So, the bottom line is that we finally made it to Reykjavik but not without some more drama. When I last left you, we were looking at a 4:00am departure. Well, that didn't happen. By the time they re-cleaned the plane, completed security checks, and got TSA to clear the luggage for loading, we did not board the aircraft until about 4:00am. Do you think that was the end of our saga? Think again. Next up was another maintenance issue on the plane, a leak in one of the lavatories. By the time they fixed that, one of the 3 pilots timed out and had to be replaced. They diverted a pilot from a flight to London for our plane. Then the flight attendants timed out and they had to find another crew. Fortunately, that did not take long and we were pushed back from the gate at about 7:00am. And then, a thunder storm struck and we sat on the tarmac waiting. Finally, ground control allowed us to bypass about 8 other planes and got us off the ground just before 8:00am. Apparently, if we hadn't gotten that slot, we would have been sent back to the gate! Oh yeah, one other thing that timed out was the dinners so they just gave us snack packs. At that point, it really was of no concern.
The flight was, thankfully, uneventful. As we approached Iceland, we flew over a small island that I later discovered was Eldey Island. I could see many birds from the plane. These are Gannets, supposedly the largest colony in Iceland and home of the Atlantic queen. Hopefully, you can see the birds in the photo.
Arriving, in Reykjavik, the weather was fine with the temp in the mid fifties. After checking into the Hilton Parliament Hotel (and getting an upgraded room due to Linda's status), we walked a few blocks to the Icelandic Street Food cafe where we had a lovely dinner.
You will notice that Linda is walking with a walker. I think that it is fair to say that we are disappointed that this is still needed. Perhaps our expectations for recovery from the surgery were too high. Her PT suggested that she continue to use the walker because it will help to correct the tilt in her hips. Now our expectation is that, by the time the cruise is over, she will no longer need it. Here's hoping!
This morning begins another beautiful day. Clear skies and mid fifties although our waiter at breakfast was complaining that it was too hot!
Soon we will be getting on the ship. Stay tuned for more updates as we circumnavigate Iceland. In the meantime, peace and blessings,
Linda and Larry
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