April 5-6, 2018
boston \ iceland
Behind the Scenes:
One of us (Ava) got a job offer at the terminal (celebratory Moscow Mules followed)
The Scene:
Keflavík International Airport comes into view as soon as Iceland does. We landed on the ex-NATO base right before sunrise, and the sky was a soft sherbet color over snowy fields. We grabbed our bags, breezed through Customs, picked up our 4G hotspot (from Dunkin Donuts... yeah it was a little odd), and caught a shuttle to get our rental car.
As we drove toward Reykjavík, the northernmost capital city in the world, the car's heated seats were kicking in, we had been up for well over 24 hours, and the initial adrenaline was wearing off. We pulled over in one of the quieter corners of a discount supermarket (Bonus) parking lot for a well-deserved nap.
We splurged on our hotel for the next two days knowing we'd be guesthouse and Airbnb-hopping the rest of the trip. Room With a View lived up to its name with a breathtaking view of the heart of the capital and mountains in the distance. With the weather absolutely spectacular for Icelandic April standards, we decided to take in the city. We made our way to Reykjavík's famous church, Hallgrímskirkja, that punctuates the skyline. A stoic concrete exterior gives way to a vaulted ceiling and dazzling organ inside.
We grabbed some local fare from Subway (yes, "Eat Fresh" Subway) and prepared for our first road trip the following day - The Golden Circle.
Footnotes:
-Dunkin Donuts = hotspot pick-up
-Not all rental car agencies are at the airport (some are a few minutes off-site)
-Attempting to drive the Golden Circle on Day 1 right off the plane is tempting, but ambitious
-"9 Wheat Bread" at an Icelandic Subway = "9 Korna"
-The water in Reykjavík is naturally sulfuric, but the rotten egg smell (thankfully) doesn't linger
-Know your limits: 10.000 Krona (ISK) ~ $100 USD
