We will leave on sep 9 at 1:10 pm from rdu, arrive at JFK at 2:50pm and have a 5 hr 45 min layover, fly out of JFK at 8:35 pm, and arrive at kef at 6:20 am on sep 10, it will cost 6708.60 for the 6 passengers (that includes taxes and fees)
September 9 & 10, 2010: Pre-Iceland and Day 1 in Iceland:
After de-boarding the plane, we go through customs with ease, there are no visas needed to travel as a tourist in Iceland, only our passports. After we get through customs and claim our baggage, we are off to the AdaM Hotel where we will be staying. We used an airport shuttle, but we could not understand the driver who seemed to be either telling us that we had to pay or tip him. Brendan held up an American $20 bill and the driver took it gladly. We were taken directly to the hotel which we were glad to see, we all needed to relax for a bit.
-Transportation by John Olive
-Accommodation by John Olive
Checking into the AdaM Hotel around 8:00 am turned out to be a fiasco in itself. The language barrier posed a problem, but once adjusted in our rooms we all ended up taking a long nap! Once everyone was awake and alert we hit the city also looking for a Icelandic Dictionary! After countless hours in the airports, we were very excited to be able to stretch our legs and explore Reykjavik. The city was beautiful with marvelous architecture, lively cafe's, local markets and vendors, and colonies of Icelanders. Timid, yet anxious, a few of us tried to communicate with the locals. The best way to explore a new environment is to find a local resident to point you in the right direction. Because of our broken Icelandic, we received many strange looks, but managed to communicate effectively enough to find some unique local places to shop, drink, and eat.
We decided to stop and eat some lunch after walking the streets for a few hours. A local resident told us to investigate the oldest building in the city which has to be a restaurant serving up the most classic Icelandic dishes including: soups and salads, light and fresh dishes with fish and chicken. This restaurant was called Laekjarbrekka, it had a cottage/cafe feel to it. The upper floor consists of the dining and cognac room where their waiters pamper the guests, which was very nice to have after the long flights. We ate lunch around noon, the food was excellent with great service. The meal for six adults plus tips was about $80.00.
A few of the items the menu offered:
Toasted Sandwich w/ham, cheese & french fries ~ $12.51
Orange Marinated Herring on Rye Bread ~ $13.45
Chicken Salad w/pine nuts, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes ~ $15.52
Daily Soup Special ~ $7.68
Catch of the day ~ $15.52
Fish Stew w/Onion, Potatoes and Rye Bread ~ $15.52
We left the cafe about an hour and a half later with more exploring to do. We took many pictures of the city, a few of us decided to buy some souvenirs, then we decided to head back to the hotel, shower, rehydrate, and get ready for the nightlife scene in Iceland.
September 9 & 10, 2010: Pre-Iceland and Day 1 in Iceland:
We agreed as a group to meet at 9 am at my house to go through our itinerary and double check to make sure everyone had their passports and visas ready to go. Once we were all accounted for and we had all of our credentials, we were driven to the airport by my roommate and a neighbor. We arrive at the airport at 10:15 am, plenty of time before our flight was to leave. We all checked our luggage together and tipped the guy that checked out luggage $20 for the group. Then it was off to go through airport security. Everything was smooth until Meghan was asked to step aside as three security agents decided to go through her carry on and wand her repeatedly. It took about 15 minutes and finally they said she was all clear. We made our way to the gate and spent the rest of the time before boarding talking about out trip and getting excited.
Our flight took off on time at 1:50pm to JFK in New York; I am not a fan of flying so I ordered a stiff drink to soothe the nerves. One hour and forty minutes later, we landed at JFK at 2:50pm. We get off of the plane and our five hour forty five minute layover began. We ate in the airport, walked around, and checked out the entire airport. We then settled down to continue our layover.
