Destination NOW

Northern Italy and the Dolomites

What could be better that Northern Italy in the fall? Right now, nothing comes to mind, which is a good thing, because that’s where we will be for 19 glorious days.

We arrive in Milan 4 days before our OAT trip starts. How in the world did it happen that one of the least fashion savvy women on this planet will be in Milan during fashion week? I imagine the streets will be loaded with even more beautiful people than usual, wearing exquisite clothes. Will that change my determination to travel with only a carry on and backpack? The answer to that question is “not a chance”. Initially the plan was for us to exit the plane and head for the train without a detour to baggage claim, but then we got a call from our trip leader. She reminded us that although it will be warm in Milan and Tirano, temperatures will drop during our visits to the Swiss Alps and the Dolomites. So, that means we will need bulkier items. I was able to fit everything into my trusty Eagle Creek carry on, but Mike’s clothes are considerably larger than mine. So, one of us will be checking luggage. That’s okay. I’ll get a chance to see whether international flights are as picky as domestic ones about carry on size. On our last domestic flight, I discovered that United has changed the dimensions for allowable carry ons to 9″ x 15″ x 21″. My trusty Eagle Creek bag is 10″ x 13″ x 22″, or 2,860 cubic inches, versus an allowable 2,835 cubic inches. Really? Will the gate person play hard ball? Because we will be waiting at baggage claim anyway, it doesn’t really matter. I’m determined to pack light regardless, because after our first night in Milan, Mike and I will be going our separate ways, and I will be traveling solo by train, bus and boat.

Mike is heading off to Stradavari’s old stomping grounds –Cremona–to hang out with his violin making buddies. While he’s there, I’ll be in Tremezzo, on Lake Como. Wonder if George and Amal will need a baby sitter for the twins? And will I have packed the proper outfit?

Ah yes, packing. I did my usual clothes “auditioning”. It didn’t take long for me to realize I needed to amp up my quick drying wardrobe.
For my last “one bag” trip, I used a laundry service midway, because I spent half of the trip in just one place–Beja, Portugal. This trip, however, I will wash as I go, because over 19 days, we will be staying in 8 different hotels. This also took some serious retooling of my laundry aids. The expandable clothes line I packed last time was pretty worthless when I couldn’t find two suitable attachment points that would also allow me use of the bathroom (thus the need for laundry service).

Thanks to my travel buddy Sally, I now own “clothespins” that can be looped over shower bars, and foldable hangers.

What I had never done before is something that bloggers Terri and James of Gallivance recommend: try living out of the bag for a week. Of course, they were preparing for an around the world trip lasting several months, while I’m just going to one country for less than three weeks, so I didn’t feel the need to literally live out of my bag. Instead, what I HAVE been doing is limiting myself to the clothes that I plan on taking and washing them out in the sink. So far so good. My LL Bean travel pants have been drying in less than 8 hours!

Some travelers swear by packing cubes. In the past, I relied on my jumbo zip lock bags instead and they have served me well, but this time I decided to give a packing cube a try. This cube opens on both sides, and is divided into two compartments–perfect for stashing things that I will be using on a daily basis. To my surprise, I was able to fit pajamas, underwear, toiletry bag and laundry supplies, plus a few small items–jewelry and scarves. So, I can pull this out in every hotel, and I have the equivalent of two bureau drawers. Take a look.

Side 1

Side 2

Best of all, it fits nicely into my carry on, leaving just enough room for everything else. If you are interested in what I was able to jam into my bag, here’s a link to the Google spreadsheet.

Of course, this list could come in handy in the event that my luggage is lost. (Which it was, briefly, on my trip to Portugal and Spain earlier this year.)

I suspect the reason I haven’t used packing cubes was my carry on is already divided into neat sections. As for whether I folded or rolled, the answer is, I did both.

Okay, so enough with the packing. Full disclosure, although I sincerely hope that what I share is helpful to others, I REALLY have recorded it to help me, because I tend to forget what I took, what worked, what didn’t, if I have’t written it down. Yes, a mind is a terrible thing to lose, or waste, or whatever is going on with that empty space atop my shoulders.

On to the other preparations. I got tickets for the train from the airport to our first hotel, from this very helpful website. There are others, but I found Trainline easy to use. Who wants to deal with unfamiliar ticket machines, in another language, while jet lagged? Not me. Being a bit obsessive compulsive, I also got tickets for when I’m traveling solo to lower my anxiety level. From the Como train station, I have a choice of taking either a ferry or a bus to my hotel in Tremezzo. Thanks to the internet, I have the schedules for both, and can decide which option is most appealing once I get there.

What a difference from my travel days in my early 20’s, when I got on a plane to Colorado without any reservations, with very little money, and only a vague idea of where I was going and what I was going to do when I arrived. With google maps, trip advisor and the internet’s search options, I can be somewhat spontaneous, while limiting the risk of bad decisions. (The thought that a bad decision was possible never crossed my mind in my younger days!)

Hope you’ll follow along on this next adventure.

Traveling to Iceland? These Tips Are For You

Well, full disclosure–these tips are MAINLY for OAT travelers who will be taking the Untamed Iceland trip, BUT some of the information just might be useful to everyone, even those of you who decide to “do it yourself”.

Arrival
If you opt to arrive early, or you purchase airfare on your own, you will not be met at the airport by an OAT representative. Not a problem. It is relatively easy to get from the airport to downtown Reykjavik and to the Hilton Nordica.

One of the many corrugated iron buildings in Reykjavik

Although you COULD take a taxi, that is an expensive option, especially given that Airport Express (the Gray Line) and Flybus offer convenient and cost effective alternatives. More importantly, you don’t really save a lot of time taking a taxi.

We chose the Gray Line, which has buses leaving on the hour and the half hour. Click here for their web site, if you want to purchase your ticket on line. You can also buy your ticket when you arrive, but why add one more thing to do when you are jet lagged? If you happen to be delayed and miss your time slot, it is not a problem. You just get on the next bus.

