Inn og Ut

Flashback: Monday, July 26, 2004

It's never easy saying goodbye, especially to a new group of friends. Perhaps 15 days is just the right amount of time to keep an assorted bunch of initial strangers together. Before the idiosyncrasies that each of us have become too noticeable and irritating. We hope to be able to meet up again someday, but life, money, personal schedules, and the distances involved make it a bit of a challenge [I later saw a photo of one last hurrah in an ice bar - sorry I couldn't be there. I did manage to meet up with one person since then, so more reunions are possible.].

Some of us have already left, and unfortunately, now that we've finally arrived at the Bus Terminal, it is my turn- I've got a plane to catch! A quick stop at the baggage counter, and I'm now travelling a lot lighter, ready for a day trip to Akureyri and environs. Unlike the international airport, which is 50 km out of town, the domestic airport is just down the street. There's time to re-confirm my hotel booking for the following day (wasn't in the system, but luckily, there's room) and my hostel room in Akureyri for this evening (all set, but only after a couple of tries to figure out how to use the pay phones again).

I've been in the country for over two weeks now, and I still haven't been to downtown Reykjavík yet. I'll have to be content with suburbia and office complexes, and looking at the city from afar.

Just some computer company's office building

Halgrímskirkja

And then there's the museum and fancy restaurant built on top of the city's water reservoir tanks.

Perlan

It's a refreshing experience to travel through the small domestic airport. No checking in more than 45 minutes before departure (when it's time, they pull out a sign for the destination, and hang it above the counter). No security lines or screening. No jets (only Fokker F-50's in the fleet). No running through endless halls to distant gates.

After a brief wait, an announcement is made, with the magic word "Akureyri" in it. Follow the other people aboard, and then we're off!