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| The scene at JFK Airport. When it is near time for our flight to leave, we went ahead and got in line so that we would be able to sit as a group on the flight. Once we boarded, we found that we were on a flight that was only about 75% full and we were glad that we would not be cramped. |
Our flight takes off on time and we are all excited. I am still uneasy about my first international flight, so the bourbon and cokes kept coming. After about 2 hours into the flight, I am three sheets and loving the flight. We were served snacks and a midnight meal courtesy of the airline. Most of us take small naps but the excitement is too much for us to actually sleep for any reasonable amount of time. When we finally do land, we are all somewhat tired but extremely excited.
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| People boarding the plane. John was already hyperventilating. I made good friends with the flight attendant! |
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| The "friendly" workers we met along the way. Airports these days... |
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| KEF Airport in Iceland upon arrival! We were so excited!! |
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| Our shuttle bus, that we managed to find. |
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| Our hotel! |
-Accommodation by John Olive
Checking into the AdaM Hotel around 8:00 am turned out to be a fiasco in itself. The language barrier posed a problem, but once adjusted in our rooms we all ended up taking a long nap! Once everyone was awake and alert we hit the city also looking for a Icelandic Dictionary! After countless hours in the airports, we were very excited to be able to stretch our legs and explore Reykjavik. The city was beautiful with marvelous architecture, lively cafe's, local markets and vendors, and colonies of Icelanders. Timid, yet anxious, a few of us tried to communicate with the locals. The best way to explore a new environment is to find a local resident to point you in the right direction. Because of our broken Icelandic, we received many strange looks, but managed to communicate effectively enough to find some unique local places to shop, drink, and eat.
We decided to stop and eat some lunch after walking the streets for a few hours. A local resident told us to investigate the oldest building in the city which has to be a restaurant serving up the most classic Icelandic dishes including: soups and salads, light and fresh dishes with fish and chicken. This restaurant was called Laekjarbrekka, it had a cottage/cafe feel to it. The upper floor consists of the dining and cognac room where their waiters pamper the guests, which was very nice to have after the long flights. We ate lunch around noon, the food was excellent with great service. The meal for six adults plus tips was about $80.00.
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| Laekjarbrekka Restaurant |
Toasted Sandwich w/ham, cheese & french fries ~ $12.51
Orange Marinated Herring on Rye Bread ~ $13.45
Chicken Salad w/pine nuts, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes ~ $15.52
Daily Soup Special ~ $7.68
Catch of the day ~ $15.52
Fish Stew w/Onion, Potatoes and Rye Bread ~ $15.52
We left the cafe about an hour and a half later with more exploring to do. We took many pictures of the city, a few of us decided to buy some souvenirs, then we decided to head back to the hotel, shower, rehydrate, and get ready for the nightlife scene in Iceland.
A local resident we met during the day picked us up outside the AdaM Hotel and offered to show us to a great pub/bar. All of us we excited and grateful the resident wanted to help us. The sun was setting, the air was cold, but the night was full of life and flowing drinks. Our new friend took us to Club 101 which is a mellow club that serves up drinks and alternative music. The outing was a great time, we had a blast!
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| Logo. |
-Meghan Dees
Reykjavik Weather Report: September 9 - September 16. Here is the weather we experienced while visiting Iceland. Source link: http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/04030.html
Saturday, September 11, 2010: Day 2 in Iceland.
We all got up early this morning so we could try to dodge the crowds at the Blue Lagoon. After grabbing some coffee at the café across the street, we headed for the bus station. Many people were milling about The Hallgrímskirkja just down from the hotel and the sidewalks were packed with tourists and locals heading out for the day. I was surprised that even at this early hour, the taxi lane at the bus station was pretty full. Luckily, we made the bus station in time to catch the first trip to the lagoon at 09:00.
The ride to the lagoon went by rather quickly. Reykjavik really is a beautiful city and the countryside surrounding the metropolis is absolutely breathtaking. The whole area is rather desolate with very few residences spotted across the landscape every dozen or so miles. The scenery actually reminds me a lot of central New Mexico with all of the exposed lava rock.
