Iceland Trip

Carole · Feb 12, 2012, 14:32:45

The group going to Iceland (party of 12) will be departing on Wednesday 15th and returning on 24th.

3 days in Reykjavik including a trip to the South coast and blue Lagoon.
3 days in Myvatn (remote lake in the NE) optional activities
3 more days in Rekjavik including Whale watching and trip to the Volcano which caused all the trouble last year.

Just been looking at the weather forecast.
it goes down to - 17 at one point in Myvatn and it's -2 the day we are swimming in the thermal lake.

Very strange packing items for this holiday.
Hope we can keep in touch via my netbook.

Seeing as it's so cold here, Reykjavik is not going to be too bad, but Myvatn will be a bit of a plummet!!!
Still no pain no gain.

Carole

Rocket Pooch · Feb 12, 2012, 19:07:15

Pizzas are on offer to...

RobertM · Feb 12, 2012, 19:14:07

Don't they eat them frozen over there ?

Rocket Pooch · Feb 12, 2012, 19:19:49

I think so thats why Mum's go to Iceland.

doug · Feb 13, 2012, 08:15:42

Carole · Feb 13, 2012, 09:20:18

I wish the cost of Food in the real Iceland was as cheap as the Iceland supermarket. I've been told it's about 3 x as expensive. Also looks like I'll have to go over to Beer as beer, water and tea are the only cheap drinks over there everything else is really expensive, even soft drinks. Tea is fine, but sometimes you need something longer.

Beer's not my drink, but needs must!!!
Maybe I'll acquire a taste for it.

Carole

Mike · Feb 13, 2012, 09:25:58

Not sure what might have changed since I went but the food was pretty reasonably priced. Imported beer is expensive, but I believe they brew their own which is a lot cheaper.

The Thing · Feb 13, 2012, 10:11:01

I suspect that, given their economic situation, if it's imported it's very expensive. So it's cod and beer on the menu for Carole and co.

Jim · Feb 13, 2012, 10:36:42

Sounds a great trip Carole. Hope you all have a really good time and fingers crossed you get to see the Northern Lights! lots of pics please.

Mike · Feb 13, 2012, 10:37:33

There used to be a great Hard Rock Cafe in Reykjavic which served some great fish dishes with fish caught earlier the same day. Unfortunately it is no longer there.

Carole · Feb 13, 2012, 15:54:33

We're eating at the Blue Lagoon one night, so we know the menu for that, and we are going to a Viking Restaurant (with Viking entertainment) another night and I know it's about £43 each including a beer and a black schnapps.

We have half board at Myvatn. I think most of us are taking some food for lunches (to eek out the money a bit) in our suitcases, hope it doesn't get confiscated.

I was under the impression it was double English prices, but when I went to get my currency, the lady who sold it to me said her son had just been and food was more like triple the price here. If it turns out to be cheaper then that's better than the other way around.

Come on Sun, lets have a few more CMEs while we are there.

Carole

Rocket Pooch · Feb 13, 2012, 17:10:30

Quote from: Mike on Feb 13, 2012, 10:37:33
There used to be a great Hard Rock Cafe in Reykjavic which served some great fish dishes with fish caught earlier the same day. Unfortunately it is no longer there.

I seem to remember all the blond women in there.

RobertM · Feb 13, 2012, 18:48:09

Just looking at the local 'specialities'... Lifrarpylsa, Slátur and Hákarl washed down with Black Death Schnapps

Sounds like a gastronomic delight awaits

JohnP · Feb 13, 2012, 18:50:08

Hi Carole - Hope you have a great time & say hello to Stacey when you are there..... John.

Carole · Feb 13, 2012, 22:07:04

Thanks John. Who's Stacey?

Carole

Ian · Feb 13, 2012, 23:54:38

I'm guessing Solomon?

Couple of years ago it would have been Kerry you'd be looking up

JohnP · Feb 14, 2012, 06:56:18

Fay · Feb 14, 2012, 08:05:49

Hope you all have a good time!

Fay

Carole · Feb 14, 2012, 09:39:00

Thanks Fay.

Have just booked in on-line - getting excited now, though weather forecast doesn't look good for the first two days, so bang goes the first aurora Jeep trip. Hopefully they will let us use it a different evening.

Carole

JohnP · Feb 14, 2012, 10:04:37

Carole - My son's mate just got back from a 4-day trip with school (Geography) & said it was cloudy/ misty the whole time - No chance of seeing any green lights. Fingers crossed it'll be clear for next few weeks...

doug · Feb 14, 2012, 10:08:04

Have a good time, Carole and will catch up with you on your return.

Doug.

Carole · Feb 14, 2012, 12:08:19

Thanks Doug and Rose,

I know John I've been watching the weather forecasts, it often seems to have several days in a row cloudy, rain, snow, which is why we booked for 10 days to increase our chances. There seem to be clear days and partially clear days as well, we just have to keep our fingers crossed that we get some of them.

I saw the chap from Astronomy Tours at Astrofest on Saturday (we were originally going to booked with them, but then decided to make it a holiday as well as the aurora), and he says the weather can be very changeable there, even on the same day it can suddenly clear or the reverse. It looks like Astronomy Tours will be at Lake Myvatn overlapping with us in the same hotel.

Talking about Astronomy Tours, they have a holiday in Svalbard March 2015 for a total solar eclipse, further chance to see the Northern Lights and polar bears. Bit expensive but 3 years to save up.

