Hi all!
Apologies for the long delay between posts...we had three kids in between ;).
I will try to do a better job keeping up to date! But here is a pictorial story of our adventures with our dear friends, the Hollinses (Dan, Molly, Reuben and Izzy) to Iceland this past summer.
------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday July 27 - Sunday July 28.
It starts at...Foi-Fi's "compartment" in Jersey City! Dada and Dadi were out of town, so...we took our three car seats and Uber/Lyft'ed our way from LaGuardia to Foi-Fi's place. Rather seamlessly, it turns out. Phew, that was a relief. Here is the view from the top! It was so nice to just have a relaxing morning instead of trying to fly out that morning and make the connection.
Then we met up with our friends, at Newark Airport. Iceland Air was very pleasant, providing a kids kit with fresh (glacial) water, coloring books, and of course (given the 12-18 hours of sunlight...), eye patches! Saya has hers on upside down, naturally :)
Oh. And. I used to have a beard. 🧔 When in Iceland...do as the Icelandic do?
The kids were great on the plane. Adjusted beautifully to the time zone difference, slept a bit, and woke up in time for our 5am arrival to Reykjavic. First stop, the Viking Museum! What an amazing stop. A full breakfast/lunch buffet for us, and -- a real Viking Ship, replica of a ship Leif Eriksson sailed in, which was actually sailed by scientists/historians/adventurers to commemorate the millennial anniversary of the original voyage. And now Saya captains the ship :)
Hiking around outside the museum:
And if that weren't enough for one day...the kids then walked almost 3 miles around Reykjavik, including to this outdoor sculpture on the coast.
------------------------------------------------------------
Monday July 29.
We decide, with a little encouragement from the Hollinses, to drive to the Snaefellsbaer penninsula in Western Iceland. What a great choice! Kids were great in the car, and lots of scenic vistas just driving along the highway. Then a 5 mile (!) hike along the coast to a cozy little coffee shop for refreshments.
But wait! We're not done with the day! A trip to singing caves, and then a (retrospectively very treacherous) climb up a waterfall bed where Saya sings in triumph.
Phew, what a day. So proud of the kids for all their great hiking, their sunny dispositions, and their amazing energy.
Aku paku is exhausted after this. Sleeps like...a baby...
------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday July 30.
Low key day for us. We travel to Vik and then Vestmannaeyjar by ferry. We discover several things. Amulya has inherited the "don't like boats" gene. Saya seems ok. Akash may be in between. But the island is absolutely gorgeous. Mountain wildflowers are so vivid!
We have a little scare when our SUV gets stuck at the tip of the island with 80 mph biting winds. It won't turn on! A friendly tour guide gives us a jump, and we make it safely back to the hotel. I find a mechanic who has diagnosed the problem within 30 seconds -- the connection to the battery is loose, likely from repeated driving over gravel, whose vibrations often loosen these connections. We're all patched up (for free!), and in compensation Blue Car rental gives us back a day of rental charges.
Tired, a bit stressed, we do what we do...go for a walk (3 miles today!). Charming streets, kids in tow, and we run into a pizza place for dinner...that has amazing Vegan pizza! Pitsugerdin. We try to give Aku his blended favorites (applesauce! with cinnamon! with strawberries? with pear and kale??). But, being the enterprising and relentless Paku bear...he decides he wants his first, real, solid, from-momma's-plate, food will be straight up cheese pizza. Ahmnamnamnam. Look at that smile. Welcome to the Patel family, little one :)
------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday July 31.
We attempt a hike up the volcano, but are turned away when the winds hit 80mph again and a local asks us if we're really going to attempt the climb with our kids. Er...no, we're not. What a silly idea.
A stop over at a Fort, then visiting Beluga whales, then back to Vik on the ferry. It takes a bit of coaxing (we can't stay here for ever, Liyu. our flight takes off from the mainland and here we are stuck on an island. it's only half an hour. we'll give you treats [after we're on the other side].) and then some drugs (ahhh...Dramamine), but we make it back to the mainland.
Brave Liyu, we're proud of all the kids yet again.
From there we go to Fludir to spend a few days in the Golden Circle. Beautiful view from right outside our cabin:
------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday August 1.
