings as we strolled around town

Note that the cool Dept of Agriculture building above is doing a little bit of it’s own farming on it’s grounds. Times are tough or are they just doing research?

Before a final tour (also organsied by the good Senator) at the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. Again we couldn’t take photos – but it was fun watching money being made the easy way!

After quiet time we took the train out to to Arlington National Cemetery.

Unbeknown to us, Arlington is home to more than just military personel.

Lachie’s highlight was JFK’s grave site

Eli’s was the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unkowns.

…and we all felt the grevity of loss…

Another amazing day 🙂