When you clear customs and enter the arrival hall, look to the far left. The Gray Line representative will be standing there, wearing a bright orange jacket. He checks you in, asks where you are staying and directs you to the bus. (You go out the door, follow the covered walkway ALL the way to the end, where it veers to the left.) If you miss him, that’s not a problem either–just walk to the bus and you will get checked in there. When you arrive at the bus terminal in Reykjavik, smaller vans are waiting for you. The staff moves your luggage to the correct van, and off you go, directly to your lodging. Our cost was $26 per person and the van dropped us at our hotel within minutes.

What to Pack
Layers, layers, layers. Even in the summer, it is cold (and wet) in Iceland.

Many of the activities (ATV, horseback riding, whale watching) provide “outfits” for you to use. The blue “jumpsuits” we wore during our ATV ride made us look like we were either auditioning for a Ghostbusters movie, or preparing for a lunar landing. The best part is they were fleece lined.

Still, you need to bring along warm clothes that can be layered. Wool socks are wonderful for keeping your feet warm.

Walking sticks are a matter of preference. I used mine on a walk behind a waterfall,

Can you see the people walking alongside the falls? Look for dots. They are actually colored jackets.

through a volcanic crater, and to the glacier.

They are especially helpful when you are walking through mud or on slippery surfaces. (What isn’t obvious from the waterfall shot above is how slippery and uneven the rocks were getting to and from it, but we all did just fine and were glad to have had the experience.)
If I hadn’t brought the walking stick, I would have been okay. (If I pack it, then damn it, I’m USING it!)

Comfortable, waterproof hiking boots are critical. You don’t need the real heavy duty ones. I was happy with my Merrill boots that are slightly higher than a pair of sneakers. I wore them every day.

At one time, OAT forum posters had recommended bringing water shoes and towels to the Blue Lagoon. Both are no longer necessary. What you DO need is shampoo, unless you are content using the gel that Icelanders use for hair, body, and whatever else you want to wash. That and conditioner are the only hair products the Blue Lagoon supplies in the locker room.

You should also bring your credit card and leave it in your locker, because you can buy drinks while you are in the water. You get an wrist bracelet that acts as a key to your locker, your “cash” while in the lagoon, and your way to exit…after making good on any purchases, that is, which is why you need that credit card. I LOVED the Blue Lagoon. Fun fact: our guide told us the name was inspired by the old Brooke Shield movie.

bus — Debby and Laurence, enjoying Icelandic beer

It is a good idea to keep your rain pants, buff, gloves, and binoculars in a zip lock bag that you either take with you every day, or leave on the bus. The bus is big enough for everyone to have their own seat, which makes travel very pleasant and comfy, and there is plenty of room for your “stuff”.

We enjoyed a “beer tasting” on the bus. Surprisingly, given the composition of our group, no one started singing “ninety nine bottles of beer” on the bus.

A bug head net is useful. I wore mine over a baseball cap, which kept the net off my face, and the net kept the bugs out of my eyes and mouth. I wish I’d kept the net with me, in my pocket, because those bugs had a way of showing up unexpectedly, sometimes when I’d left the net on the bus.

There is something you DON’T need to bring. All of the hotels have hair dryers. Normally, I bring my own because I hate dryers attached to the wall (and all except the Hilton had the wall-attached dryers). Given the weather in Iceland, it is a mistake to be concerned about hair. Between the rain and the wind, your hair is going to go wild anyway.

Food
Yes, it is expensive. Take a look at what $58.80 will get you: two cups of soup, two baguettes, no drinks. (It is very wise to carry a refillable water bottle).

As you can tell from the cutlery and the tray, this was not a chi-chi restaurant. Nope. This was purchased at a gas station/rest area/gift shop/snack bar.

I must admit, though, the soup was absolutely delicious, and I’m a picky eater. No fermented shark for ME.

We were on our own for dinner the second night of our stay in Stykkisholmur. Because we’re a group of friends traveling together, we all chose the same restaurant, Narfeyrarstofa, for the variety on the menu–not just fish entrees, they also had hamburgers. The food was excellent. Check out the way the scallops were presented — on a board!

Mike and I chose the same thing: lamb, which was absolutely delicious, and a glass of red wine. Our total (just got our credit card bill) was $105, which I thought was reasonable for what we got. But then, I’m used to New York/New Jersey food prices.

We had another “on our own” night in Akureyri and once again, found an excellent restaurant. Strykid is on the 4th floor of a building, facing the water, so the view is every bit as wonderful as the food. For about $74 per person, we got a three course dinner–delicious cauliflower soup, chicken breast and chocolate cake. No food photos. We were too busy laughing and talking to pull out our cameras, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Odds and Ends
My iPhone 7 took great photos when the light was tricky or when it was rainy or misty. Unlike my Panasonic Lumix, it didn’t fog up or get raindrops on the lens. The top two photos were taken on a rainy day with my iPhone; the bottom one with my Lumix. Of course, the iPhone doesn’t have a powerful zoom, and photos get pixilated when you enlarge them too much. Still, I was glad I had it with me.

It was raining during ALL of the above photos.

Hold on to your coins. Many of the rest rooms charge 200 kroner (about $2.00). You need to insert the coins into a turnstile to access the rest room, so you can’t do what we did when we were poor college students in Boston–hold the door open for your friends. There ARE machines where you can insert your credit card to get change at most places, but if you buy anything using Icelandic kroners, you are probably going to end up with change, and this is a good way to use it.

Trolls welcome you to the center of Akureyri

The hotel in Akureyri is at the top of a hill, but the hill is walkable if you are in reasonably good shape. You just take your time, maybe stop off to check out the botanical garden before continuing up. The other options are a taxi, which will cost about $26 for the .6 mile between the hotel and the center of town ( according to my fitbit) OR a free bus – number 6- which runs every hour and only travels in one direction. For the trip back to the hotel, the bus takes the scenic route. I missed that experience, choosing to walk up and down, but others rode the bus, and reported that it takes about 20 minutes to get back to the Icelandair Hotel.

