A Series of Travel Firsts

British Airways Lounge at Dulles International Airport
Earlier this month, I traveled to Washington, DC for a conference. This trip included a lot of firsts in my travel experience, especially since deciding to become a travel blogger. I guess that’s one place to start, my, first trip as a travel blogger.
Next on the list of firsts, was my first time picking the wrong airport.  The setting for Die Hard 2 was at Dulles International Airport. I figured that Dulles was the airport for Washington DC. It turns out that Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is the more convenient choice for getting to DC. However, nobody has mentioned this in a movie. Am I supposed to Google everything? So, I had to find transport for the 30 miles from Dulles to DC.
Turned down bed at Mandarin Oriental Washington DC
My next first was a stay at a luxury hotel, which in this case was the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The hotel is located in somewhat of a cul-de-sac with a view to Capitol Hill. You can also see the Washington Monument poking up over rooftops nearby. Prior to the Mandarin Oriental, I had never been in a luxury hotel. I was not quite sure what to expect or even how to behave. I was definitely grateful for the slippers provided as they made the cold marble floor in the bathroom walkable. I will have to go into the experience of the Mandarin Oriental in another blog post.
The ride between the airport and hotel was another first. In the past, I have either taken a cab, train, Lyft, or rental from the airport. I have never taken a hotel shuttle or, as in this instance, a SuperShuttle. This first experience was not to my taste. SuperShuttle offers different ride options. The shared ride option is definitely not for me. Next time I try SuperShuttle, it’s going to be a private ride.
Another first was going to an airport lounge. In this particular instance, it was a British Airways lounge at Dulles courtesy of the Priority Pass Select membership that comes with AMEX Platinum. I had enough time at Dulles for a coffee and light breakfast before boarding on the flight home.
AMEX Centurion Lounge entrance at Bush Intercontinental Airport
The final first was access to the American Express Centurion Lounge at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport. True to online reports, the elevator is inside the Duty Free shop, next to the Scotch. The lounge was a bit busier than I imagined; but, it was a great benefit to be able to park somewhere to grab lunch and a beer before boarding my connecting flight home.
Being new to travel, I am sure that there are more firsts waiting for me to experience.