Airplane Movie

Icelandair was a-ok. Punctual flights, funny Icelandic written on the pillows, seats, etc, and your private monitor in which you could select what you wanna watch. You could even watch the flight pattern all the way through, facts about Iceland, and learn Icelandic.

Not bad, besides one complaints:
No snacks. Seriously, seven hour flight & nothing besides juice.

We did catch up on some moving watching-

Sex in the City 2

Toy Story 3

Simpsons episode

Modern Family

King of Persia
Lie to Me
Family Guy
American Dad

All that really matters is that we touched down. Thanks Icelandic Air!

Icelandic, more like icelandish!

Well, we had a great time in Iceland until we had to head to the airport...

We were running a bit behind schedule, but nothing too crazy when we pulled over to fuel up the car.  All of a sudden our bank cards, which had been working the entire time, decided to leave us in a lurch and not allow us to fill up the tank on the rental.  Shit.  We would have to pay a fee for not filling up the tank...

Then we finally got to the Hertz return center and a Polish guy came out to inspect the car.  He immediately went to the passenger side door with his "torch" and found a tiny tear in the door seem.  "Wind damage," he said in his broken English.  We were completely astounded, as we hadn't done any damage to the automobile.  We had used it for just 24 hours! But the wind outside the resort was fierce and the car was uncovered. I wonder if this minor damage happens all the time. We were so worried that we would miss our flight to Amsterdam that we rushed the process and had him drop us off at the airport where we finished the paper work.

Long story short, we get an email from Hertz's very own Magnus, an oaf of a man with an ill fitting suit, who informs us that we'll be charged just shy of $900 for this damage.  I must say that again, in case you think I mistyped that number, 900!  Nine-hundred effing dollars! 

Our trip has been absolutely amazing so far, but this has definitely put a damper on the mood.  The money has already been taken out of our account, but we're gonna try and fight this.  If anyone has any tips, besides blowing up Iceland, Ebe and I are both all ears.

UPDATE: 

I (ebe) was a bit beside myself when this happened. I freaked out - hard. I let it really bum me out for a while, and frantically worked with my mum across the ocean to figure out what we could do. This was our first time renting & we learned a lot about car rental, and that we had done a lot wrong.

Tips for Car Rental

• Always inspect the car with an employee when picking it up. You can take pics, and even film this. (We arrived before the sun was up and were sent out to a dark lot to pick up the car. We looked, but it was so dark we couldn't see anything.)
• Pay with a credit card as most offer insurance - research what exactly is covered. Credit cards will also put their team to work fighting a charge so it's not just little 'ole you. (We had planned on using our card, but found upon arrival they didn't accept CapitolOne Mastercard. Grr....)
• Keep Cool! Bumming yourself out and everyone you are with is not a good travel plan. (Sorry Leann. I was kind of a basket case for a while.)

We had shot ourselves in the foot in several ways including signing off on the car being returned without settling the damage dispute. We had accepted a verbal "Well see what happens.." which is clearly not a good idea.

We fought the charges through our debit card company, saying they weren't authorized - which was true. When the estimate was sent to us, they politely asked if we would sign the papers and turn them back in and we politely wrote them back that they could go F*%$ themselves. (Not really, we tried to explain our case). BECU, our debit card company, accepted our claim and reversed the charges. We followed up by sending a formal complaint to Hertz (the Rental company) and waited for action....and waited, and waited. For 6 months we were on pins and needles thinking any day now we would receive a letter or have the money withdrawn again. 2 years later, I assume we are in the clear. This was a stressful experience and we learned a lot. I just wish we didn;t have to learn it the hard way.

Making the most of a Layover in Iceland

Already trying to kill Ian with an icicle

Well folks, we actually made it.  We just took our first dip into the Blue Lagoon, and let it be known, it is kick ass!!!  Hate to keep it short, but we're gonna take a quick power nap before heading to Reykjavik.  We'll be back shortly...

Facts about Iceland:

• The Prime minister is in the phone book (and a woman!)
• There are 300,000 people and 60% live in Reykjavik
• The country uses 95% green energy
• It is the size of Kentucky
• Most Icelanders can still read ancient Viking script
• For a very hot second, I could spell "Reykjavik "

FLY

We flew to Iceland because their recession had IcelandAir offering unbelievable fares from the states to Europe with a free layover of up to 5 days. Plus - who doesn't want to go to Iceland? This was in 2010, so I am not sure what rates are now, but I would still recommend checking it out. Warning: (as seen below) this was flying discount and everything had a charge.