We seemed to have arrived at the Blue Lagoon at a good time before it was inundated with other tourists and lots of children. The place is actually a huge resort and day spa with a few restaurants and massive geothermal pools sprawling across the grounds. Our bus tickets included entrance fees to the grounds, so we headed straight for the locker rooms to change where we were greeted with a very large sign.
Important Note on Hygiene and Etiquette
Please note that a high standard of hygiene is required. Pools are less heavily chlorinated than in many other countries (that is among other things possible because most of them are outdoors), and bathers are required to wash thoroughly without a bathing suit before entering the pool. Showering naked with strangers may be a little off-putting for some visitors, but Icelanders take it for granted – and rest assured, nobody is looking - and some pools provide guests with shower curtains.
The thermal pool routine is as follows:
1. Pay for your entrance to the pools and receive a locker token.
2. Undress at your locker and take your towel and swimsuit to the showers. Soap is provided, but you may want to bring your own soap and shampoo. If so, take it to the showers too. Stash your towel etc. in the rack provided.
3. Shower (without a swimsuit), put on your suit, and head for the pool.
4. Soak and relax in the abundant hot water provided to us by volcanic activity.
5. When you return, shower again, and dry off before you go back to your locker: wetting the floor in the locker room is frowned upon.
For some reason I found the step-by-step instructions on how to bathe properly hilarious. I could insert a quick joke about the French, but I shall refrain for the time being.
Stepping into the lagoon felt unbelievably good. I was surprised to find that the water was actually saltwater as opposed to fresh like many of the hot springs I have been to before. There are sources of thick white mud in some spots around the lagoon that some visitors were rubbing on their faces and body. I guess it is supposed to exfoliate your skin and open your pores, I am not so sure about all that but it did feel good.
After being in the pools for a few hours, we all decided to go grab some lunch before heading back to the city. After getting cleaned up, hopefully in accordance with the strict regulations, we all met up in the LAVA Restaurant. We had seen advertisements around the spa for an “Icelandic Taste Experience” with the buffet that they offered and we were all very intrigued. At around fifteen dollars it was too good to pass up. After the first few courses of meat soup and pickled fish, the girls were ready to give in and just eat bread. I wanted to get my money’s worth and kept trying other things. I had to give up, however, once I got the skyr, this horrible, horrible, Icelandic “yogurt.”
Reykjavik Weather Report: September 9 - September 16. Here is the weather we experienced while visiting Iceland. Source link: http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/04030.html
Thursday, September 9, 2010:
High of 55 degree F.
Low of 51 degree F.
Friday, September 10, 2010:
High of 57 degree F.
Low of 50 degree F.
Saturday, September 11, 2010:
High of 53 degree F.
Low of 48 degree F.
Sunday, September 12, 2010:
High of 53 degree F.
Low of 44 degree F.
Monday, September 13, 2010:
High of 50 degree F.
Low of 39 degree F.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010:
High of 46 degree F.
Low of 44 degree F.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010:
High of 51 degree F.
Low of 44 degree F.
Thursday, September 16, 2010:
High of 51 degree F.
Low of 44 degree F.
MD
We all got up early this morning so we could try to dodge the crowds at the Blue Lagoon. After grabbing some coffee at the café across the street, we headed for the bus station. Many people were milling about The Hallgrímskirkja just down from the hotel and the sidewalks were packed with tourists and locals heading out for the day. I was surprised that even at this early hour, the taxi lane at the bus station was pretty full. Luckily, we made the bus station in time to catch the first trip to the lagoon at 09:00.
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| The BSI bus station in Reykjavik |
The ride to the lagoon went by rather quickly. Reykjavik really is a beautiful city and the countryside surrounding the metropolis is absolutely breathtaking. The whole area is rather desolate with very few residences spotted across the landscape every dozen or so miles. The scenery actually reminds me a lot of central New Mexico with all of the exposed lava rock.
