My Icelandic pal Osk claims was the Topas that kept me from feeling too lousy when I finally hauled myself out of bed at noon. She and the girls insisted i down a shot of the salty licorice-flavoured booze with them - an Icelandic specialty that riffs off the excellent locally made candy. It was one of the more vile alcoholic things I've ever tasted and for me, as you know, that's saying something. It's about 11C and overcast, My hotel is a short walk to the centre of town the main street, Laugavegur. Just about everything was closed and the streets were quiet - a few tourists and some cats. There are kitties - most of them black - all over the place. They are magnificently aloof. The incredible Hallgrimskirkja Church dominated the view - ... read more

Arriving in Iceland at 6 a.m. after an overnight flight without sleep (but I did have an 80s movie marathon and watched Office Space and Wall Street again) means one thing - head to the Blue Lagoon. About a half hour from the airport, this otherworldly place is a favourite stop for people as they come in and out of Iceland. Most airport buses offer an option of a stop at the Lagoon en route to and from the airport. And I can see why. We drove along through lava fields, no trees, just the alien, stark landscape. Up ahead, huge clouds of steam rose from geothermal pools and the water colour! Milky blue. Like nothing I've ever seen. And ringed with black lava rock. The spa is incredibly well run. Wrist bands with computer chips ... read more

I always hear that great Bobbie Darin song: "New York on Sunday, big city takin' a nap...." when I'm here over a weekend. The vibe here is completely different on a Sunday, especially later in the day when a good number of tourists have packed up and New Yorkers indulge in a day off. Going for brunch/lunch/lupper/cocktails is an all-day affair - the cafes and restos were bulging with people taking advantage of the good weather. But not for me - I had work to do. Up with the birds and off to the Essex Hotel on Central Park West to meet up with the press pack for the Sex and the City press conference. Unlike the usual deal - a long table in a hotel ballroom - the cast marched into the shoe department at ... read more

I started the day with a New York breakfast - coffee and some weird guy in the street yelling at me. Or maybe it wasn't me. He was just yelling. I had a 10 a.m. date with a bus-full of Sex and the City fans, taking the SATC tour around the 'hoods and nabes where the series and first flick were shot. On paper, it was for work, to do a video to go with my story, but truth is, I love SATC as much as any gal and I was anxious to see the sites. While I waited to board the bus outside the Plaza Hotel (I will always love that headline in the New York Post when the Donald and Ivana were splitting and she wanted the hotel in the divorce- "Gimme the Plaza!") ... read more

A middle seat and crying babies across the Atlantic, lineup at customs and an expensive ride back into the city where the smog lies heavy and the air is pungent with the scent of a garbage strike. Ah yes, it's good to be home. Travelling is fun, but I'm happy to be back in the Beach for the start of summer. Thanks for reading along as I travelled. Til next time. Slainte, Linda... read more