Tag Archives: iceland

Aug1

And it begins…

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Monday afternoon I boarded a short flight from Norfolk, Virginia to JFK in New York City. After a short layover I boarded my flight to Copenhagen, Denmark, where I would meet Tom who arrived the previous day from Sydney. After multiple delays we finally got off the ground from JFK and I was on my way.

I found it very strange to be alone, especially after spending the last seven weeks with the kids almost non-stop. It didn’t take me long to adjust though. I could do whatever I wanted to do for eight hours–in Business Elite on Delta. I read a book for a while, watched a movie, ate an uninterrupted dinner and used the bathroom alone!

We landed in Copenhagen nearly on time even after the 1.5 hour delay we had leaving JFK. We parked at the gate and found the jetway was broken so they couldn’t open the forward door where I was standing, ready to make a dash to be first to immigration. Nope, instead of being first off of the plane, I was one of the last. We had to exit the 767 via the steps at the very back of the plane and then get on buses to take us to the terminal. The queue for immigration was insanely long. Tom had taken the train in from Langeskov to meet me at the airport. He arrived at 7:44. He waited more than an hour for me. I went to meet him in the lobby of the Hilton at the airport and couldn’t find him anywhere because it was that moment he had chosen to use the loo. I walked all the way back to the airport to turn around and go all the way back to the Hilton when he wasn’t there. I found him the second time!

After a cappuccino and a chat after not seeing each other for seven weeks, we took the train up a few stops to the Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers. Our room was not ready so early in the day. We were invited to go up to the Club Lounge for a drink while she checked to see if our room could be prepared for us. Tom and i had a drink and a snack and enjoyed the sunshine and views from the outside terrace. Once our room was ready the lovely front desk clerk came to find us to let us know we could check in.

We took turns showering and got ready to take the train into the city for a few hours of wandering. We have been here a few times before so we didn’t feel pressured to do anything in particular. It was nice. We had lunch along Nyhavn and dodged the occasional rain shower. We wandered around old churches, palaces, through the shopping areas, admired pretty jewellery in Georg Jensen. We wandered through parks and past Tivoli among the throngs of tourists who wondered what they were doing at the end of July in Copenhagen in the cold and wind. I had a power nap on a park bench in a pretty courtyard and felt much better. The one hour of sleep I had on the plane was starting to affect me.

With sore feet, more rain and impending black clouds we called it a day and took the train back to the Crowne Plaza. We were just in time for a light snack in the Club Lounge. Herring, meat, lettuce, onion, remoulade, bread, capers and butter accompanied a glass or two of wine. We settled in to watch Team USA compete in gymnastics. Fatigue started dragging me down again and I retired to the room.

I couldn’t stay awake any longer at 8 so I took a Melatonin and called it a night. I didn’t even make it to 3am! I can call six+ hours good for now since I dont have children with me. Tom slept the same but has been snoozing on and off since then while I lie here wide awake.

Tom and I board our Atlantic Airways flight to the Faroe Islands at 8:30 this morning where we spend two days wandering these remote, windswept islands. I can’t wait!

I miss my Sofia and Alex. A lot.

Jun4

Up, Up and Away

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In two days we get back on a plane and head east again; this time to the USA with most of our time being spent in North Dakota. Sofia starts kindergarten in January so I took this as a opportunity for the kids to spend quality time with family in the US before we are restricted to travelling during school holidays. Piggybacking the trip to the US is a side trip for Tom and me. Tom is flying with us to the US on Wednesday and will return to Australia the following Monday. He will rejoin us at the end of summer for a long-awaited trip without kids (our first ever). Sofia and Alex will spend a week and a half in Virginia with my sister, Shelley, and her family. Tom and I will fly to Iceland, via Copenhagen, for one night before a short flight to the Faroe Islands. Then we will go on to Greenland where we will spend one night in Ilulisat then take a two day ferry down the west coast to Nuuk. After a day exploring Nuuk we have two nights in Iceland again (hello Blue Lagoon) before jetting back to Virginia to pick up the kids.

I sit here with a half-packed suitcase wondering what I have forgotten, did I pack too much, and so on. It doesn’t matter as long as we have the four of us on a plane with passports and our liquids in suitably-sized containers and our plastic baggies life will be good. I have packed colouring books, books, paper, crayons, new toys and other bits and pieces. I can tell you that from experience that these things won’t matter as much as the iPod, iPad and the in-flight entertainment kids’ section.

Once I get my phone sorted over there I plan to update here frequently with photos and stories of what we are doing.