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| Random house on the road to the lagoon---I am jealous |
We seemed to have arrived at the Blue Lagoon at a good time before it was inundated with other tourists and lots of children. The place is actually a huge resort and day spa with a few restaurants and massive geothermal pools sprawling across the grounds. Our bus tickets included entrance fees to the grounds, so we headed straight for the locker rooms to change where we were greeted with a very large sign.
Important Note on Hygiene and Etiquette
Please note that a high standard of hygiene is required. Pools are less heavily chlorinated than in many other countries (that is among other things possible because most of them are outdoors), and bathers are required to wash thoroughly without a bathing suit before entering the pool. Showering naked with strangers may be a little off-putting for some visitors, but Icelanders take it for granted – and rest assured, nobody is looking - and some pools provide guests with shower curtains.
The thermal pool routine is as follows:
1. Pay for your entrance to the pools and receive a locker token.
2. Undress at your locker and take your towel and swimsuit to the showers. Soap is provided, but you may want to bring your own soap and shampoo. If so, take it to the showers too. Stash your towel etc. in the rack provided.
3. Shower (without a swimsuit), put on your suit, and head for the pool.
4. Soak and relax in the abundant hot water provided to us by volcanic activity.
5. When you return, shower again, and dry off before you go back to your locker: wetting the floor in the locker room is frowned upon.
For some reason I found the step-by-step instructions on how to bathe properly hilarious. I could insert a quick joke about the French, but I shall refrain for the time being.
Stepping into the lagoon felt unbelievably good. I was surprised to find that the water was actually saltwater as opposed to fresh like many of the hot springs I have been to before. There are sources of thick white mud in some spots around the lagoon that some visitors were rubbing on their faces and body. I guess it is supposed to exfoliate your skin and open your pores, I am not so sure about all that but it did feel good.
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| We could never find out where these guys got the beers. If we knew you could bring your own, we would have been more prepared. |
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| The sun finally came out as we were leaving so I was able to get one good shot |
All in all, I think everyone had a good day. Most of us were able to catch a nap on the way back to the hotel which was a nice little recharge. I am now ready to go throw back a few Egils and find some dinner.
BA
Later that evening we decided to go out to Litli Ljóti Andarunginn, which is translates to "The Ugly Duckling". The small pub featured great food for dinner, then after hours it turned into a night club.
JL
Sunday, September 12, 2010: Day 3 in Iceland.BA
Later that evening we decided to go out to Litli Ljóti Andarunginn, which is translates to "The Ugly Duckling". The small pub featured great food for dinner, then after hours it turned into a night club.
JL
Today in Reykjavik, Iceland we toured the Church of Hallgrimur, also known as the Church of Iceland. The church is the tallest building in Iceland, giving visitors a great view of the city. The church is one of the most captivating architectural styles located in the heart of Iceland.
The fee for taking the elevator to the top of the church was 200 ISK, which is equivalent to $1.12 in US Dollars. The general admission for the church is free and is open daily from 7 am-5 pm.
In order to save money and increase our experience and time in Iceland we decided to walk from our hotel to the church. Here is the directions off of Google Maps.
Starting from Týsgata
| 1 | Head southwest on Týsgata towardLokastígur |
| 2 | Take the 1st left onto Lokastígur |
| 3 | Slight right at Eiríksgata |
Arriving at Eiríksgata
Total: 0.2 mi - about 2 mins
Total length of stay: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm.
Total cost for entire group: $6.72
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| First look at the church when walking up to it. Can't miss it! It was beautiful. |
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| Inside the church. Look at the awesome ceiling! |
| So we don't get lost. |
Great curb appeal!
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| Relaxed vibe inside, with a great atmosphere of people. |
The menu consists of dishes such as:
- Soups and salads: ranging in price from *$5.00-$9.00
- Small courses: ranging in price from *$5.00-$15.00
- Main courses: ranging in price from *$9.00-$15.00
- Pizzas: ranging in price from *$10.00-$11.00
- From the grill: ranging in price from *$8.00-$20.00
- Sandwiches: ranging in price from *$5.00-$9.00
- Desserts: ranging in price from *$5.00-$6.00
*All amounts converted from ISK to Dollars.