CAR RENTAL

Driving in Iceland was bizarre. We arrived in the dark and timidly made our way around the narrow roads enclosed by violently jagged rocks. I don't know how you could walk across this terrain. We had chosen to rent because we were arriving very early, before the bus service started, and were excited to get started on our adventure. In addition, we had chosen to stay at the Blue Lagoon, and while there is bus service, we wanted to be able to make our plans about heading into town etc. Despite all the "Greenland is actually the land covered in ice", Iceland is flippin freezing in November. My hair froze to my face. Eyes teared and eyelashes stood on end. Fingers immediately lost feeling. I don't know how you would wait for a bus.

Ian - literally freezing before our eys

We had a big issue with our car rental. Everything worked out ok in the end, but I think many places may work a bit of a scam, claiming damage from the hostile conditions and then just collecting insurance money. Do your research (wish we had), and be careful out there folks!

EAT

Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur

A hot dog costs 320 krónas (or about €2) and condiments include ketchup, sweet mustard, fried onion, raw onion and remoulade, a mayonnaise-based sauce with sweet relish. Hot dogs are often ordered with "the works," i.e., all condiments, or in Icelandic "eina með öllu".

I had heard about a hotdog stand Bill Clinton ate at. Done! That's where I'm eating. We were famished by the time we got here (no meal on the transatlantic flight Seattle-Iceland, airport stores weren't open when we landed, hotel brunch woudl only be available to us the next day, no stores until we drove into town). So it may have been a little bit of that and a little bit of magic that made this THE BEST HOT DOG I'VE EVER EATEN. If you're in town - go and devour.

We also went to the grocery store, one of my favorite things to do in any country. Most noticeable - a distinct lack of  fresh fruits and vegetables. There were some, but pickings were meager.

STAY

Blue Lagoon Hotel was the closest thing to a resort we had ever stayed in. All wood and glass, it felt like the spa it was connected to. We stayed for around 80 euros in the off-season of November. This seemed like a great deal for the 2 of us in a private room, with access to their private spa (seperate from the public Blue Lagoon), plus entrance fee to the main lagoon, with breakfast. Extremely tired, jetlagged, and starving, we checked into this luxurious space with a very friendly staff. Immediately we got in the spa and were blown away by the feel of warm mineral water and the sulphuric smell of egg farts. It was lovely.

There are other places to stay in town, and the Lagoon is outside of town (with bus options), but we were incredibly happy to kick our second time living in Europe off with a splash.

DO

There are many spas in Iceland and Blue Lagoon is the most well known, and most touristy. We were in Iceland for just over 24 hours. Let's lagoon it, baby. (plus it was included in our stay)

The place is simply magic. It was wonderful to watch peoples faces as they exited the changing area and saw the lagoon for the first time. Child like wonderment at this alien landscape of jagged rocks surrounding the ethereal milky blue of the water.

 

The whole drama with the car overshadowed how amazing this visit was for a while.  But since we narrowly escaped that crazy scam and time has allowed me to look back at these pics and videos in utter wonder, it is one of the places I am dying to go back to.

  For more pics of Iceland adventure:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2287319&id=25905043&l=3586275e0e

Recent Developments

The high cost of transportation etc in Iceland has forced us to decide on renting a car. So excited!

6:45am Arrive in Iceland
AUTO!- pick up our tiny car
Blue Lagoon Hotel
Tourista & grocery shop in Reykjavik
...and then LAGOON BABY!








Before that trip however, we have some US road trippin' to do. California looms ahead as we plan for Disneyland, family, and some road rage- er, I mean fun.

Cheap Tickets = Iceland

On our quest for cheap tickets from the West coast to Europe we made a discovery thousands of people have made before us. Bankrupt Iceland = cheap airfare. For $390/each we are flying from Seattle to Reykjavik, Iceland -staying a day- then off to Amsterdam. I am unbelievably excited about all this.

It is my idea of a perfect trip to start from home (so we don't torture our poor families like last time having to take us to Vancouver), than go somewhere new I NEVER imagined going (still working on being able to spell Reykjavik w/o double checking), and then ease into familiar Amsterdam. On top of that- the hot springs of Iceland! Whhhhhhhhhhhhhat! (Check out the video below for a touristy, but truly kick-ass looking "Blue Lagoon"). And once we depart Amsterdam we will be meandering our way to Berlin, maybe visiting another city in Netherlands, seeing our friends Leann, Matthijas, & their new baby (the soon to be giant Dutchman) Tymen in Venlo, then off to meet Thomas's family in Cologne and Finally- BERLIN.

I. Can't. Wait.