News Flash! Eddie and I are a wee bit anal, Type A, driven kinda of folks. Well, duh, who did not see that coming? While they say opposites attract, we are more of a YingYang that complete each other. While our styles vary- since retirement, Eddie’s hobbies, goals, objectives if given a specific deadline-he can be pretty driven....see Harvey rebuild for details. He gets low marks on the everyday stuff that is not on his list—-but that is typical Man behavior...I.e. trash days are Tuesday and Friday...for 14 years at this address, trash must be taken to street (after 25 years of garage door service in Bear Branch) and even with reminders he gets a D...same goes for the return trip up the driveway. For me, I have projects....it is a Lyle trait..mother, sister and I are best when we have a defined project, we organize, execute, clean up and move on. We all three agree it is the thrill of the something new, the exploration, the planning, the list making, we all hate the clean up committee, but we git r done, cause that is how we roll...Labor/management in our house. (Happy Mother’s Day, Mom, we miss you) So, when putting together our travel bucket list for international destinations prior to retirement, we had to have a deadline in mind...Eddie being Eddie and all. I am all about the planning and research portion. We determined that we would like to have the bulk of our international goals met by the time Eddie turns 70...a mere 18 months from now. After 20 years or more of cruising, we had/have observed our shipmates...after the age of 70-the zest and zeal for the destination is/was waxing and waning, the mobility issues, health issues, crabby old men, wild gray hair, ear hairs, hearing issues, ugly feet and gnarly toes in sandals, the whole thing. We refuse to be those passengers/travelers. We have noted that as we are coming closer to our bucket list completion, we are becoming less impressed with the random churches, works of art, and cities around the world than we were 20 years ago. What makes us excited is the natural beauty and wonder of this world...things that once was only in books, then TV, movies, now You Tube and vblogs are available and accessible for all...even people in wheelchairs, walkers and canes. So, at this point it takes lots to impress us...God made or Man Made. That brings us to our third day on Iceland...Akureyri
When I researched and planned this trip, the tour group we used was offering a combo package of their tours in Reykjavik and Akureyri...yeah, that would be me and my save a couple of Krona. I signed us up. Iceland Guided Tours is a smallish (they have 8 Mercedes 15 passenger vans and a couple of big buses) family/teacher run company. As the cost of living is so high in Iceland, everybody has a second job. All of their guides are teachers, as the summer season is their high season, it works great for a second job. Teachers make great guides as they are accustomed to lecturing and herding children (see previous post for older children). In Reykjavik, our driver, Anna, was one of the owners, as well as a Kindergarten teacher...at the end of our tour, she said she would see us in A. Huh? Yeah, they drive the fleet north 5 hours to 66 degrees North to continue the tour. Like I said, smallish company.
During our Blue Lagoon experience in Reykjavik, Eddie asked what we would be doing in Akureyri . I responded (not having my phone or red travel notebook with me—see naked part) that it was more water falls, rocks, geysers and a lake. “Oh”, responds the Admiral. Guess it takes just a little more to impress the boy these day. So, just when we thought we had seen it all, the wonder arrived in the form of a blizzard at sea. Snow! Not the snow that we see in Texas, but a bonafide blizzard of snow, at sea! As Akureyri is located down one of the longest Fjords in the world (yeah, Alaska, Norway and southern Chile), we sailed is to a granite rock mountain ocean canyon with snow covered walls and peaks. It was snowing so heavily that visibility was tough, but standing at the window in our room was the best...it was too snowy/freezing outside to stand on the balcony. As we did not dock until 10:30 in the morning, it was magical to see the snow through ship crew’s eyes. Some of the crew members from the Caribbean islands and Indonesia had never seen snow. They were past giddy—-cameras, snow balls, laughter, huge grins, no coats...it reminds us to seek and celebrate the wonder in the everyday, the common...and give thanks for it. It can be a renewing experience for sure.
Of course, I was concerned that the roads would be all Texas like, icy and closed, but a quick text to Anna, said, nope, they are use to it. Sure enough, when we snaked our way off the ship, there was the company’s fleet of vehicles. We hopped on board and were off explore this territory 60 miles from the arctic circle. Just as the rains came and went in Ireland, so did the snow fall. What was left behind was a snow covered landscape that followed us and changed the waterfalls and mountains into a magical wonderland. Cold, you betcha, windy, yup! Michelin man attire—-3 layers, heavy sweater, wind and rain jacket, hat and gloves...snotty noses and watering eyes, but it really changed the hohum, meh of another waterfall and mountain. The Godafoss waterfall was probably the biggest, but the snow made it spectacular. The landscape was covered with tons of salmon and trout streams, which have the iridescent blue glacier/mineral rich waters made us think of Drew and his fly fishing in unspoiled areas. We were told folklore stores of the Elves and Trolls that inhabit various areas of the land....Eli would have been enthralled. We explored the Dark City where the 13 Christmas trolls are said to live. It was not so dark as the snow made it bright and less scary. The moonscape that surrounds these areas has been used for space moves, astronaut training, and of course, Game of Thrones. We explored the sulfur fields...which required booties as snow and sulfur will ruin your leather or mesh tennis shoes. It reminded me of the landscape in Yellowstone and the sulfur pits. The cold, crisp steamy air had a big sulfur smell...my nose and hair carried that away as the souvenir of the day. If there are steam vents, there must be hot springs and bath. Our last stop was at Lake Myvatn Natural Bath. For the purists aboard, meaning not a man made Lagoon, that wanted a bath experience, this was your chance. It was also a place where N-A-K-E-D showers were not required....While similar, it is the poor relation to the Blue Lagoon...but 1/3 the cost. The folks aboard that wanted to could spend an hour taking in the really sulfurous water and the rest of us could walk the lake area...in theory...did I mention a blinding snowstorm? The Natural Bath over looks the Lake, but we could not see a thing, so we did what Pickles do—-grabbed a couple of beers and sat down in the warmth of the restaurant. As we had learned from the previous days, food is crazy expensive then add a 14% VAT and not always up to the Admiral’s liking...and they don’t have many options. I did the Girl Scout thing of being prepared and packed some Karen made sandwiches and apples for our lunch...banging two rocks together in the Buffet at breakfast time. User tip-I always bring ziplock bags.
By the time we were crossing back over the mountain towards our ship, the skies were blue, and the snow covered town of Akureyri had thawed...it is the black lava rocks, 20 hours of sunlight, totally bright pure sunshine...Eddie thinking he has a sunburn...no, I think your cheeks are just wind burned...pass the hand/face/body cream, and chap stick, please.
Interesting Icelandic fact...the language is interesting, but your name is even more interesting, and probably would lead to lots of questions when you travel. A person has a first name, but their last name is the Father’s first name with the ending of son or daughter. So I would be Karen Hughdaughter. Ed would be Ed Georgeson. George would be George Edson, Lauren would be eddaughter...and so on. So, just thinking out loud and all, if a person was born a son and became a daughter (as that seems so popular these days), would they need change their last name? And how about their children? Would K & K Jenner, previously know as K & K Brucedaughters become K & K Caitlindaughter? How would that affect their branding? Just sayin’
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