Backdate: Iceland May 2024 Day 1

29/5/24 Weds: PotaTOHs embarked on our first trip to Europe and I decided on Iceland after some research! Iceland was probably the first Europe country I heard of when I was young and I always wondered if the place was filled with “ice”? Lol. So after some planning and mental preparation for myself for the long flights (S$1688.20 for the round trip tickets per pax), we hopped onto SQ 318 for our 13+ hours’ flight to London Heathrow airport at T3 at 12.35pm. *FWD premium insurance costed S$201.66 for two pax and the pocket Yoowifi 1GB daily was S$30.45 for two pax.*  

Two days before flying to Iceland, my skin on my limbs were irritated probably by the detergent left on the sofa covers after washing, so it felt very itchy and there were rashes here and there. *It was especially so when there’s exposure to wind or in the sauna in Iceland I observed, so I applied body cream and luckily, they were bearable on the flights and in Iceland than when they first flared up in Singapore.* Anyway, I did not manage to rest according to the “schedule” we’d planned for the long-haul flight to London. The first 10 hours was probably my limit and I began feeling bored after that and cannot wait for us to arrive at Heathrow airport. *It was generally a smooth flight.* It was also aboard the flight that I read news of the fifth time Sundhnúkur erupting on the same day (that went on for 24 days and produced the largest lava field) and Iceland media were quick to give updates on it every now and then. There was a point they thought air traffic might be affected should the wind continue to blow the ashes towards Keflavik airport and I was a bit worried, hence monitoring it now and then when I get stable internet connection.

Luckily for us, the eruption did not affect our flight into Keflavik. After we got there at 7.40pm local time, we had 2 hours and 10 minutes before transiting onto Icelandic Air FI 455 at 9.25pm for a short 3+ hours’ flight to Keflavik airport. *Iceland is eight hours behind Singapore.* It was a smaller plane and we were only given small tidbits while on the carrier.

Arrived at 11.15pm and I went to the toilet at the airport. *Iceland gave the impression it’s very clean from the looks of their plane’s interior and their toilets, but a bit too “sanitised” somehow haha.* We were both tired from the long flights but the minute the airport’s sliding door opened, it was so cold! As we walked towards Aurora Hotel (S$158.64 for one night) that was just across the airport, it was 7 degrees Celsius and the wind seriously needed to chill man lol. Anyway, I was so glad I chose this hotel, which was only a few minutes’ walk away, after contemplating with a lot of others that needed 20 to 30 minutes of walk or a cab’s drive. Checked in at about 12am and saw a few other tourists there too. We stayed on rm 314 and it was no frills, though the pillow and bed were a bit soft for me.

Saw a reminder in the toilet that said Icelandic water from the taps are directly from the spring Geysir and it can be used to bathe and drink.