Horseback riding was a fantastic optional event. We were picked up at the hotel and transported to the horse farm, which is located in a very scenic area. The cost for transportation, an hour’s ride, and the necessary gear (Helmets, gloves, and if desired, snazzy orange or green jackets) was $90. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take photos while we were riding, but the views were breathtaking. The horses were very used to inexperienced riders, so there were no mishaps AND the horses are closer to the ground, which helps with mounting and dismounting.

For the flight from Akureyri to Reykjavik you might want to keep your good camera handy. Mine was packed away, so I used my iPhone to take this shot of the scenery. My Lumix would have been a better choice. It is a short flight, and is a great way to see the interesting topography of the countryside.

Be sure to check out Air Iceland Connect’s seat pocket. They put a little journal in each row so travelers can add comments. I particularly enjoyed this one.

On our departure day, most of us had flights leaving around 5 PM, so we had time to spend in Reykjavik. What a difference it makes when you aren’t jet lagged. We all went off in different directions. Some took in a concert at the Harpa, others enjoyed an art museum. Four of us took a cab to the Volcano House (2600 kroners each way) where we saw two films that chronicled Iceland’s last two big eruptions. The films last about an hour and are very well done.

After that we walked around the town, successfully completing our quest for a Christmas store. To me, these cute ornaments are the perfect gift–unique, representative of the country, small enough to pack and something that I know the recipients will use. Now I’m wishing that I bought more.

For those that want to stay close to the hotel, there is a sculpture garden within two blocks, and the botanical garden is only slightly further away. The night before, after our farewell dinner, four of us took advantage of good weather and long daylight to walk to both places. We were still out after 10 PM, hoping to catch a sunset. (I gave up).

Overall, this was a very interesting trip, with fascinating landscapes, and lots of memorable experiences. The best part, for me, however, was being with an incredible group of fun people.

If you would like a day to day account of the OAT Iceland trip, including great photos, I suggest you check out this blog by my friend, Nancy.

Happy travels!

The Roads to Stykkishólmur and Akureyri

Growing up, I remember watching an old Bob Hope/Bing Crosby movie entitled “The Road to Morocco”. It may have been the first “buddy” road trip movie ever made. It was a comedy that got its laughs from the strange costumes and mishaps that the two “buddies”encountered during their travel.

You’re probably thinking “yeah, so what’s the point? Well, unlike my usual digressions, there actually IS a point, that point being that at times I FEEL like I’m in a buddy movie. Perhaps that’s what happens when you travel with 14 of your friends.

We haven’t had as many mishaps as Bing and Bob, but we HAVE had our share of comedic moments.

Those of us who didn’t feast on fermented shark were greatly entertained by the facial expressions of Sam and Nancy. Believe me, they definitely weren’t acting.

SOME of us hiked to a nature reserve in a volcanic crater, on the coast. The hard part was SUPPOSED to be the climb down to the “flat”area, except the FLAT area was actually a bed of mud with rocks poking up haphazardly.

8569B9BA-76D7-42BE-A476-958DFAB97BE1 — At times, it felt like elves were hiding below the surface, trying to suck the boots off our feet.

We, however, were undaunted. A bit muddy, a bit wet, but definitely undaunted.

CEDF9846-B957-4082-B50A-04AF47687DF8 — Look, we are still smiling . Helen is using Sam as a wind shield. It is difficult to get a good group photo while standing in mud, being buffeted by wind.

Odd costumes? Yep, we had a few of those.

45D513C6-C8FC-4D4A-8831-374313FA8C3E — The Galapagos have blue footed Boobies; WE have blue footed buddies.

If YOU had been experiencing misty, windy weather, would you want to get on a boat to go chasing after whales? Neither did 10 of us. Instead, we elected to have a leisurely breakfast, a stroll through the botanical garden, and lunch in town. No mishaps and no funny costumes for us.

The whale watchers, on the other hand, had both. Sorry. No photos of them in their bright blue jump suits. All we got were very vivid descriptions of the experience from our participants. Sharmon reported sighting “two whales and nineteen puking passengers”. Fortunately none of our five were in her head count. Even more fortunate, the sea sick whale watchers had the foresight to come equipped with plastic bags. That presents another question. If you thought you were going to need them, would YOU get on the boat?

In the afternoon, eleven of us (including four from the morning adventure) decided to try our luck riding Icelandic horses. I’m happy to say that there was not a single incidence of motion sickness. We DID manage to model some pretty funky outfits.

D2886E63-FBFD-4AFF-9E21-0CC8ED617957 — Karen, Diane, Sam, Kathy, Carol, John, Helen, Sue, me. (Sharmon and Luis were still getting suited up).

Is it my imagination, or do some of us look like we are on our way to fight a fire?

Our ride took us through magnificent scenery. The air was clear and fresh smelling, unless you happened to be riding behind Diane. HER horse was desperately in need of the equine version of bean-o, emitting noises that would have had most third graders in hysterics. (Okay, so WE laughed too. )

F1FCCC78-6A54-4411-B6E1-D8C7FA8F1787 — But he looks so innocent!

Because we took so long getting fitted with helmets, choosing our trusty steeds, mounting and dismounting, we were running late for our dinner reservation. Modern technology came to the rescue. A google search for the restaurant phone number and a quick call via cell phone, and voila, problem solved.

We ended our “buddy movie” on a high note, having a great dinner at Strikiò Restaurant.

001896FC-8623-4DDD-B417-395304ED1EFE — Does this look like a rowdy group?

Three Wish Mountain

We were on a mission, leaving rainy Reykjavík in search of sunshine. Would we need to squander one of our three wishes on a request for some respite from the rain? Read on, if you want to find out.

First up on our way to Stykkishólmur was a stop at a wool studio.

When I had initially learned that the itinerary would exchange a visit to a waterfall for a wool demonstration, I was a bit distressed. Was I ever wrong! The presentation was quite wonderful. The explanation of the chemistry involved in dyeing wool was fascinating. In the OLD days, cow’s urine was a key ingredient; it has since been replaced with ammonia, and not just because of the smell, although that alone was a good enough reason for me. The problem is today it is too difficult to collect. The cows are allowed to roam free and don’t take too kindly to someone following them around with a bucket. The urine of old women also had characteristics that produced a particular color. I don’t remember the color or the age requirement, I DO remember several of us volunteered to donate.

