Southern Iceland, Vík to Skaftafell, Tuesday, February 19, 2019 [Daytime]

[bigdamnprincipal]

Did everyone enjoy their glamping? Hopefully the tents provided folks with a good night's rest, because another day of traveling lies ahead, and sleeping on the minibuses would not be advised (especially with certain chaperones, just saying).

Comments

HOTEL

[bigdamnprincipal]

There was time in the morning to enjoy the Volcano Hut tents, or stay snuggled under the covers for a little longer if breakfast wasn't a concern.

Tents

[bigdamnprincipal]

"Room" assignments are the same. No judgement to those who went for heaters, blankets, AND personal body warmth.

[OOC: Assignments are still here. NSFW goes in personal journals!]

Tent #11

[justice_undone]

Breq woke early and moved quietly around the tent, getting dressed while trying not to wake her roommate. It had turned a little chilly during the night, and since she didn't know her roomie well enough her roommate seemed a little cold, she made sure to turn up the gas heater. Then she pulled aside a small section of the tent flap to peek outside.

Breakfast

[bigdamnprincipal]

The restaurant and bar were open for breakfast... well, the restaurant was open for breakfast, and the bar was open for chaperones who wanted to start the day with something more liquid.

Re: Breakfast

[throughaphase]

Kitty was starting the day with coffee. Because guess who couldn't tell time yet and had been up since the middle of the night.

So yes. Coffee.

Re: Breakfast

[somethingwithturquoise]

Breakfast was definitely a good idea, and also a good chance for Summer to make sure her phone and all her portable chargers were all nice and juiced up while also sorting through pretty much the millions of selfies she'd been taking throughout the day yesterday to determine which ones to actually post. Which would likely be about a gazillion Northern Lights ones. Sorry not sorry.

Re: Breakfast

[chirpchirpchirp]

It had taken a bit of coercing, but Vette had a plan in mind for today, and after talking and cajoling a little with the restaurant staff, she'd managed to convince someone to pull a fresh fish from their stock, wrap it up in plastic, and give that sucker to her whole.

She had a plan today. And that plan apparently involved riding on a bus with a whole fish in her bag. Along with about three billion of those little hand-warming packets. And one Sidon, though he didn't know it yet.

Re: Breakfast

[not_a_bird]

Sneaking sips of booze from suntan lotion bottles was probably not going to be as inconspicuous here as it was at the Jersey shore, but that didn't stop Sweet Dee from hitting up the bar that morning to refill her supply. After all, just because it was cold didn't mean they were safe from the sun's harmful rays.

Of course, drinking while she was supposed to be chaperoning might not be the best idea in the world, but she had a medical condition. All those buses, and she got super carsick if she didn't have some vodka and rum to settle her stomach. No one wanted her to get carsick, right? Right.

Fill 'er up, boys.

Minibuses

[bigdamnprincipal]

The assignments were the same as yesterday--haha, you didn't think you'd get away from these chaperones, right?

[OOC: Add which bus you're on in the subject line for interaction and remember that your conversations will be heard by everyone on that bus. Because bus. :D]

Re: Minibuses

[heroic_jawline]

"Attention Bus Three!" Steve called out in his very best Cap voice, holding up a fistful of Avenger A name tags. "Rather than doing a roll call each time we get back on the bus, I've decided it's easier to give you name tags! Come on over and grab yours! Chaperones and Lexi, too."

Oh, you lucky things. He, of course, was already wearing his over his coat, "Steve" scrawled across the A.

"You're honorary Avengers this week."

TRAVELING

[bigdamnprincipal]

[Whee!]

Reynisfjara

[bigdamnprincipal]

We start the second day of this tour by taking a look at the black sand beach, Reynisfjara. You will be astonished by the impressive rock stacks and intricate basalt columns. The Reynisdrangar Cliffs and sea stacks are located close to the shore. According to an Icelandic folklore legend, these were formed when a fishing vessel filled with trolls became petrified. The Reynisdrangar Cliffs are best viewed from the church at Vík, the small village to the east of the black sand beach and the southern-most village in Iceland. We'll pick up food for a picnic lunch on our way across the south coast of the country.