Exploring the Golden Circle! Gulfoss waterfall:
Famed geyser at, um...Geysir:
A more peaceful and isolated waterfall at Faxi, Blaskogabyggdt:
Iceland has never seen a floss quite like this. :)
4 miles, 10,083 steps with the kids. Amazing. Ended the day with a trip to Fridheimar Farms, an organic greenhouse that grows...tomatoes. Lots of 'em! Delicious tomato soup, unlimited fresh bread, what more could we want!
------------------------------------------------------------
Friday August 2.
Thingvellir National Park, where two intercontinental tectonic plates meet!
Went for a hike around the Park, and found the Althing, where Iceland's first parliament met.
Crystal clear glacial lake waters (apparently millennia-old):
And...dinner at a Farm-to-table restaurant, Efstidalur. We went there for the ice cream, but stayed for dinner! Dessert before dinner!? Why not, it's the last full day we'll have in Iceland on vacation :)
------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday August 3.
Kandlikar-Patel clan goes to Kerid crater (site of a prior volcanic eruption; now the lake at the crater has fish/marine life that has been in an isolated ecosystem for a thousand years).
But...as if that's not enough hiking, we make it to Hveragerdi for another hike to a local waterfalls...
...and more Vegan pizza at Olverk. Hey, we're actually eating pretty well this trip!
We meet up with Dan, Molly, Reuben and Izzy at the airport, where luggage check in is a bit of a hassle (some bags go here! Others go there! No, wait, the car seats go there!). But we make it onto the plane, get our Iceland Air kids kits again, and are happy and excited to be coming home. We make the mistake of not doing Mobile Passport at EWR (2 hours of waiting at customs!!!) but Dada and Dadi are patiently waiting to bring us home, then drop us back off the next morning to come back to Indy.
It was exhausting, and exhilarating! 2.5 mi, 4.4 mi, 4.9 mi, 3.1 mi, 4.6 mi, 3.7 mi, 5.5 mi, 4.4 mi. The kids were great. What a lovely trip. :)
Apologies for the long delay between posts...we had three kids in between ;).
I will try to do a better job keeping up to date! But here is a pictorial story of our adventures with our dear friends, the Hollinses (Dan, Molly, Reuben and Izzy) to Iceland this past summer.
------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday July 27 - Sunday July 28.
It starts at...Foi-Fi's "compartment" in Jersey City! Dada and Dadi were out of town, so...we took our three car seats and Uber/Lyft'ed our way from LaGuardia to Foi-Fi's place. Rather seamlessly, it turns out. Phew, that was a relief. Here is the view from the top! It was so nice to just have a relaxing morning instead of trying to fly out that morning and make the connection.
Then we met up with our friends, at Newark Airport. Iceland Air was very pleasant, providing a kids kit with fresh (glacial) water, coloring books, and of course (given the 12-18 hours of sunlight...), eye patches! Saya has hers on upside down, naturally :)
Oh. And. I used to have a beard. 🧔 When in Iceland...do as the Icelandic do?
The kids were great on the plane. Adjusted beautifully to the time zone difference, slept a bit, and woke up in time for our 5am arrival to Reykjavic. First stop, the Viking Museum! What an amazing stop. A full breakfast/lunch buffet for us, and -- a real Viking Ship, replica of a ship Leif Eriksson sailed in, which was actually sailed by scientists/historians/adventurers to commemorate the millennial anniversary of the original voyage. And now Saya captains the ship :)
Hiking around outside the museum:
And if that weren't enough for one day...the kids then walked almost 3 miles around Reykjavik, including to this outdoor sculpture on the coast.
------------------------------------------------------------
Monday July 29.
We decide, with a little encouragement from the Hollinses, to drive to the Snaefellsbaer penninsula in Western Iceland. What a great choice! Kids were great in the car, and lots of scenic vistas just driving along the highway. Then a 5 mile (!) hike along the coast to a cozy little coffee shop for refreshments.
But wait! We're not done with the day! A trip to singing caves, and then a (retrospectively very treacherous) climb up a waterfall bed where Saya sings in triumph.
