where in the world is sip

Iceland Recap: Day 1

2009-05-17T14:40:00.009-04:00

Sunday, 26 April 2009

Arrived @ Keflavik around 3pm. Had Reykjavik Rent A Car deliver the 4WD SUV to the airport. To give you an idea of cost, it was 73k ISK ($581 USD) for 7 days. Not bad considering a standard economy car with someone like Hertz would have been just slightly cheaper...ended up feeling more secure with the 4WD as some of the roads were a bit questionable in some places (and you certainly don't want to get stuck as there's not a whole lot of traffic...). Also, not bad considering that's with an exchange rate of $1=125 ISK. This time last year, the exchange rate was $1=73 ISK, which equals $1,000 to rent the same car for the same time period.

***Did I mention that we're not even talking about peak season rates???***

How much was gas, you ask? @152 ISK per liter; 3.78 liters = 1 gallon; about $4.42 a gallon. 95 octane was the standard, so the grade is a bit higher than in the US. Still....Iceland is on sale, remember? I can't complain.

After a stop at the grocery store, it was time to head out into the country and save Reykjavik for the end. Off to the Reykjanes peninsula, where I had my first "wait, this is a road?" experience.

The first thing that caught my eye on the side of the road:

I wish I could have captured the smell with my lens.

Me and the car, on the "road" (with hoof prints):

The lake beach, with black sand, of Kleifarvatn. The lake is 1km deep and sits within a volcanic fissure. Legend says that a worm-like monster the size of a whale lives somewhere in its depths...though I didn't know that until I read it just now...otherwise I may have stayed in the car...

Happened upon the first cluster of hot springs at Seltún. Colorful steaming vents, mud pots, and a wonderful rotten egg smell. It went well with the drying fish from earlier.

Day 1 ends with the spectacular lava rocked coastline, looking back towards where we came from.

First night's accommodation was in Hella (pronounced like Hekla) at Guesthouse Brenna, which worked out to be $26 per person. Oh and my first dinner was a quesadilla! Go figure.

The End

2009-05-11T17:44:00.001-04:00

The End
Originally uploaded by sipp

Home at last, Philly anyway. Biggest sweet tea in the whole airport.

Philly airport staff are pretty surly....must be hard being an Eagles fan.

Sunday Roast

2009-05-10T16:55:00.005-04:00

Sunday Roast
Originally uploaded by sipp

In Cambridge @ The Eagle where Watson & Crick announced their
discovery if DNA.

Mmmmmm Yorkshire pudding.

Cambridge: Bridge of Sighs

2009-05-10T16:55:00.003-04:00

Cambridge: Bridge of Sighs
Originally uploaded by sipp

King's College Chapel in Cambridge

2009-05-10T16:55:00.001-04:00

King's College Chapel in Cambridge
Originally uploaded by sipp

Afternoon tea

2009-05-10T07:32:00.009-04:00

Afternoon tea
Originally uploaded by sipp

Tea with a scone and brownie; it was chocolate tea and it was
wonderful!!!

Peacock Tearoom

2009-05-10T07:32:00.007-04:00

Peacock Tearoom
Originally uploaded by sipp

In a little town called Ely, near Lakenheath and Mildenhall air bases,
north of Cambridge.

Windsor Castle

2009-05-10T07:32:00.005-04:00

Windsor Castle
Originally uploaded by sipp

Bath

2009-05-10T07:32:00.003-04:00

Bath
Originally uploaded by sipp

View from the roof of Bath Abbey after climbing the tower.

Bath: Inside Bath Abbey

2009-05-10T07:32:00.001-04:00

Bath: Inside Bath Abbey
Originally uploaded by sipp

Bath Abbey at dusk

2009-05-07T18:33:00.001-04:00

Bath Abbey at dusk
Originally uploaded by sipp

Bath: Pulteney Bridge

2009-05-07T12:31:00.001-04:00

Bath: Pulteney Bridge
Originally uploaded by sipp

Roman & Medieval Baths (in Bath, England)

2009-05-07T12:18:00.001-04:00

Roman & Medieval Baths (in Bath, England)
Originally uploaded by sipp

I suspect they'll give similar tours of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland after another 2,000 years.

Dancing Queen

2009-05-06T10:15:00.001-04:00

Dancing Queen
Originally uploaded by sipp

Changing of the guard. The band really played Dancing Queen along
with You Cant Stop The Beat, some Enrique, and Living La Vida Loca.

The George, London

2009-05-05T17:10:00.005-04:00

The George, London
Originally uploaded by sipp

Beef & Guinness stew with a Bulmers pear cider.

Trafalgar Square, London

2009-05-05T17:10:00.003-04:00

Trafalgar Square, London
Originally uploaded by sipp

Big Ben

2009-05-05T17:10:00.001-04:00

Big Ben
Originally uploaded by sipp

Last time I was here, I went to the top but non UK citizens can't do
that anymore.

The Plough Inn, near the Cotswolds

2009-05-05T17:09:00.003-04:00

The Plough Inn, near the Cotswolds
Originally uploaded by sipp

Awesome dinner @ the plough inn, in ford, England. Chicken, ham,
local asparagus pie with peas and fries and a Donnington ale. Heaven!

The Blue Lagoon (Iceland)

2009-05-05T17:09:00.001-04:00

The Blue Lagoon (Iceland)
Originally uploaded by sipp

Last thing I did in Iceland...a stop off at the Blue Lagoon. We got
there just after it opened so it was pretty empty. It's a large
geothermal lagoon in the middle of a pretty barren lava field on the
way to the airport from Reykjavik. It is artificial and is powered by
a nearby plant that keeps the water at 38* C. The rocks around are
black but the ones in the water are milky white and the water is
bright blue. The silica in the water is supposed to be really good
for your skin- there are even bins/buckets that you float up to that
contain a white mud that you slather on your face. I found it a bit
itchy at first...

The worst part is, the water is so full of brine it turns you into a
raisin pretty quick and you have to use a gallon of conditioner on
your hair when it's all over.

All in all it was a fantastic stop...it's a spa with a clinic, cost
about $40 and I was there for nearly 3 hours.

Though I could have honestly done without all the nakedness in the
locker room.....

Reykjavik

2009-05-02T12:44:00.001-04:00

Reykjavik
Originally uploaded by sipp

After a particularly horrendous forecast (rain all day, 70%, 20-30mph winds, 42 degrees) it turned out ok! It did hail for about two min while I was in a shop, other than that just a little drizzle and now blue skies.

They say that if you don't like the weather, wait 5 min and it will change...

Also, if you get lost in an Icelandic forest, stand up.

Reykjavik harbor.

Trying to decide if I will have a whale burger for dinner...I don't really want to support it...it even bothers me to eat in places that even serve it. We'll a see.

Geysir

2009-05-01T14:47:00.001-04:00

Geysir
Originally uploaded by sipp

Got better pics with my real camera, it erupts every few min or so and was cool to watch.

Hearty Icelandic lamb soup

2009-05-01T10:15:00.001-04:00

Hearty Icelandic lamb soup
Originally uploaded by sipp

Lunch before...

Gullfoss 2

2009-05-01T10:14:00.001-04:00

Gullfoss 2
Originally uploaded by sipp

Gullfoss 1

2009-05-01T10:13:00.001-04:00

Gullfoss 1
Originally uploaded by sipp

Devil's Piss

2009-05-01T09:55:00.001-04:00

Devil's Piss
Originally uploaded by sipp

I think the Lake Myvatn Chamber of Commerce needs to work on their
marketing campaign (from yesterday).