Meghan Dees
Then, later on in the evening we walked to Kaffi Salon, a nice restaurant which also featured a night club area. We all thoroughly enjoyed the food and hanging out with the locals! Let's just hope our pictures don't end up on their website!
Some items from their menu:
Fish & Chips ~ $19.40
Chicken Sandwich ~ $17.16
BBQ Hamburger ~ $15.09
Filled Cheese Pasta w/Mushrooms & Ham ~ $18.89
Fish of the day ~ $21.99
Chicken in Masaman Curry ~ $21.13
JL
Meghan Dees
Then, later on in the evening we walked to Kaffi Salon, a nice restaurant which also featured a night club area. We all thoroughly enjoyed the food and hanging out with the locals! Let's just hope our pictures don't end up on their website!
Some items from their menu:
Fish & Chips ~ $19.40
Chicken Sandwich ~ $17.16
BBQ Hamburger ~ $15.09
Filled Cheese Pasta w/Mushrooms & Ham ~ $18.89
Fish of the day ~ $21.99
Chicken in Masaman Curry ~ $21.13
JL
Monday, September 13, 2010: Day 4 in Iceland.
After our tour of the town, we convinced Sigurbjorg to take us to get some food. He suggested we go to Fjorukraine a "Viking Establishment" where I was able to get a delicious reindeer steak. Jeanna was obviously more occupied with thoughts of dancing and playing Rudolf as she stepped outside in disgust.
BA
After grabbing Brent from the hotel, we ventured off to find the Kolaportid Flea Market. Luckily we found it was located fairly close to our hotel so we bought some authentic Icelandic food to take back to the hotel and cook up for dinner. We were quite excited to find that they sold spirits as well as raw meat, fruits and veggies!
One of the waitresses from the Blue Lagoon mentioned a village nearby that is inhabited by “Hidden Folk.” She claimed that the town was full of elves, dwarves and other mystical creatures. When we got back to the hotel that night, I asked John to do some more research on his laptop and find out what the hell the she was talking about.
According to local folklore, the village of Hafnarfjördur has huge colonies of fairies, elves, and other magical beings living in the surrounding countryside. Upon hearing this, David, a closeted WoW addict, demanded that we find a way to explore this village. To keep the peace among the group, we found a way.
With the exception of Brent, who expressed a deep seeded fear of “little people”, we met Sigurbjorg, a local guide in the lobby of the hotel. I had previously contacted him and discussed that we have more than his recommended amount of travelers which is three. He was a very accommodating gentleman and offered to take the five of us out for a total of $180USD.
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| Our trusted guide |
The village is only a short drive from Reykjavik but it was a very bumpy ride being cramped into the back of his Renault station wagon. We arrived in the village to find a very modern city that must be inhabited by people who have no respect for magical beings among them. We wandered through the village while Sigurbjorg pointed at random rocks and trees claiming that even though we can’t see them, those places are inundated with mystical lives. David was captivated and kept lagging behind in a wasted effort to catch a glimpse of something that wasn’t really there. He kept telling us emphatically that it was our fault we weren’t seeing anything because we “didn’t believe.”
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| A typical thriving community of fairies |
Sigurbjorg even went so far as to introduce us to a local family that claims to be of Elvish decent. When I asked why their ears weren’t pointed, I was told that pointed ears are a common misconception among us “sons of man” and that I needed to study the folklore…David agreed….
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| Please note the lack of elvish features |
BA
After grabbing Brent from the hotel, we ventured off to find the Kolaportid Flea Market. Luckily we found it was located fairly close to our hotel so we bought some authentic Icelandic food to take back to the hotel and cook up for dinner. We were quite excited to find that they sold spirits as well as raw meat, fruits and veggies!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010: Day 5 in Iceland.
