Tuesday 17 July 2012

A LIFE ON THE OCEAN WAVE

Day two of our trip and it was our turn to go whale watching. Apparently they were in short supply off Reykjavik, so we had to board a coach and head west to the port of Grindvik where we hoped for better luck.

You get your money's worth on a trip of this kind as you are out for hours. However, there's no guarantee of seeing anything.



Within the first half hour we glimpsed a couple of minke whale fins breaking the surface. That frankly was that for the trip. No dolphins. No porpoises. A lot of puffins in the distance clinging to the cliff waiting to be eaten. As for the whales I can only guess they've all been eaten as well.

Best bit was Dark Lady dressing like a penguin in a weatherproof suit to keep out the elements.



Safely back in Reykjavik, we had fish and chips plus couple of massively expensive drinks and headed for bed in brilliant sunshine with the usual soundtrack of clacking skateboards and the whooping of good-natured drunks.



Saturday and it was down for breakfast. Not bad for a budget hotel either. Cooked stuff, cold stuff, curious milk related Icelandic stuff and plenty of fruit.

A sign asked reasonably enough that people not take food from the dining room, but to ask and pay for a packed lunch if they so required.

We watched in a horrified and very British way as a woman made a huge pile of sandwiches in plain view and then shovelled them into her bag. Obviously not English.



We decided to head off for a walk and go for a swim in an outdoor geothermal pool. The air is so clear that everywhere seems closer than it actually is, so it was quite a trek before we reached the pool. However, we did enjoy the walk as Icelanders like their street art so there was plenty to see.



When we made it to the baths and went inside, I was confronted with something I had completely forgotten about. This is where our cultures collide. Tomorrow I shall elucidate!

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