Our next stop was at the Settlement Center in Borgarnes, where we were treated to a very interesting Norse history, including an opportunity to stand on the bow of a moving Viking ship.

Lunch in the second floor restaurant was delicious: a choice of tomato or lamb soup and a salad bar chock full of my favorite items. A nice surprise was that this lunch was now included, where at one time it wasn’t. Given the high price of food in Iceland, this was a welcome change.

Today’s drive was a long one, blessedly broken up by several stops. Here we are viewing vertical lava flows. Our guide explained the geology behind this particular effect. I promptly forgot it.

396BE91C-D9AF-4906-A865-58AB18F96F5A — Luis is posing for all of the photography enthusiasts. By now, I can identify everyone from the back. From left: Karen, Kathy and Nancy ( and the fuscia arm in the far left corner is either Helen or Debby)

Finally, we arrived at Mount Helgafell, where, if you climb to the top without speaking and don’t look back, you can face the east and make three wishes. They have to be of positive intent, and you can’t tell anyone what they are.

6A3880C0-A91C-4DEE-BD32-FFCC9CDB83F3 — I’m facing the east, have made my wishes, and am now allowed to look behind me.

Being a generous soul, I gave one of my wishes for the good of our entire planet, (excluding Russia), one for Mike and me and one for a family member in need of a wish. We’ll see if the Viking version of prayer works. (At least none of us got turned into a pillar of salt!)

Mt Helgafell deserves a few more photos, so here goes:

The ascent was rather easy, because the path was well maintained, and the view was worth every step. Although we hadn’t really found the sun, at least it wasn’t raining, and there were some patches of blue in the sky.

49E3DE40-C69F-42EC-98D5-68A69852CF44 — The two Canadians: My blogging buddy Nancy (in red) and my newest friend, Sue.

Our second day on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula was also quite full, starting with a visit to a waterfall. This short video, done by Mike, captures the beauty of the waterfall better than any of my photos, but if you don’t want to hop over to YouTube, this is for you.

F33D1211-FA1F-49D3-9611-448DE3BD1DA8 — There’s one in every crowd. OURS is called Luis.

Kathy expressed an interest in bird life, so Hlynur took her for a little walk in a nesting area. Wonder what happened? Mike managed to get this action shot of Kathy being dive bombed by an angry mama bird.

It looked like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie. You know which one.

To be continued…

Reykjavik, Iceland

If your idea of the perfect vacation is warm days full of continuous sunshine, then Iceland should definitely NOT be on your bucket list. If, however, you are intrigued by quirky experiences, visually spectacular landscapes, geology, elves and trolls, go ahead and book your trip.

59A46220-4E2D-4D6D-BEF5-4A10E67F2C17 — I was amazed that the plants were thriving in this cold, gray weather!

Those of you that have been following me know that I am a lazy, somewhat random blogger, but my friend Nancy is not. If you want interesting, timely accounts of our trip, hop on over to her blog. She’s done such a fine job, There is no need for me to take you over the same ground. Instead, my post is a loose collection of whatever caught my eye.

Although Mike and I arrived in Reykjavik a day before the tour officially started, we took it slow, using our extra time TRYING (and failing ) to get over jet lag.

The one in the middle belonged to a giraffe

While in Reykjavik we DID manage to make it to the museum Nancy (intentionally and wisely) missed. Unless you are particularly intrigued by pickled whale penises, I recommend you do likewise. Save your $15,000 kroners admission fee ($10,000 for seniors) and buy a glass of wine instead. Good news: You can tour the gift shop for free.

My family will be pleased to know I did NOT do any Christmas shopping there.

I am particularly fond of outdoor art and Reykjavik had plenty of it, both traditional, like the statue of Leif Erikson ( a gift from the USA), and unconventional (on the sides of buildings).

Icelanders are hearty souls. Check out this sign above one of the restaurants. For those of us not familiar with the metric system, 5 degrees Celsius translates to a balmy 41 degrees Fahrenheit. While we were in town, the mercury skyrocketed all the way up to 52 degrees, still WE drank our coffee inside!

The Hilton Reykjavik is a lovely hotel some distance from the town center. No matter. During our stay, we were content to spend our evenings at the hotel. One night, Mike organized a surprise party to celebrate the start of the last year I’ll be in my sixties. Yes, that banner DOES light up and yes, it WILL be used again for the August birthday girl in my life.

The second night at the hotel, everyone was gathered either around the big screen TV in the lobby area, or by the smaller one in the bar, to watch Croatia win the soccer semifinals.

FD6764FA-8791-4A53-A5D1-A1DDC1CF9479 — No restaurant meal for THESE soccer enthusiasts!

Although ours is an organized tour, it is possible to go off on your own. Sam did just that, hiring a guide to take him salmon fishing on a “two rod river”. What is THAT, you ask? Well, for that one day, Sam and the guide (2 rods) “owned” the river. No one else was allowed to fish there. Was he successful? Well, OUR tour guide took home two of Sam’s three salmon. (Photos courtesy of Sam’s guide).

While Sam was fishing, the rest of us were touring the Ocean Cluster House, an absolutely fascinating place. With most of my family still living in or near New Bedford, Massachusetts, I am well aware of the impact changes in the fishing industry can make on an area’s economy. Icelanders dealt with fishing restrictions very creatively. They don’t (can’t) catch as many fish, so they have figured out how to extract maximum value from every pound of fish they are allowed to catch.
This jacket is made entirely of processed fish skin. It is incredibly soft. Yes, I touched it.

Fish skin is also being used as bandages. Apparently, the fibers in cod skin are more similar to human skin than the skin of pigs, so the bandage can be absorbed into the body.

Other products are used for cosmetics—fish intestines for hand cream, because (according to the Ocean Cluster House guide) someone noticed that Icelandic fishermen have very soft hands, and figured they got that way from handling fish intestines. (My Dad must have steered clear of fish intestines!)