Today in Reykjavik we took the Over & Under- Winter Combination Day Tour, through Arctic Adventures. The cost for the tour is $124 USD per person, but includes transportation, equipment rentals, and a meal while on the trip.
We woke up today and were picked up for our Arctic Adventure at 9:00 at our hotel in Reykjavik. It was about a 20 minute drive to the Hellisheiði plateau.When we got there we had ATVs ready and set off on our excursion.
Our trip consisted of a 3 hour ATV tour through the Blue Mountain Range on the outskirts of Reykjavik. Halfway through the trip the group stopped to explore the Leiðarendi lava cave. Iceland is one of the most Volcanically active places in the world and our cave led us underground to the Tvíbollahraun lava field. This was a one in a lifetime experience that is only available in a few locations in the world.
After exploring the cave we ate our lunches, which are provided by Arctic Adventures. After finishing our ATV tour, we arrived back at Hellisheiði plateau. The adventure company handles transportation to and from our hotel, and brought us back to the hotel.
Overall the trip took about 6 hours and we arrived back at the hotel at around 4:00 pm. We rested the rest of the afternoon after a long day and went out to dinner as a group.
To save money after an expensive day, we went to Hressingarskallinn, a local authentic restaurant that had reasonable prices and great reviews. A typical dinner there is $11-20 USD per person, and it is less than 2 miles from the hotel.
Sources on link page.
post by DSH
After a long day of ATV riding, we were glad to find food in the fridge when we got back. We passed around a bottle of Brennivin and quickly drifted off.
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| Green bottle of death---this actually used to have a skull and crossbones |
Wednesday, September 15, 2010: Day 6 in Iceland.
Today we ventured out to the University of Iceland to see how the most popular college in the country compares to colleges back home. In order to get there we used the public bus system provided by Iceland. One adult ticket fee is .84 cents there and back. Upon previous research, visiting hours are from 7:30am to 6:00pm so we showed up around 8:00am because the campus was less hectic in the morning. The building is open to the public so there were no complications in getting on campus.
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| Walking up to the main building of the University of Iceland. Wonderful campus, but much different than NCSU. We were really impressed with how the college looked and how polite everyone seemed to be. We checked out the Main Building and then we headed over to the Natural Sciences Building around 9:00 and later to the Education building to see the Sports, Leisure, and Leisure studies department. |
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| Students walking around campus. |
It was a really interesting experience and beautiful campus, but we all agreed that we prefer going to college in the US still. We had an excellent time visiting the university. We departed at 11:00am, caught a bus, and headed back to the hotel.
Total cost for entire group: $10.08
Activity by Brent Schwartz
Before leaving the campus, we located a student ran cafe located on campus serving up hot coffee, soups, and sandwiches. A few of us were dying for some coffee, but all agreed Starbucks was way better. The cafe's were very small and compact, but offered us with the opportunity to meet some of the college students. Then it was off to the hotel again.
Once back at the hotel, we started to pack our things up in preparation for our early morning departure for London, England. Sadly, it was time to say goodbye to Iceland, it treated us very well. As our last meal in Iceland, we decided to head back to Laekjarbrekka, which left a lasting impression of food quality and hospitality. Our last meal was excellent.
-Meghan Dees
Activity by Brent Schwartz
Before leaving the campus, we located a student ran cafe located on campus serving up hot coffee, soups, and sandwiches. A few of us were dying for some coffee, but all agreed Starbucks was way better. The cafe's were very small and compact, but offered us with the opportunity to meet some of the college students. Then it was off to the hotel again.
Once back at the hotel, we started to pack our things up in preparation for our early morning departure for London, England. Sadly, it was time to say goodbye to Iceland, it treated us very well. As our last meal in Iceland, we decided to head back to Laekjarbrekka, which left a lasting impression of food quality and hospitality. Our last meal was excellent.
-Meghan Dees
