June 15th. Iceland!

At the beginning of this journey, or “Odyssey” as suggested by a friend, Christine and I imagined it to unfold like the chapters of a book… Puerto Rico, the Atlantic crossing, Barcelona to Porto, walking the Camino, Ireland, Scotland, the Continent, and now Iceland as the final “chapter”. 83 days behind us, 7 yet before us. My mother has closely followed these posts. She suggests that I look tired. I think “travel weary” is a more apt description. Whether tired or weary I already imagine heading off with the camper at the far side of reuniting with our home, children, and grandchildren.

Our flight was uneventful and has placed us not only closer to the arctic circle (about 150 miles north of us), but two time zones closer to home (5 more to go). Norway’s verdant forested green has been replaced by Iceland’s stark moonscape. We have rented a car. It has been 12 weeks since I last drove. The roads look well maintained (so far), but we have been cautioned about the hazards of glass etching volcanic sandstorms, door destroying coastal winds, flash-floods, and worst of all the merciless speed cameras that mete out thousand dollar fines.

We will be staying the first two nights and final night at a simple but well located Airbnb in Reykjavik. The 4 nights in between will be spent at lodgings in the countryside.

We have been warned that dining out can be breathtakingly expensive. Our experience this evening was pricey but the meal was both unusual and exceptional. Two “grand appetizers” for each of us together with drinks and a shared desert set us back the equivalent of $130.00.

I enjoy exploring new cuisines and tonight was a double header. My choices were a creatively arranged Arctic Char and an incredibly tender horse meat filet. I suggested to Christine that the chef might consider naming it their “Belmont Steak”. She was not amused. However, she sampled the filet,or should I say filly (another really bad pun) and declared it to be quite tasty.

We walked the old wharf to get a sense of the area and we look forward to seeing the sights of the city tomorrow.

Peace Everyone. Pete.

PS. Today’s high in Reykjavik was 51 degrees. Tomorrow’s high is predicted to be 48. Sorry Kansas City. On the other hand, you have “night” there, unlike here where it is now light 24/7.