Week 1 - Iceland

The boys did great traveling, they even slept well on the flight, the adults, not so much, but that was actually the easy part. The experience landing in Keflavik airport was the strangest airport experience I've ever had. We arrived in the rain on the tarmac and took a packed bus to the terminal. At first I thought there were several lines for different things, didn't know which one to be in and S (6 yo) needed to use the bathroom so we did that, then finally found the end of the line. Turned out it was just one line to get through the passport check and to baggage claim. Both these were on the second floor. The line snaked all around the lower level, curving and looping down three different hallways and back again, up the stairs and the same loops on the second floor. After about an hour I had J and the kids sit with the stuff and rejoin me when my spot in the loop came back past them again, about an hour after that. Other families did that too, and departing people and people who needed the bathroom passed through, but not one person actually cut and no one was nasty. It was completely orderly, yet it took a total of three hours for passport, baggage collection, and presentation of COVID documents. There was a sign for customs that said "Nothing to declare" and we went that way, but no customs inspection or even forms. Then an hour in the rental car line for me and J, we met a couple from Yorkshire who keep bees so that wasn't too bad. The kids got to sit off to the side for that too. Then it turned out our luggage wouldn't fit in the rental car. We've got to learn to travel lighter. J had to go back into the airport and get an SUV. So six hours from landing to getting out of the airport, without food or water because the airport cafes only sell to departing customs with a boarding pass! I have never encountered anything like it. Middle Eastern and Latin American airports can be chaotic and American airports can be huge and confusing, this was neither, but none the less awful! The Yorkshire beekeepers said it's not always that bad, but if several flights arrive at the same time the facility just isn't big enough to handle it. We stopped for lunch, breakfast on the plane had been cancelled due to turbulence, so everyone was really hungry. I must say the kids did well with all of this. Even though Iceland is level 1 since the little boys aren't vaccinated we aren't doing any indoor dining, but they were happy with the sandwiches I brought to the car. Restaurants are expensive anyway, so we plan to mostly cook for the year with a couple restaurant meals in each county. We found our house and we love it. S (6 yo) said it's the best place in Iceland. It's a sheep and horse farm, we have an apartment in the farmhouse and freedom to walk and explore the property. The kids played outside while I unpacked, and J and big C (20 yo) napped. We were definitely ready for an early night.

Geology lesson

The terrain here is very different, it's a volcanic island so the mountains look kind of just plopped down here and there, as opposed to ranges like I'm used to. Lots of basalt boulders and lava fields. The morning after we arrived J, S and I took a walk. I don't remember what S was describing, but he started with, "In this world....." That about sums it up, it's hard to believe we're still on the planet we took off from Saturday. We're continuing to have adventures. So far we've gotten to watch the owner of the farm train two different horses, gotten to brush a horse and give treats, seen a Viking long house, been to Reykjavik to rent a portable modem, and today toured a lava tube, which is a cave formed when conditions allow lava to cool on the outside and harden on the outside while molten lava flows out the end creating tunnel, and saw the home of Snorri Sturluson, 13th century poet and historian. Tomorrow we plan to go horseback riding and we have several other activities in mind for next week.

Erik the Red's house

Lava tube

We've found a routine which is pretty similar to our routine at home, and I think that has helped everyone with the adjustment. I get up first and make coffee, J reads, and I take a walk by myself. I really need this exercise and solitude to put me in a good frame of mind for the rest of the day. The walk here is absolutely gorgeous and I've been a few different ways, including stepping into a glacial stream that looked like it might possibly come past the rubberized part of my boot, but which was actually waist deep. The seagulls got a good laugh over that and so did I. After my walk I do chores, which is just emptying the dishwasher and putting away laundry and putting up the next load to dry. Then I work with S on math and reading, just about 20 min each every day. By the time we're done little C (10 yo) wakes up and everyone has breakfast, then we're ready to head out on an excursion. We got a restaurant lunch in Reykjavik, but mostly I pack lunch. When we get home the kids play outside, J or I cook dinner, little C does his school work which is math, practicing violin (zoom lesson once a week), and writing in his journal, and I help S with his journal. Then we just relax until bedtime. Jet lag hasn't been too bad, but it's been hard to get used to sleeping when it's light out. It gets to be kind of like twilight for a few hours, but never completely dark. The excursions are great of course, but I think doing normal things like laundry and grocery shopping in new place actually gives a better feel for the culture.

Math set up in our rental house

I'm really proud of the kids, they are so open to new things. Little C wrote in his journal that the Viking long house was boring, but right now he's telling his (very patient) violin teacher the entire story of the life of Erik the Red (Leif Erikson's father), who's reconstructed house was the Viking longhouse we visited. They've even been pretty decent about the food being different than what they are used to. I'm feeling pretty good about the start of our amazing year.

Viking game (Hnefatafl)