When we checked into the Hotel Reynihlid at Lake Myvatn, Alison opened the door on the side of the desk, to see if there was a safe inside.
"Oh my God, someone forgot this!" she exclaimed, whipping out a black fanny pack.
"Is there anything in it? Brian asked nervously, knowing there had to be.
Within three seconds of unzipping the pouch, we saw everything -- two passports, a roll of cash, airline boarding passes, credit cards, IDs... This woman's life was in our hands.
We were both so panicked that you'd think we were the ones who'd lost this stuff. We sprinted down to the super nice and helpful receptionist. She hopped onto the computer right away and started to track down this person. (Fashion note from Alison: the receptionsist was wearing the most awesome orange strappy high heels!)
When we checked back a few hours later, the woman had picked up her fanny pack and was thrilled that everything was still in it. We were happy, too. Worst. Travel. Nightmare.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Daily Journal - New Story: Hot volcanic ash
Between Vik and Skaftafell, we came to a particularly beautiful and deserted stretch of the Ring Road that starts to curve around Vatnajokull.
Grimsvotn, a volcano beneath the icecap, had erupted a month earlier. A layer of ash heated by the bright sunlight was covering both sides of the road - glaciers, cliffs, fields, everything we could see.
But the pavement was clear and we drove through. Alone.
But the pavement was clear and we drove through. Alone.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Daily Journal
Us In Iceland - Daily Journal
The Daily Journal is a new page on the blog that includes where we went, what we did and what we saw in Iceland each day.
We're going to keep adding more stories and other tidbits about our experiences to the Daily Journal. If you follow us by e-mail, you'll get the updates when new content is posted.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Photo and video slideshows
Us In Iceland - Photos & Videos
You can watch the embedded slideshows without leaving the web page.
You can also look at photo albums with short blurbs about where we went, what we did and what we saw each day.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Glitch, resolved
Finally, two customs agents showed up. We're stamped, at the gate and waiting to board.
Sent from my iPhone
One tiny glitch
The Passport Control booths are all unmanned, so passengers trying to get to gates for trans-Atlantic flights are waiting in line like zombies.
Developing...
Sent from my iPhone
Heading home
Rental car -- Returned (with no damage -- a miracle considering we drove 2720 km, including on several horrifying gravel roads)
Luggage -- Checked (no overage charges, for once)
VAT refund -- Claimed ($48 in good old American U.S dollars)
Icelandic kronur -- spent
Us -- On our way to the gate!
Sent from my iPhone
Friday, July 1, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Camera saga: The final chapter (hopefully)
The Nikon is back in business. It was just a dead battery; the charger must have fallen out of the outlet last night. Doh!
Sent from my iPhone
Camera issues, again
Alison's brand new Nikon Cool Pix camera has apparently died. So much for the back-up; we're down to our iPhones and Flip video.
Yesterday, the guy at the camera shop in Akureyri tried to fix the broken Canon, but no luck -- it needs to be sent in for service.
Hopefully, we'll figure out what's up with the Nikon... Or find a camera shop in the middle of nowhere ;)
Tomorrow, we go to Stykkisholmur on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, a picturesque (pun intended) region with glaciers, black and gold sand beaches, lava fields and other natural beauty.
There WILL be pictures.
Sent from my iPhone
Changing the plan!
Being two of the most set-in-our-ways travelers, we usually stick to our itineray. But today we shredded it, cancelled our hotel room for the second night in Akureyri and headed for Gauksmyri, a horse farm on the Vatnsnes Peninsula. If the weather is good, we're going horseback riding. The farm is run by married school teachers. The restaurant serves all organic meats and vegetables from their farm. We're looking forward to it.
Sent from my iPhone
Bad hair days
All the young boys and teens have Bieber head. Not a good look here, either.
Sent from my iPhone
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The police
Just left the hotel -- without any prisoners. Hopefully Cigarettegate is over. But it still stinks.
Sent from my iPhone
The noses know!
When we got back to our hotel room tonight, the hallway smelled like cigarette smoke. I called the reception desk, the guy told me he'll check into it. (There's no smoking in buildings in Iceland; they've outlawed it like the rest of the world.)
Half an hour later, it's worse. Now, we can smell it in our room. I call back.
"I know, I know" the guy told me. "I found them. They are Ukranian and won't listen to me, so I am calling the police."
Developing...
Sent from my iPhone
REALLY small world
On Saturday, after our white-knuckle ride to Seydisfjordur (See blog entry: OMG the fjords), we checked out both streets in town and stumbled upon the Skaftfell Bistro for a drink to calm our nerves. (See blog entry: Pub and art center we hung out at in Seydisfjordur).
Brian needed to chill from the drive, Alison needed to chill from Brian screaming "I can't see" for half an hour.
Anyway, we had a lot of fun playing cards, hanging out and talking to a really nice bartender.
Today, three days later and hundreds of miles away in Akureyri, we were in a pub having a pizza. All of a sudden, Alison's eyes get huge and she says "There's the bartender!" Sure enough, it was our newest best friend Vigdis Lara.
Freaky.
So we exchanged contact info and have a new friend (real and facebook) in Iceland. (In the winter, she works at a bar called Boston in Reykjavik. Karma? Fate? Stupid luck? Whatever it was, we're glad!)
To make things a little more strange, after she left, a guy two tables away comes over and says he's from Boston, too. He lives in Haverhill. The world just got a little smaller.
Sent from my iPhone
Brian needed to chill from the drive, Alison needed to chill from Brian screaming "I can't see" for half an hour.
Anyway, we had a lot of fun playing cards, hanging out and talking to a really nice bartender.
Today, three days later and hundreds of miles away in Akureyri, we were in a pub having a pizza. All of a sudden, Alison's eyes get huge and she says "There's the bartender!" Sure enough, it was our newest best friend Vigdis Lara.
Freaky.
So we exchanged contact info and have a new friend (real and facebook) in Iceland. (In the winter, she works at a bar called Boston in Reykjavik. Karma? Fate? Stupid luck? Whatever it was, we're glad!)
To make things a little more strange, after she left, a guy two tables away comes over and says he's from Boston, too. He lives in Haverhill. The world just got a little smaller.
Sent from my iPhone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)