Blogs from Southwest, Iceland, Europe - page 25

Iceland was somewhere I’d wanted to visit for a long time, but the cost had always put me off. A pint of beer for twelve pounds, a puffin fillet for thirty quid – Iceland was one of the most expensive places to visit in the world. Then something happened to change this outlook: the Icelandic krona took a nose dive and, overnight, Iceland became an affordable destination. The Icelandair Boeing 757 delivered me punctually into Keflavik airport and I was soon aboard the Flybus heading into the city centre. The driver was a buxom blonde with rosy red cheeks. If she had been wearing animal hides, she could’ve passed as a Viking wife. The countryside was rocky, hostile and mossy. Later I learned the rocks were lava deposits, a legacy from the island’s volcanic heritage. The ... read more

I'm not actually there yet.....just getting the ball rolling. I'm still in Oklahoma City about to take off to the airport. I'm full of nerves, and I'm seeing that this gets harder as I get older. I have reservations, I have money, my dad is going with me, nothing to be afraid of. It's hard to believe I took off 10 years ago to Europe for 4 months with a budget of $20 dollars per day to eat and SLEEP on. I had one reservation for the first night. Just one. My lot in life is much better now. And the reason for Iceland, I have to admit, is because I watched the movie 'Secret Life of Walter Mitty' one really late night.....and the hair trigger that I have for inspiration got pulled, and there's no ... read more

Départ ce matin avec l'Heklà dans la brume. On remonte vers le désert et les hautes terres probablement pour la dernière fois. On arrive à la route 35 et on voit Geyser au loin. On file vers le nord et on prend la piste F338. Un peu décevant, elle est sous une ligne de transmission électrique. Le paysage est tout de même beau avec le glacier Langjökull juste au nord mais sans plus. On prend ensuite une piste vers le sud. La F337 qui redescend vers Geysir. Notre idée est d'aller rejoindre un piste secondaire sans numéro qui redescend vers Thingvellir. La piste est magnifique et nous plonge encore une fois dans des paysages différents de tout ce qu'on vu jusqu'à maintenant. Les laves basiques laissent ici leur place à des laves acides qui ont coulées ... read more

The Beginnings The 2pm meeting time at Seattle Tacoma International Airport came quickly, too quickly for some parents and exchange students who struggled to say goodbye. It seems like just yesterday that we were in the very infancy of planning for this event. At that point, and for many subsequent months to follow, it didn't truly seem real. Posing for the group pictures and making our way through the security line with parents continuing to snap copious amounts of pictures, it really sunk in. We are departing on a defining moment in the young lives of our students. An experience that will serve to challenge, enrich, and inspire them for sure. It's going to be an incredible three weeks with an incredible group of kids! As I type this portion of the entry, we are somewhere ... read more

Day 3 in Iceland When we woke, the sky was partly blue - a great sign, but it could also mean anything. Just before we left the lovely lady who managed the camping park warned us that the wind was going to be a real problem and she stressed to us to drive very carefully. There were going to be 70 kph winds plus gusts. We found this to be so as soon as we left. Tome drove and sometimes into a head wind (which really tested Mollie and the fuel consumption went way up). The sideway gusts of winds, especially when we were driving along the shore, really moved the motor home. It was a little worrying despite all this, all went well. We drove a short distance west and visited the Skógar folk museum. ... read more