Even fish heads are utilized. They are dried and exported to Nigeria for use in soup!? By using all parts of the fish, Icelanders have upped the value from $8 per pound to about $3000.

Better yet, because these products are manufactured in Iceland, they have created new industries and new jobs. That’s a good thing, because today’s Icelandic trawlers are able to catch 200 metric tons in one trip, with far fewer fishermen, doing very little actual fishing; they now just monitor computers that run the equipment.

Our last stop was at the National Museum, an incredibly beautiful building, where we learned Iceland’s history through artifacts, clothing and household items. Given that we will be riding Icelandic horses in a few days, I was particularly interested in the saddle exhibit.

Fortunately women are no longer required to ride sidesaddle or wear corseted riding habits.

Next stop, Stykkishólmur. Okay, so we have already been there for two days, and are now in Aqua-ree-ray (That’s how it is SAID, not how it is spelled). I’m just having too much fun to keep current!

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!

National Parks Part 2 – The Hints Keep A Comin’

Okay, so you’ve decided to visit Yellowstone and the Tetons. Now what?

Hint #1: Jackson Hole and the Tetons
If you are flying in, it’s a good idea to spend your first night (or more) in Jackson Hole. By the time you arrive and pick up your car, you will probably be tired. Jackson Hole is great place to catch your breath, rest up and enjoy the scenery. It is also much easier to get lodging, and because we were visiting outside of ski season, the hotel rates were quite reasonable.

So, what does Jackson Hole have to offer? Museums, scenery, shopping, and great restaurants! We particularly liked Gather, which was only a couple of blocks from our hotel. The food was delicious, creatively presented and reasonably priced. Chicken with pancakes and berries plus flourless chocolate cake were just two of our choices.

If you have a sweet tooth (and as you can tell from the photo above, I do), then you will definitely want to stop at Moo. In addition to great ice cream, they also offer truffle animals that are almost too good to eat.

Did I mention shopping? Every man needs at least one of these hanging in his closet.

Nature lovers can’t miss with a hike in the Rockefeller Preserve. Follow this linkfor trail maps, hours and rules for visiting.

Be forewarned. To get there, you have to travel on some unpaved roads. And some of the trails are a bit rocky, but the scenery is magnificent and oh so peaceful.

We spent our first two nights in Teton Village, then headed for Yellowstone early in the morning, stopping for breakfast in Jackson Hole. If you follow my advice from my last post and stay in Jackson Hole at Springhill Suites, you would be able to enjoy a free breakfast (they start serving EARLY) and would get to Yellowstone even earlier than we did. If, however, you choose to experience the Teton Village, check out the Mangy Moose for breakfast, and Osteria or Spur for lunch or dinner.

Hint #2 Take a Tour
Be sure to reserve your tours WELL in advance, especially if you are visiting during peak season! If you visit Yellowstone during non-peak season, some activities might not be offered. For example, none of the boating activities were available on Yellowstone Lake, but there was still more than enough to do. The Event Plannerwill tell you what is available, when.

We booked two tours–the “Circle of Fire, and “Wake Up to Wildlife”. The Circle of Fire tour lasted all day, and was a very good value at $86 per adult. Every seat on this large tour bus is a good seat, with excellent views wherever you sit.

We paid $100 per adult for Wake Up to Wildlife. We did NOT book in advance, so we ended up taking this tour on the day we were checking out of our hotel–not ideal, but it was all that was available.

The “historic” yellow buses used for Wake Up to Wildlife can only seat 13 people, ( three rows of 4, plus 1 beside the driver.) The tour is supposed to start at 6:15 AM and last until around 11:30.

Both tours charge half price for children under the age of 11; both tours pick up and drop off at several park hotels, and for both tours, the bus driver is also your tour guide. Both of ours were retirees who thoroughly enjoyed their jobs. Their love for the park, its history, animals and lore was obvious. While driving, they kept us entertained with stories, jokes and oh so much valuable information.

Hint #3 The Wildlife
You don’t need to take a tour to see wildlife. It didn’t take long for us to encounter our first of MANY bison and elk. These animals are very comfortable strutting their stuff along the roads, in the roads, pretty much where ever they want. That does have an impact on travel time and traffic, so keep that in mind, relax and enjoy the show.

The park literature does a great job reminding visitors that these are wild and potentially dangerous animals, so we kept a safe distance, but we DID observe others who got dangerously close.

We didn’t see any bears, and although we theoretically DID spot some wolves, an osprey, pronghorns, some mountain goats and a badger community, most were way too distant to see without binoculars.

P1190770 — Can you spot the mountain goat in this photo? Neither could I, but I was TOLD there was one to the left of that snowy patch, near the bottom.

On the Wake Up to Wildlife tour, our guide supplied the scope, and some of “wolf watchers” we encountered along the way were kind enough to share their equipment with us. But even with powerful scopes, I never was able to see the wolves.

Even with the very good zoom on my camera, this photo of badger butts was as good as I could get–so you can imagine what the deleted ones looked like!I had better luck outside of our hotel in Mammoth Hot Springs, where several of these little guys were cavorting across the street.

My opinion, based on my ONE experience, was that we would have been better served to skip “Wake Up to Wildlife” and explore on our own. (Others who have experienced the tour are encouraged to weigh in). Here’s why: on our own, we could have stopped when we wanted, for as long as we wanted. The bus was unable to stop when animals were sighted along the way, so, for example, we SAW many “red dogs” (the locals’ name for baby bison) during our tour, we weren’t able to stop and watch them, or get a good shot.

P1190740 — photo taken from the yellow bus on Wake Up to Wildlife

Because of its size, the bus was limited to parking in specific areas.

On our own, we could have left when we wanted and returned when we chose. Despite being in the lobby on time (at 6:15 AM!!!), the tour bus didn’t leave the parking lot till 6:40 AM. If you think that made me grumpy, you’d be right. Oh yeah, one more thing: There is no coffee making paraphernalia at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, and nothing is open at 6:15. You DO get a bottle of cranberry juice and a muffin, but that’s it until your return at around 11:30. We knew that, so stocked up at the nearby General Store the day before.

