REYKJAVIK TO SEATAC TO VICTORIA

We were woken at the crack of dawn by youthful - and loud! - German hostellers who were either catching an early flight home or were eager to kick off their trip. They were so loud that Simone actually clambered down from the top bunk, went down the hallway, and told them to be quiet in three languages (English, German, and Stern Teacher Body Language). Thankfully they complied with her request.

Breakfast was a mash up of whatever food we had left. I had a toasted ham and cheese sandwich while Simone and Mom had cereal, yoghurt, and toast. After breakfast I headed to the common room downstairs to see if I could connect to the Internet, but no luck. As with most of our accommodations in Iceland, the promises of Internet access were greatly exaggerated.

Mom and I had already repacked the previous night, so we just lazed about while Simone pulled everything out of her suitcase and played Tetris with her belongings. When I couldn't stand waiting at the hostel any more I headed out to the car and drove it back to Reykjavik. As I approached Reykjavik our friend the rainstorm dropped by for a final downpour. Thankfully he toodled off after a few miles and the rest of the journey was dry.

I had an hour and a half to kill before catching the FlyBus to the airport so I went in search of a bank to change my remaining Icelandic krona back to a currency that I could trade back in Canada. Unfortunately, I learned you can't change krona into other currencies at everyday banks. The only place where they will do that is at the bank at the airport.

I wandered around town for a bit longer then headed back to the 4th Floor Hotel, where I was to pick up the FlyBus. I discovered that they DID have wireless Internet access. So, I spent a bit of time checking email and perusing various news sites to see how the world had been doing while we were on hols.

The FlyBus arrived at 1pm as promised. However, the driver didn't want to pick me up. He looked at my voucher and told me that I was to catch the bus at 1:30pm. I disagreed and explained that I was to catch the bus at the main depot at 1:30pm, and that I was to catch a ride with him to the depot. He took another look at my voucher and then used the radio to get in touch with dispatchers at the depot. They confirmed that I was to ride with him to make the connection to the 1:30pm bus to the airport. Phew!

I met up with Mom and Simone at the airport. We got our tickets, checked our bags, and then headed through security. We exchanged our krona at the bank and then stood in line to claim our tax refund. (You can get a refund on taxes if you're a tourist.) I joined Simone in the line-up and an Italian guy standing behind her complained in Italian about me barging in line. Simone pointed a finger at me and then her and said "familia." He didn't look convinced, which is not surprising because Simone and I don't really look related. He sighed and muttered under his breath but let it slide as politely as a pissed off Italian man can let things slide.

After getting our refunds we had some lunch and waited for the flight. Keflavik International Airport is very attractive and, aside from a lack of seating near the gates, is quite comfortable. For example, the food court is quite extensive and you don't have to go to a bar to get a drink. The bathrooms are sparkling clean and modern. And there's also a really fabulous video about Iceland that plays every few minutes in a small theater.

The flight to Seattle was uneventful. I was seated next to a flamboyant gay guy from Alaska who had participated in the Gay Pride celebrations the previous week. He was a Chatty Cathy and I was glad when the entertainment system sparked up because it meant I could politely opt out of the conversation. Two or three movies later we arrived at SEATAC and made our way to the gate for the final flight home. We had to wait three hours so we scouted out the most comfortable seats and tried to snooze. I even tried to sleep on the floor next to one of the unused service desks but it was just too damned noisy.

Our flight to Victoria left just after 11pm and we arrived in Victoria in time to greet midnight. The customs agents were both confused and impressed that we were returning from Iceland. It's not your normal tourist destination, that's for sure.

And with a couple of questions and a cursory look at our passports, we were home. It was nice to be back, and to know that we'd be sleeping in our own beds shortly.