Hello/Goodbye Heimaey

View this morning from our cabin

Long story short: Captain said it's too rough to dock in our last port of call, Heimaey, so we're headed back to Reykjavik today, will arrive tonight and be put ashore tomorrow morning on schedule.

I cannot express my disappointment. Plus, the ocean really is rough, and I'm slightly seasick. We were likely to see whales, orcas, and puffins, sigh.

We've been pronouncing Heimaey, Hi-me, but it's Hay-my. 

Ugh, it's time for a Dramamine.

Hello Djupivogur!

I had to be cleared by the nurse via phone call at 8 am (I am fine!) to make an 8:30 excursion, "Valley of the Waterfalls by 4x4." I was a little worried that I would be driving an ATV up treacherous mountain roads, but the vehicles were Jeeps driven by our guides.

Keith and his sister Judi, (who also came on this cruise) went on a different excursion, a 5-mile hike on a black volcanic beach.

We drove to several spectacular waterfalls. The previous day's excursion that I missed was an electric bike ride to see waterfalls. People come to Iceland to see waterfalls, volcanoes, and puffins, and I was afraid I wouldn't see any of them, but at least this day there was waterfall joy. There were waterfalls everywhere and no crowds.

The sun actually emerged for some of the day, and it was chilly and windy. We read the heat index at home is over 100, so I guess we picked a good time to visit Iceland.

The rest of the day was mixed. Cruising is maybe not my deal. I went to bed looking forward to the next day's excursion, "Wildlife by Boat in Heimaey," am island that actually has a tiny picture of a puffin beside it on my map.

Hello Seydisfjordur....

The view from my room

Too bad I won't be able to see you at all, Seydisfjordur, because I made the mistake of asking for a pill for a mild upset stomach, in the medical bay of the ship. I wanted it as a safeguard for the one excursion I was really looking forward to today. 

Note to self: do not go near the medical bay unless you are dying.

I'm on 24-hour isolation in my room. Getting room service is okay, but if I leave my room, my printed information ("We're so sorry you are ill!") says I will be put ashore and can figure out how to get home on my own.

I'm trying to fill out a medical form listing everywhere I've been and everything I've eaten in the last four days.

And I'm totally fine. Once they gave me the pill I wanted, my upset system was made right. I'm just really angry I didn't pack the OTC pills I might need. 

Today is Katherine's birthday, but I can't call or even text her from room; our international phone service won't work on cruise ships. I already wept about that - the bogus phone service we paid Verizon for and also missing my daughter's birthday.

So until 8 am tomorrow I will watch TV, read, and sleep. I can admire the view. I can pray.

The excursion money will be refunded.  Keith still gets to take the excursion and come and go from our room as he pleases. So maybe I'm not really Typhoid Mary, and they know it.

Of course, it is a "first world problem" as Keith would say. If he said it today, I might wallop him.

Hello Akureyri!

51 kinds of delphinium 

So - how do you pronounce Akureyri? The ship captain said, Auk-u-rer-ee, accent on first syllable. The locals say, Auk-ree, roll the "r."

There are several attractions here, but we saw only one: the botanical garden. What, flowers growing near the Arctic circle? Oh yes, they know how to grow flowers!

Besides delphinium, there are lots of foxglove, dahlias, and columbine.

And plenty I didn't know. Most of the signs are in Icelandic and Latin.

More later.

Hello Isafjordur!

Yesterday: Friday, July 25 (I am losing track of days, whether through retirement or vacation), we arrived in Isafjordur. The ship is circling the island, heading north first. In fact, that night we crossed the Arctic circle.

Our excursion was a hike to the Troll's Throne, a location formed by an ancient glacier and steeped in folklore (many people here believe in elves, trolls, etc.). The hike was straight up and difficult. Hey, we're a bunch of old people! But the ship gave us walking sticks, and up we went, simply stopping and enjoying the spectacular view when we were "done." This was rather sooner for me with my sore muscles from horseback riding. There were edible wild blueberries all around; I ate a lot of them. And took a bunch of videos.

Blueberries, above.

There was a rushing stream we were told we could drink from but no one did. Iceland claims to have the purest water in the world.

And it was so wonderfully chilly: low 50s, windy and damp seems to be the norm in July here.

There's so much more to say. Later.

Notes about Isafjordur: The town is full of Arctic terns that nest on the ground and are raising chicks now. Their nesting areas are roped off, but the parents fly around screeching and dive-bombing anyone who comes too close.

Besides the wild blueberries, Arctic thyme grows wild everywhere. It's very aromatic and used to make hot tea to solve everything that ails you.

Hello Reykjavik!

I'm attempting to blog on my phone! Below is the view from our Viking ship room:

We departed July 22 at 8:30 pm from RDU, non-stop to Reykjavik, Iceland, six hours, arrived 6:30 am Iceland time (2:30 am our time) the next day. Caught Fly-Bus to our ship, amazingly easy and cheap. 

Did I sleep well that night? Oh yes, thanks to soft eye cover that blocked out the midnight sun.

Next day in Reykjavik: horseback riding, my own excursion (not Viking's which was full). Long story to be filled in later.

Special note: Islandic horses are a separate breed, shorter, wider, and shaggier. I discovered my hips are not as flexible as they used to be!

I made it back to the cruise ship with about 45 minutes to spare!

Ship departed 6 pm. I slept 10 hours thanks to eye cover, Tylenol, and Dramamine for the 7-foot waves.

A New Chapter

 

I finally did it -- I retired. 

Thank God for the call, for the good work, for the blessings, for the release. 

Keith and I are taking a trip to Iceland in July. 

I hope for many great photos! 

More then.