Phew, what a day. So proud of the kids for all their great hiking, their sunny dispositions, and their amazing energy.
Aku paku is exhausted after this. Sleeps like...a baby...
------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday July 30.
Low key day for us. We travel to Vik and then Vestmannaeyjar by ferry. We discover several things. Amulya has inherited the "don't like boats" gene. Saya seems ok. Akash may be in between. But the island is absolutely gorgeous. Mountain wildflowers are so vivid!
We have a little scare when our SUV gets stuck at the tip of the island with 80 mph biting winds. It won't turn on! A friendly tour guide gives us a jump, and we make it safely back to the hotel. I find a mechanic who has diagnosed the problem within 30 seconds -- the connection to the battery is loose, likely from repeated driving over gravel, whose vibrations often loosen these connections. We're all patched up (for free!), and in compensation Blue Car rental gives us back a day of rental charges.
Tired, a bit stressed, we do what we do...go for a walk (3 miles today!). Charming streets, kids in tow, and we run into a pizza place for dinner...that has amazing Vegan pizza! Pitsugerdin. We try to give Aku his blended favorites (applesauce! with cinnamon! with strawberries? with pear and kale??). But, being the enterprising and relentless Paku bear...he decides he wants his first, real, solid, from-momma's-plate, food will be straight up cheese pizza. Ahmnamnamnam. Look at that smile. Welcome to the Patel family, little one :)
------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday July 31.
We attempt a hike up the volcano, but are turned away when the winds hit 80mph again and a local asks us if we're really going to attempt the climb with our kids. Er...no, we're not. What a silly idea.
A stop over at a Fort, then visiting Beluga whales, then back to Vik on the ferry. It takes a bit of coaxing (we can't stay here for ever, Liyu. our flight takes off from the mainland and here we are stuck on an island. it's only half an hour. we'll give you treats [after we're on the other side].) and then some drugs (ahhh...Dramamine), but we make it back to the mainland.
Brave Liyu, we're proud of all the kids yet again.
From there we go to Fludir to spend a few days in the Golden Circle. Beautiful view from right outside our cabin:
------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday August 1.
Exploring the Golden Circle! Gulfoss waterfall:
Famed geyser at, um...Geysir:
A more peaceful and isolated waterfall at Faxi, Blaskogabyggdt:
Iceland has never seen a floss quite like this. :)
4 miles, 10,083 steps with the kids. Amazing. Ended the day with a trip to Fridheimar Farms, an organic greenhouse that grows...tomatoes. Lots of 'em! Delicious tomato soup, unlimited fresh bread, what more could we want!
------------------------------------------------------------
Friday August 2.
Thingvellir National Park, where two intercontinental tectonic plates meet!
Went for a hike around the Park, and found the Althing, where Iceland's first parliament met.
Crystal clear glacial lake waters (apparently millennia-old):
And...dinner at a Farm-to-table restaurant, Efstidalur. We went there for the ice cream, but stayed for dinner! Dessert before dinner!? Why not, it's the last full day we'll have in Iceland on vacation :)
------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday August 3.
Kandlikar-Patel clan goes to Kerid crater (site of a prior volcanic eruption; now the lake at the crater has fish/marine life that has been in an isolated ecosystem for a thousand years).
But...as if that's not enough hiking, we make it to Hveragerdi for another hike to a local waterfalls...
...and more Vegan pizza at Olverk. Hey, we're actually eating pretty well this trip!
We meet up with Dan, Molly, Reuben and Izzy at the airport, where luggage check in is a bit of a hassle (some bags go here! Others go there! No, wait, the car seats go there!). But we make it onto the plane, get our Iceland Air kids kits again, and are happy and excited to be coming home. We make the mistake of not doing Mobile Passport at EWR (2 hours of waiting at customs!!!) but Dada and Dadi are patiently waiting to bring us home, then drop us back off the next morning to come back to Indy.
It was exhausting, and exhilarating! 2.5 mi, 4.4 mi, 4.9 mi, 3.1 mi, 4.6 mi, 3.7 mi, 5.5 mi, 4.4 mi. The kids were great. What a lovely trip. :)
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