There WERE positives: The bus driver’s stories and his telescope for viewing animals.

Hint #4 Yellowstone is MUCH more than Old Faithful
I was completely blown away by the incredible geological features of this amazing park. The Circle of Fire Tour takes you to the main highlights, such as Geyser Basin at West Thumb. This area, bordering Yellowstone Lake is fascinating. Check out the colors from the mineral deposits!

When the Park first opened, visitor were able to board a ferry in West Thumb that would take them across the lake to our hotel. While we were there, no boats were sailing or chugging across the lake, probably because the ice wasn’t completely gone until May 21 (according to our guide). Even though the ice was about 30 inches thick, it is hard to understand how the lake can remain frozen with all the smokin’ hot activity close by. Okay, I am going to TRY to insert a video of the boiling mud. Hope it works.

We stopped at a couple of waterfalls as we made our way to Old Faithful, arriving at the complex with about an hour and a half before the geyser was expected to erupt, just enough time to get lunch, before the show.

P1190653 — I decided to avoid the crowd, take a seat under the trees, and watch from the distance.

The only place where we encountered crowds during our tour was at Old Faithful.

If I had to choose a favorite spot, it would be very difficult, but I guess I’d choose the Fountain Paint Pots. I just loved the stark landscape.

P1190663 — The male bisons travel solo. I’m wondering how he manages to saunter over this hot area?

I could keep going with photos from the Circle of Fire Tour, but you get the idea. The geological features are jaw dropping! And it is great to have the guide explain what is going on.

Hint #6 Getting hungry?
The choices pretty much boil down to amusement park quality food, fine dining or “do it yourself” from purchases at the General Stores. We tried all three and for us, it was easy to determine that fine dining was the way to go. Because we are used to New Jersey and New York restaurant prices, the food did not seem all that expensive to us.
I would NOT recommend eating in the Yellowstone cafeteria! The food resembles airplane food, except at least airplane food is not served and consumed in the midst of chaos. To be fair, it WAS fast. In retrospect, I wish we gone with the slower, but probably better, restaurant at Old Faithful Inn.

If you want to have dinner at the Lake Hotel, (and I hope you do), you will need to make reservations well in advance. I made reservations for both nights we stayed there, figuring we could cancel if we didn’t like the food. We liked it so much, we ended up having all our meal there.

At Mammoth Hot Springs, you can’t make a reservation; it is first come, so beware if you see a bus loads of tourists pulling into the parking lot.

An unexpected bonus? All of the waitstaff were knowledgeable about the park and were happy to share information with us. Their tips led us to some wonderful spots we might not have found on our own.

P1190627 — Our waiter told us where to go to catch the perfect sunset on the lake. We had the place all to ourselves.

Tip #7 Don’t miss theTravertine Terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs
The view from the top of the terraces is pretty spectacular.

Although you CAN drive and there is a parking lot at the top, it is so much more fun to walk up and down. It is roughly the equivalent of 26 flights of stairs (according to my fitbit), but there is plenty to see along the way. You can stop, gawk, and catch your breath.

We celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary at the Mural Room, Jackson Lake Lodge in the Tetons. Where else could your butter be shaped like a moose?

Although I could go on and on about the glories of Yellowstone, I think you just have to experience it for yourself.

Next adventure? Iceland. Hope you’ll come along!

Planning to Visit Yellowstone? Here Are Some Helpful Hints

Okay, first off, full disclosure. We have only been to Yellowstone and the Tetons once, so I don’t pretend to be an authority, but having just gone through the experience, I don’t take for granted what more experienced National Parks travelers might.

Also, I am not, and never have been, a camper, not even in an RV, and don’t get me started on tents! So, if after all that truth telling, you are still with me, here’s what we learned from OUR experience.

Tip #1 Researching your Trip
I discovered this wonderful brochure late in the planning process. It has maps, showing where the various lodging options are located, plus information about restaurants, park activities, and many, many other helpful hints. Don’t be put off if you are traveling in 2019 and the 2018 brochure is the only one available. Trust me. The information doesn’t change much from year to year. Of course, the usual travel books are available at the library, but I found this brochure provided the information that I most needed in a brief and user friendly format.

And while you are at it, be sure to download the FREE Yellowstone App from whichever place you go to for your apps. For me, it is the Apple store, and on their site, the app looks like this.

Once you get the app, go to “settings” (The little gear on the bottom of the screen), and choose “Download Offline Content”. This is important because there are many areas within the park where internet access is nonexistent, but because YOU were smart enough to download, you can access the maps and important information about the sights that are nearby.

Tip #2 When to Book Your Stay
It is important to plan your trip WAY in advance, particularly if you want to stay inside the park during the summer months. Reservations open in March for winter bookings; spring, summer and fall reservations are accepted starting May 1, for the following year.

We made our Yellowstone lodging reservations for May 25- 29 in early December. I had mistakenly thought that by choosing a time when the season was just starting and while the kids were still in school, the competition for rooms would not be as keen. Wrong! If we had waited much longer, we would have been out of luck. So who else was visiting Yellowstone at the start of the season? While there, we heard German, Spanish, French, Chinese and Hindi being spoken, and saw buses from Australian and Chinese tour companies in the parking lots. It was nice to see people from other parts of the world enjoying the beauty that this country has to offer. Just don’t wait too long to book your hotel or cabin.

Be sure that you book through Xanterra, the official park concessionaire. I mistakenly thought the company I found via my internet search, entitled US Park Lodging, was the vendor through which one made hotel reservations within the park. Wrong. I should have contacted Xanterra, and my mistake increased the cost of our lodging by 10%. A non-refundable 10%. And if we need to make changes to our reservation, we need to do so through Xanterra–NOT US Park Lodging. So, YOU have now been warned.

Tip #3 Getting There
We flew into the Jackson Hole, Wyoming (JAC) airport, but other choices include Cody, Wyoming(COD), Bozeman, Montana (BZN) or Idaho Falls, Idaho (IDA). Cody and Jackson are the closest — a little more than 50 miles from park entrances, while Bozeman and Idaho Falls are almost double that distance.