Re: Reynisfjara

[justice_undone]

Breq walked along the beach, away from the waves washing over the sands. Occasionally the water pushed further, almost reaching her shoes.

This place reminded her of a small continent she had once visited, alone in a huge ocean and only of value because of rare minerals. The annexation had been easy enough at first, but rebels had kept attacking the Radchaai mining towns, eventually ending in significant bloodshed. It wasn't one of her best memories, and left her with a strange feeling, but she kept quietly humming one of the songs popular among the local population of that world at the time.

Re: Reynisfjara

[seriesofbaddecisions]

This place was ridiculous with its gorgeousness and Sabine loved it.

She wouldn't consider herself a beach person at all, but she walked a lot of it to get the requisite pictures to remember details later, and then found a spot to sit and just watch it all for a while.

Re: Reynisfjara

[special_rabbit]

Someone would have to excuse the slight bark of a laugh that escaped Amaya when hearing the legend about the columns. Look. She knew trolls; they played a key and essential role in moving in and out of Daventry with their control of all the bridges there. They were sometimes a real pain in everyone's rear end, too, with their complaints about having to actually just do their bloody jobs, so she couldn't help being a little amused and thinking, perhaps not exactly kindly, that the rivers in Daventry could probably go for a little troll petrifications themselves!

Re: Reynisfjara

[revengenotebook]

Paris was pretty glad she'd bought a good wool hat back in Reykjavik because it was a little bitter out here on the beach and she would've hated missing this view by being cold.

It was spectacular. She took a quick picture and sent it to Rory with a "Better Spring Break than Chilton. Suck it! #Iceland" note.

Re: Reynisfjara

[okteiviakom]

Iceland wasn't Greece, ancient or otherwise. But Octavia was still glad to be here.

While on the beach, she'd walked a little further away from the group, where she could see the sand and the water stretching out before her, and the cliffs in her peripheral vision, and no people, and she had to swallow something back.

Couldn't really explain it.

And We're Driving...

[bigdamnprincipal]

From Vík we continue our travels across the vast sand fields of the south coast that were formed by flash floods stemming from subglacial volcanic eruptions over the centuries. Your bus drivers will tell you some fascinating stories about the settlement of Iceland and some rich folklore tales as you go on your way, as many famous Icelandic Sagas are set in the southern lowlands. We cross the great sand plains of Mýrdalssandur.

Minibus #2

[heinous_bitch]

Kat was listening intently to the stories even while staring out the window as they drove. Maybe at the next town she could find some books with these stories in them.

Lunch Break at Eldhraun!

[bigdamnprincipal]

Your bus drivers will probably tell you how this lava field came into being in the eighteenth century. That particular volcanic eruption nearly wiped out the entire population of Iceland: the King of Denmark actually contemplated evacuating the entire island of Iceland.

And We're Back on the Bus!

[bigdamnprincipal]

After lunch, we'll continue on our way to Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park we drive across the vast volcanic sands of Skeiðarársandur. We'll stop for pictures, we promise!

Climbing Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park

[bigdamnprincipal]

Our glacier guide will take you on an unforgettable three-hour glacier hiking tour, exploring an Skaftafell, a glacier of Vatnajökull, the largest volume glacier in all Europe. This blue/white ice world is totally spellbinding, your guide will show you how to use the glacier equipment and tell you all about the glacier. You will see some amazing ice features and learn how these are formed by the glacier. Make memories to treasure forever!

OOC

[bigdamnprincipal]

Dear Iceland, please leave some umlauts for the rest of the world. Thanks!

Re: OOC

[solarhippie]

Höh, ne hädin tuskin edes käyttää niitä!

/obligatory Nordic remark

Re: OOC

[heroic_jawline]

This has been a trip of "holy God, thank you cut and paste" on these names.