Thanks!

Thanks for taking the time to check out the latest addition of our travel adventures. Have a look at www.daveislostinasia.blogspot.com (Dave Is Lost In Asia) and www.lostinnicaragua.blogspot.com (Lost In Nicaragua) to enjoy some of our previous postings.

 

Next up: We Are Lost In Tunisia !

April 2009

 

Farewell,

Dave

NYC's Tunnel of Reflections

The bus ride back home gave me an opportunity to reflect on our latest
adventure. The people of Iceland were incredibly gracious hosts,
despite the many faux pas I'm sure they had to endure as we acclimated
to their way of life. We are all Global Citizens. While we learn about
a foreign country's culture, we inhance certain opinions about our
own. This is what international travel is all about, and one of the
reasons why it is so important.

Until next time, Dave King signing out.

Homeward Bound

The Blue Lagoon

We had about an hour and a half to swim around, take some pictures
(byo waterproof cameras), and soak in one of Iceland's largest
geothermal pools. The water was about 110 while the air was literally
100 degrees cooler...a truely invigorating experience. This must be
the place James Bond comes to chill.

Checkout!

We awoke to the last early morning of our mini-vacation. Time to
checkout of Hotel Fron (highly recommended!), grab a swim in the Blue
Lagoon, and pass out on the long journey back to NYC (6.5 hours).

Last Meal In Iceland

We found a small diner down the main street of Reykajvik to share a
fine meal and a well deserved bottle of wine (64000 krona). Like
clockwork, the snow drifted in, bringing with it the ambience of our
last meal in Iceland.

Jeff. Lives!

Much to our amazement, Jeff was almost back to full power by the time
we made it back. This guy is a maniac who rallys like no one i've ever
seen. For those who've never had it before, Traveler's Funk is
no walk through the park to endure, and this man did it with little
more than the nurturing of his wife, some sulfuric bath water, and a
house doctor who told him to call in a few days if the symptoms got
worse (...we're leaving tomorrow).

Last Ridge Photo

I snapped this self pic just as the blizzard hit with the force of a
hurricane, forcing the snow that was once lying dormant upward like
tiny shards of glass.

Blizzard Coming!

By the time we made it to the top of the ridge, the blizzard was upon
us. It blocked out what was left of the sun just as I was finishing
some pictures at the top of the ridge.

Inside The Plate

To the East: Eurasia. To the West: America.
We're standing in the middle of a thin ridge dividing the two, just as
I am remembering a story our guide shared at the beginning of our
journey: "Last Friday...3:44 PM.... The earth moved under us... 6.7
Richter scale... It does that here...more frequently now."
The rumble I felt was only in my stomach.

High Noon: Day 2

We're making our way to the last stop: to hike the tetonic plate
seperating Eurasia from the Americas. After only a couple of hours,
this lazy sun is looking to set again.

Grrrrrgh!

We found some great Viking helmets in a gift shop not far from our
beloved Geysir and couldn't let the opportunity pass...

POOF!

Here is Iceland's Great Geysir. This is the actual place where the
words "geyser" and "gush" are derived. It is incredibly entertaining
to watch the molten core of our Earth interact so playfully with it's
surface.

The Waterfalls

Look closely and you'll make out a series of glacier-born waterfalls
behind us. To me, it felt like we were standing in an Ansel Adams
photograph. Aparently the view during the summer months is even more
spectacular.

Candle Light

One Old Church

This church is among the oldest in Iceland. It's priesthood can be
traced back over 1000 years. It's hard to imagine the lives of the
people who've been comforted by this remote place, and the journey
they had to endure to get here. As a sign of respect, inside we lit a
candle.

Reykjavik Geothermal Power Plant

This is the newest of 5 power plants that Iceland uses to heat, power,
and sustain life in one of the harshest climates on the planet. At
it's peak, this plant will generate about 700 megawatts of fully
renerable energy. That's just over half the 1.21 gigawatts Marty McFly
used to power his Delorian in Back To The Future.

Catch the Bus!

Early in the morning (8am) we took off for the infamous Golden Circle
Tour (7000 krona), taking us to Iceland's largest geothermal power
station, one of Iceland's oldest churches, a stairway of glacier borne
waterfalls, and an epic hike across the tetonic plate separating
Eurasia from the Americas (during a blizzard in sub-zero weather just
like the natives did...only with earmuffs).