Although United airlines offered a non-stop flight to Bozeman, we opted for a connecting flight to Jackson. The distance and the fact that we had never visited Jackson Hole or the Tetons were the deciding factors.

It took some playing around on the United Airlines website, but the difference in prices ($654 versus $1037 Round Trip) was worth the effort to determine which arrival and departure dates were the most economical and convenient. (We did our airline reservations before our lodging reservations).

Of course there are some who choose to drive from home to the park, and we met a few of those adventurous souls!

Tip #4 Where to Stay
For our first two nights, we stayed at the Snake River Lodge and Spa in Teton Village, because we wanted to experience as much of what the area had to offer as possible during our first visit to Jackson Hole.

If you are a skier, this is the place to be because the ski lift is a brief stroll away. If you are trying to save money, this is definitely NOT the place to stay. On top of the not inexpensive room rate, the hotels in Teton Village charge resort fees and village sales taxes, in addition to the regular taxes charged.

On the plus side: Because our son was staying with us, we opted for a suite, which was very nice, with bedroom, pull out couch and balcony.

P1190573 — The view from our balcony at the Snake River Lodge. Yes, we had a bit of rain during our stay.

Still, we preferred Springhill Suites by Marriott, in Jackson Hole. We stayed there for the last two nights of our trip. It is only 15-20 minutes from the airport, it offers free a great free breakfast, you can walk to lots of wonderful restaurants in the “downtown” area, it also offers rooms with a couch (our couch had a trundle bed), and it was significantly less expensive (58% of the cost of Snake River Lodge). Not only that, but it is right across the street from a FREE parking garage!

For our four days in Yellowstone, we decided to split our time between the northern and southern parts of this huge park– two nights at the Lake Hotel and two nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. That worked out really well for us, because it allowed us to easily visit everything we wanted to see.

If you look at the map below, you’ll see that the roads in Yellowstone make two big loops. As you would expect, the Lake Hotel is located across from Yellowstone Lake. This very beautiful, peaceful property, was recently renovated.

It has all the amenities you would want: coffee and tea making paraphernalia in the room, a hair dryer that is NOT attached to the wall, the bottles of goodies (shampoo, conditioner and body lotion.) It also has a gift shop, a restaurant and a snack bar.

The hotels within the park all practice “sustainability”. You can opt to forgo room service for a $5 per night credit to your room charge. We decided to do that, and donate the savings to Yellowstone Forever. I have to tell you, we really LIKED not having our room made up. It was easy to make the bed (we do that at home) and hang up our towels–and we were guaranteed that the maid would not be cleaning our room when we wanted to return to it.

But more about the wonderful Lake Hotel: The lounge is has a great view of the lake, and the piano music every night makes your before (and after) dinner drinks even more enjoyable.

The hotel has lots of interesting architectural features, like this beautiful fireplace. Be forewarned, though, this stay is not going to be a cheap. Our two nights here were the most expensive of our trip. If you are looking to conserve your vacation funds, choose a different option, but be sure to come here for dinner or lunch.

We also loved the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, but for different reasons. This hotel had NOT been recently redone. For example, the toilet seats are way lower than you might expect. Be sure to LOOK before you sit! There are no coffee or tea making supplies in the room, BUT there IS a hair dryer that is not attached to the wall. (Can you tell I HATE the “on the wall” hair dryers?) The shower is small and the shower head was located for people of below average height, but the hot water was plentiful and the beds were comfortable.

The location is fantastic. Even the elk agree–They would hang out right under the hotel windows.

The park rangers put up orange cones to remind the visitors that the elk are wild animals, and they should keep their distance. Not everyone heeds the warning, and some visitors have gotten injured because they got too close.

I also loved the photos in our room that depicted the early days of the park.

You can’t sit on these terraces any more. They are way too delicate and the ground is unstable/

It used to take DAYS to get through the park. The coaches averaged 6 miles per hour and there WERE stage coach robberies, back then, just like in those Saturday morning westerns of long ago.

Tip #5 Getting Around the Camp
We rented our car from Enterprise, which was one of three vendors that are on site at the airport. Other car companies are located in Jackson Hole, about 15 minutes away. Although renting from an airport based company increased our cost slightly, because of airport taxes, we thought it was worth the convenience, especially because we had an early morning flight home. Service was good, it was easy, and they upgraded us to the BIGGEST SUV I had ever seen in my life. (Our son picked up the car, it was not chosen by this Prius driver!) Presumably the other car companies offer shuttle service, but we didn’t see any while we were at the airport, so perhaps you need to call into town for that service.

So, that’s all I’ve got for the preparation phase. Next post will be about tours, dining and the actual park experiences

As I mentioned in my opening, this was our first trip to the area, so this Yellowstone newbie welcomes comments from any and all who have different hints/experiences/observations to share. Talk to us!

A Unique Flying Experience

After thoughtfully packing my carry on, I discovered that my trusty Eagle Creek, which had happily fit into MANY overhead compartments, mysteriously grew. It no longer fit into that silver box by the boarding gate door.

According to United’s website, the approved size is 9″ by 14″ by 22 “. Did these dimensions change? When I get home, the measuring tape is coming out.

I’m thinking a small duffel might be the way to go when I absolutely MUST do carry on.

It actually was no big deal. I would have had to gate check from Denver to Jackson Hole anyway. But I AM going to see if I can get the bag on for our flight home.

But THAT certainly was not my unique flying experience. You ready?

Once on board our flight from Denver to Jackson Hole, we learned that there would be a delay because of thunder storms in Wyoming. After about a half an hour wait, the crew told us the plane would have to be lightened. It seems that the Jackson Hole runway is “short”. Short, plus wet, plus heavy equals danger because, we learned, the pilot might not be able to get the plane to stop when it should. Oh dear.

How much weight? The equivalent of 18 passengers (about 20%) would need to disembark before the plane could take off. What? How will they decide who has to get off? Will they bring in a scale and have each of us step on? In all my years of flying, I never had anything quite like this happen.

Turns out, the crew had a better idea. Volunteers would be compensated with a $500 voucher for a future flight, plus a meal voucher (no value mentioned).

