Flight to Reykjavik

We arrived at SeaTac around 11am. We figured we'd get checked in get through security and then get some lunch, maybe do a little shopping. Security was a little cracy, but nothing too horrible. We did end up leaving behind some disposable cameras by accident. (We didn't realize it until we had to pass through security again in Keflavic.) They had to physically inspect them one at a time, and by the time we all had gotten through security we had forgotten all about them.



After security we took a break to get some lunch and relax for a bit before boarding. We ate Wendys, and hopefully that'll be the last time I eat fast food until we get back. (We actually passed a Subway and KFC/TacoBell on the ride from Keflavic to our hotel in Reykjavik.)

I don't think they could have picked a gate for the flight any farther from the checkin counter. It involved walking down a very long hallway, down two flights of stairs, a short trip on a tram, and two more flights of stairs.

We were finally able to board the plane around 3pm. The total distance was just under 4k miles, and lasted almost 7 hours. the flight wasn't that bad. They had little touchscreen PCs in the headrests loaded with games movies and tv shows. By the time we got off the plane in Keflavic it was 7am. Before we were able to pick up our luggage we had to go through security AGAIN. Apparently US and Canada security regulations are not as stringent as they are in Europe, although it was definately more relaxed and easier to get through than in Seattle.

The hotel arangements included a shuttle to and from the airport which lasted about 45 minutes. We're staying on the 8th floor in the Grand Reykjavik Hotel, which is absolutely beautiful. After getting settled we ventured downstairs for some breakfast. Everything I tried was good, if not a little odd, a few different types of sausage, some eggs, various pastries. The weirdest items were the dried fish, and of course the skir. Skir is a local dish very much like yogurt. It's usually flavored, as the regular skir can be a bit overwhelming. It tasted like cottage cheese without the curds.

After breakfast we went upstairs to finally rest. Iceland is farther north than the tri-cities and stays darker longer. This time of year thee sun rises around 10, and sets around 4:30. Here are a few pictures from our hotel before and after our afternoon nap.