Nightcap

Jeff was feeling a bit under the (zero degree) weather with a stomach
funk, so Bo & I headed out for a nightcap. 2 pints of Viking
(best.beer.ever): 1500 krona.

Instrument Purchases

Bo & I picked up a couple of these bad boys and were taught how to
tune & play them by the owners of the store. Want to watch us jam?
We're doing a Xmas benefit on Dec 18th @ Lucky Jack's (NYC). Come by,
get some drinks, and give to a great cause!

Dave's Bird Buddy

After a bit to urban hiking, we found the best music store in
Reykjavic (just around the corner from our apartment). This bird & I
made friends. He, like most Icelandic natives, was a friendly &
gracious host.

Bill's Favorite

We found out from a local that this was proportedly Bill Clinton's
most favorite hotdog stand in the world (just before his triple bypass
surgery). In the background, you can see a picture off him on the
back wall to the right. Just to the right of our hotdog maker, there's
a cartoon caracture of Bill that reads "I'll have another Clinton Dog"
in Icelandic. Even here, his appetite is legendary.

Hot doggin it!

We're standing in line in 20 degree weather to have a taste of one of
these dogs. I don't know what they put in there (Whats in the crunchy
crumbs) on the bottom?), but it is Awesome: 250 krona per dog.

Flea Marketing!

I got some incredibly cool vintage (1960's) Icelandic books from this
lady (2,200 kronar). Great for the coffee table.

High Noon

This was the most daylight we've seen all day. It lasted...20 minute,
then we went flea marketing & hit iceland's most favorite hotdog stand.

The Viking Ship

This is the infamous Viking Ship (metal skeleton). This thing looks
huge once you stand beside it. From afar, it looks oddly out of place.
Up close, it juxtaposes perfectly with the scenery.

Post brunch hike

After brunch we took a hike down to the water in search of an infamous
Viking Ship. The showcapped mountains & glaciers were a treat, and a
sobering reminder that while we're here, we'll only see what we see
while we're here; These experiences are no longer guarantees that we
can pass on to our grandchildren.

Rekfast

We made to to our hotel (Hotel Fron) around 8am...still pitch black
outside. We took advantage of the free Rekfast buffet before passing
out for a few hours.

Yaaahoooo!

And you thought the loops on the map were drawn in jest... Jeff & Liz
riding upside down! Coupla thrillseekers...

IcelandAir ROCKS!

Their new jets have USB ports built into the seats!!! We can rock out
all the way to Reykjavik without losing a charge!

Boarding!

Jeff & Liz are a few seats up from us. Everyone's packing in for 5
1/2 hours of sweet sweet jetstream.

Dave and bo are getting ready to go. Jeff and liz just did a shot of anejo tequila! Who's ready to see some elves???

Free Tequila Tasting @ the Duty Free Shop

Lets get our drink on! ... A sign of things to come?

And We're Off!

Dave here. I'm taking the 3:40 bus from grand central to JFK to meet
up with Bo, Liz, and Jeff at Terminal 7. This is one of the coldest
days of the year in NYC. A sign of things to come?

Stay tuned...

The Plan

We're headed to Iceland!

This time, our friends Jeff & Liz are joining us. FYI, Don't expect this to be a cute couply blog about our weekend at the ski lodge....no sir. Jeff & Liz are true adrenaline junkies who live on the edge. They've looked deep into the eyes of Danger & saw only Victory. I'm anticipating a weekend of extreme extreme-ism...volcano diving, glacier climbing, and perhaps a joining hunt of one of the most menacing birds on the planet: The Puffin.

The facts:

Currently, the Icelandic Krona is 123.785 to the US Dollar. The dollar is about twice as strong as it was to the krona a year ago. While this is beneficial for us, the Icelandic people are falling on some hard times. These are a proud people who have developed the most modern city on the planet (Reykjavik: Pop 200,000, Iceland's capital). Other nations have much to learn from their use of geothermal energy and earth-friendly way of life.

I'm told Reykjavik temperatures aren't significantly lower than NYC's...but "Iceland" sure sounds cold, so this Alabama native is bringing some ear muffs.

We'll get about 4 hours on daylight during our stay (11:20am - 3:40pm) & are looking forward to experiencing the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) in full effect.

Departure Time: Dec 5th, 8pm . Arrival time Dec 6th, 6:55am.

See you on the other side!