Carole

Vera · Feb 14, 2012, 18:12:17

Hope you all have a good trip. Look forward to hearing all about it.

QuoteTalking about Astronomy Tours, they have a holiday in Svalbard March 2015 for a total solar eclipse, further chance to see the Northern Lights and polar bears. Bit expensive but 3 years to save up.

I saw this as well Carole and did give in to at least taking a brochure - very tempting indeed, and as you say 3 years to save up. Trouble is, lots of other things on the "I'd like to do that" list too.

Vera

Carole · Feb 14, 2012, 18:59:10

QuoteTrouble is, lots of other things on the "I'd like to do that" list too.

Same here, but this one appeals, as does the Alaskan trip.

Carole

Carole · Feb 16, 2012, 18:40:16

Iceland Calling,

Day two.

Went on a Northern Lights Jeep trip last night, but after a clear afternoon the weather went cloudy and windy and then sleet heavier than I have ever seen before. Despite that was pointed out some aurora behind the clouds, well, guess it probably was but doesn't count as a sighting.

Went on an amazing trip today on the Golden Circle, saw rift between tectonic plates, spouting geyser, extinct volcano, amazing gulfoss waterfall which was almost as stunning as Niagara.

-11 bloody freezing but what an adventure.

Carole

Kylee · Feb 16, 2012, 22:13:42

Sounds amazing..can't wait to hear more. Very jealous...enjoy the rest of the trip

Carole · Feb 16, 2012, 23:35:37

Thans Kylee

Carole · Feb 18, 2012, 23:07:57

Some very fuzzy aurora tonight. Difficult conditions, wind and -10 degrees or more.

Trying to get some images

Carole

Carole · Feb 19, 2012, 00:48:16

Well we got a few images of the aurora, but the camera in long exposure saw better than we did, although there were some moments when we got a really good showing.

Had to take a few at a time and then rush inside between every couple of shots as it was so cold it was freezing our fingers off, and in so doing my lens cap got blown away in the wind and snow which was being blown off the roof!!!!

If any-one has a spare canon lens cap they don't need I can give it a good home, Tom has kindly lent me one for now,

Otherwise had an excellent two days since the last report .

Carole and all in the Iceland party

RobertM · Feb 19, 2012, 14:38:32

Hi Carole,

Sorry to hear about the weather Carole but at least you're getting out to see the island a bit. I don't think people realise that Iceland is named like that for a reason, even so, you do rather seem to be up against it somewhat. At least you're managing to see some aurora and take in some of the scenery.

Hope the weather improves.

Robert

Carole · Feb 19, 2012, 15:22:08

Hi Robert,

I wasn't complaining about the weather, just stating it wasn't possible to stay outside and take images as I would have liked to. It's one thing expecting it to be cold and another experiencing just how much that cold bites. We all came with warm clothing and on the whole we're reasonably cosy, it's just that biting wind sometimes that makes - 11 feel more like minus 20.

Went snowmobiling today, great fun. Others went to waterfalls, horseriding and Iain Pringle and I also went on a bird watching trip. Had a bit of a heart attack (both of us) when our guide said he was going to take a short cut and drove us straight onto the frozen lake where we skidded around for 5 minutes. Not all the lake is frozen!!!

Must catch up on some sleep in case I am up all night again tonight.

Can't post the aurora images as they are too big for the Gallery and I don't have photoshop loaded on the netbook, so don't know how to reduce the size of the files.

Will have to wait until we get back.

Carole etc

Fay · Feb 19, 2012, 15:30:03

I have a picture of you sitting there in an ice storm, Carole, with your laptop, looking like a snowman!!!!!

Carole · Feb 19, 2012, 19:02:03

I had to abandon the laptop Fay as with all the tooing and froing in and out of the cold it was too problematic to set up. I had made myself a bag to hang underneath the tripod to hold the netbook, but it was too windy and was blowing the tripod over.

So in the end I just used the remote cable and that worked fine. I set autodarks as well.

Carole

RobertM · Feb 19, 2012, 21:10:17

Quote from: Fay on Feb 19, 2012, 15:30:03
I have a picture of you sitting there in an ice storm, Carole, with your laptop, looking like a snowman!!!!!

I'm impressed - how on earth did you manage that ?

Fay · Feb 19, 2012, 21:14:35

:lol:Robert you have made me have the only laugh of the night. i was stupid enough to go outside tonight & cannot go into the problems. suffice to say, it is not too late to put a hammer to the lot of it!!!!!!!!

Carole · Feb 20, 2012, 23:31:35

And a second evening of aurora.
Amazing as it has been snowing all day and then suddenly the sky cleared.

Has warmed up - itś only -3 degrees but the wind has dropped.

Went snowmobiling yesterday - good fun, some of it was on a frozen lake.

Back to Reykjavik tomorrow and home Friday.

Carole and Co.

Carole · Feb 21, 2012, 09:06:17

A funny incident last night.
Paul Wheeler (newish member) in our party, went to the loo and dropped his spare battery down the urinal.
Apparently he managed to retrieve it using a knife and fork from the dining room. Unfortunately we dont know which knife and fork it was!!!!!!!!!!!

Carole

doug · Feb 21, 2012, 09:19:23

....yuk...

Carole · Feb 21, 2012, 11:38:02

Went for a walk on the pseudo craters this morning and found a lens cap!!!
Not mine unfortunately it was a Nikon.

Carole

Mac · Feb 21, 2012, 14:39:55

Just need to find the lens to go with it now

Mac.

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Iceland Trip

Kylee