Fire and Ice Fun for Fifteen Friends

Some people collect stamps or coins or shoes.  Me, I collect people.  Once I decide I like someone, it is hard to get me to let go.  So what do you do when people you really like are scattered all over North America?  Why, you plan a trip with that assortment of very interesting souls.

Are you curious about what happens when you put 15 friends together for 12 days on an island, coming within 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle?   Me too.  For all you inquiring minds out there, I have good news.  One of my traveling buddies is also a blogging buddy, so for THIS trip, you will have two, yes TWO blogs to peruse–this one, and the Canadian version of our Iceland Adventure.  Nancy is a fantastic photographer who always provides excellent information about the places she visits.  Another plus: her blog keeps pace with the trip, while I usually lag far behind.  (Translated: Nancy will likely be doing MOST of the blogging).   If you sign up to follow her posts, they will be delivered automatically to your in-basket, just click on that blue link above to be transferred over.

Some demographics: Our group is composed of 5 men and 10 women: 4 from Boston, 4 from New Jersey, 2 from Ohio, 2 from California, 1 from Oregon and 2 from British Columbia.  6 have never been on a group trip before, and 8 have never been on an OAT trip before.  11 of us are retired. 2 of the husbands were foreign-born:  (Argentina and Jordan).   I’ve known some members of the group for decades (the longest friendship is 53 years,) but others are newer relationships, including 1 traveler who I’ll be meeting for the first time when we arrive in Iceland.

Where will we be going, you ask?  After exploring Reykjavik, we will be traveling west and north to places with unpronounceable names.  Akureyri, I am told, is located just 40 miles off the Arctic Circle, in case you were wondering.   We then are flying back to Reykjavik, for a visit to the Golden Circle, before heading home.

For all you visual people out there, I have included a map, of sorts.

I’m excited about seeing the wonders of Iceland–the land of fire and ice.  But I’m equally excited about spending time with this great group.

Several of us decided to fly in a day early, arriving at Keflavik airport around (groan) 6 AM.  It takes about an hour to get luggage and emerge from customs, then roughly another hour to get to our hotel.  I think it is a pretty safe bet that our rooms won’t be available at 8 AM, or for  at LEAST several hours, so I have loaded up on suggestions from the OAT Forum of what to do in Reykjavik till we can crash in our hotel rooms.

Hope you join us for what we expect to be a very fun party!