Well, we did a quick analysis of the situation. Although we were meeting our son at the airport, HIS flight might also be delayed, and even if it wasn’t, I could email him our confirmation for the car and the hotel, so he wouldn’t be stuck waiting at a tiny airport with nothing to do. We didn’t have any pressing work or family obligations, so why not help out those who did? And hell ya, that $500 voucher put a smile on our faces as we walked out of the plane, as did all the “thank you’s” from the passengers and crew.

So how did it all work out for us? Amazingly well. There was no weigh in, but enough tall and well proportioned men volunteered so that the 16 of us who DID, were deemed heavy enough. And we were a very congenial group, smiling as we waited in line to get all of the paperwork sorted out.

We were truly impressed by the professionalism of the United team in Denver. They were able to locate a plane with crew and get them to Denver amazingly fast…within two and a half hours. Wow! The 16 of us had the plane to ourselves. And because Mike and I were the last volunteers to get our paperwork processed, we were made the solo passengers in first class because we were so patient (or brain dead… I forget which).

Anyway, kudos to United for treating us so well for a weather related problem. And yes, my checked bag was waiting for me when we arrived.

Additional positives: we were pretty hungry, so getting off the plane allowed us to get something to eat. Okay, it was airport food, it was expensive, the $10 voucher per person covered less than half the cost of our burgers and beverage, but if you are hungry enough, you don’t care.

As for our son, he arrived on time, picked up the car, checked in to our hotel and returned to fetch us when we landed.

One more plus (?). Enterprise upgraded us from the Toyota Camry to the biggest SUV I have EVER seen. This Prius driver would definitely have refused the upgrade, but turns out it WAS good to have on some of the park roads.

This Nissan Armada Platinum was well named. It FELT like we were riding in a warship!

Off to a great start for our visit with our son.

Six Things I Learned From My Packing Challenge

It is time to start packing for another adventure. Anyone wondering whether I am now a firm believer in One Carry On (OCO) packing?

The short answer is–it depends. My one month packing experiment taught me a thing or two and I am happy to share everything I learned.

Climate matters. Big time. OCO is much easier when the weather is consistently warm because those clothes are SMALLER and lighter weight.
It gets challenging when the weather at the destination is changeable. Sometimes warm, sometimes cold, like our upcoming spring trip to Yellowstone. Yes, yes, I know. Dress in layers. Still, when the weather is expected to fluctuate between 33 and 75 degrees, with the possibility of thunderstorms and even snow, it becomes tricky. I can wear my waterproof hiking boots on the plane. My parka? I don’t think so.
Self knowledge is powerful. I learned I really hate doing laundry in hotel bathrooms. It wasn’t bad during my two weeks in Portugal, because I was in the same hotel the entire time and had my own room. So, draping my underwear from every available surface didn’t inconvenience anyone else. When I met up with my husband in Spain, however, and shared space, I was glad that I had used the laundry service in Beja, arriving with everything clean, so the need to do laundry was limited.
Another insight? At home, I wash clothes far more than I need to. Because I have access to a washer and dryer, I wear something once, then toss it into the laundry basket. Why? It isn’t as if I spend my days mud wrestling or cleaning sewage ditches. Okay, work out clothes and underwear are “one wear” items, but my black travel pants? I discovered I could easily wear them two or three times with no ill effects. Better for my clothes, and much better for the environment. I’m now doing “multiple wears” at home.
Traveling solo is different from traveling with a group. If I am on my own, as I was getting from Portugal to Spain–by bus, plane and taxi, then OCO makes sense. The hassle of doing laundry is much less than the hassle of lugging a bigger bag when moving from one mode of transportation to another. If I am on a group tour, or traveling with family, then once again, it depends. Why carry on, if you have to wait for others held up at baggage claim? On our group tours, our bags magically move from outside our hotel doors to the van or bus. So easy. On family trips, I have my personal baggage handler, who never expects a tip. Still, if we are only spending two or three nights per hotel, it is so much easier if your wardrobe choices are limited.
The airline may make the decision for you. Just because you PLAN to carry on, doesn’t mean the airline will ALLOW you to do so. If the flight is too full, the airline may force you to gate check your bag. Bonus discovery–if you gate check, your bag is one of the last ones on the plane and one of the first ones rotating around that baggage carousel. Not a bad deal. I’m not sure how it works with connecting flights. THAT could be problematic, especially on international flights, if your bag is not checked all the way through.
Planned activities are an important factor. Will I need a “dress up” outfit? If so, then I will need the appropriate footwear. Sneakers or Keens just don’t look right with a dressy outfit. Normally I limit my footwear to two pairs (one worn on the plane, the other packed-and jammed full of small “stuff”). If I need something dressy, sandals are a good option, don’t take up space and can sometimes be good for walking. And yes, I either use the hotel’s shower cap or a plastic bag from the fruits and vegetable section of the grocery store to protect my clothes from my shoes.
Will we be using a pool or going to the beach? Fortunately flip flops don’t take up much room, and bathing suit coverups can sometimes do double duty.
Packing skills can make or break OCO. There are those who swear by packing cubes. I’m not one of them. I find that zip lock bags work better for me. I can see what’s inside, the bags weigh next to nothing, and they can be smooshed to fit into odd spaces.
A combo of rolled and flat methods allow me to maximize space, with small things tucked into any available space.
For long trips, I find compression bags helpful (except I seem to keep losing the little closure thingy.) Sometimes kneeling on my zip lock bag achieves the same effect.
I LOVE my hanging toiletry bag, especially when traveling with my guy. The hanging bag allows me to let him have the space by the sink, which is usually too small for two. BUT if I am doing OCO, I will give up my beloved hanging toiletry bag, and revert to zip locks in a plastic grocery bag, which I can hang over the bathroom door knob. (Most of the time I use cloth grocery bags, but for the few occasions when I end up with plastic, I save them for this purpose.)

So, there you have it. Before each trip the pros and cons are balanced. Sometimes one carry on makes sense–and other times, my large duffle does the trick. How about you? any packing insights you want to share?

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