Eighth Week

Sometimes a post-vacation needs two days of rest.

A fastlagsbulle made by a Swedish pastry chef gives a new meaning to Fat Tuesday.

Or maybe eating two and a half of them gives that a new meaning…

Scratch that, three days of rest are needed.

Everyone needs to go on someone else’s time for a night.

Arriving late and sober to costume party is scary. Seriously frightening.

Knitting makes even the fourth day of rest after a vacation feel productive.

The best way to break the monotony of four post-vacation rest days is another vacation.

Every clutch is different.

You can never have too much alcohol.

Cooking is like driving manual: both are cathartic.

Grilling meat makes you feel like a man, even if you can’t eat it because of lent.

Every group needs at least one class clown, but with five, hey, laugher’s the best medicine.

Battle-shots: finally a way to make battle-ship interesting.

Star-tanning is exactly what you think it is, plus something you’d not want to know.

Bacon is the best breakfast food, hands down.

Found blank CDs offer the best surprises, and catchiest songs.

When on vacation, always remember to “vacation” or not give one iota of cares.

Peeing on the side of a dead volcano makes you feel like a BA.

Everything is strangely green directly under the snow.

An insatiable urge to climb will make you question if you have mountain goat blood.

Icelandic side-roads were built for go-kart racing.  Not that I would attempt that in a car…

If you get bored of the landscape in Iceland, drive five more minutes.

It is hard to make pasta for a large group, and doesn’t get easier with very few large pots.

Don’t mix beer and wine and hard alcohol: especially in the same glass.

Pictures are the best way to piece together a fragmented night.  But do you want to know?

14 people over 2 nights go through a lot of cans.

When you borrow things, return them in better condition than you got them.

Café’s make you feel productive, even if you are being anything but.

Birthday tomorrow?  Well, guess you don’t have to wake up early for class tomorrow.

Seventh Week

Planning for a trip beforehand makes for a stress-free trip during.

Concentration in class wanes considerably when a vacation is on the horizon.

Knitting eliminates the awkward pause in a conversation.

Getting money from Iceland, even if it’s your own money back, is awesome.

Sometimes two groups of people can’t decide.   Oh well.

Wanting to vacation even more knowing it’s dangerous might make you crazy…or suicidal.

Seven people and their things, even packing lightly, take up a lot of room.

Getting out on the open road will brighten up anybody’s mood.

You cannot hold your breath for a six-kilometer long tunnel. (Maybe if you’re David Blaine.)

A pro of a whiteout: you can’t see that you are driving on a cliff’s edge, so no pressure.

A con of a whiteout:  you may be driving on a dangerous cliff edge and not know it!

If you haven’t realized it yet, everyone in Iceland apparently knows everyone else.

If there is one constant in Iceland, it is the price and deliciousness of hotdogs.

Sorcery Museum: proving early Icelanders were creepy.

Fjords are everything they are built up to be.  Gorgeous!

Arctic foxes are scarily fast.  This face is scarier by the fact that they are jet black.

Horse tastes like beef.

There’s no better way to end a stressful day of driving than an outdoor thermal pool.

The only way to top an outdoor pool is to add a clear night and slight aurora.  (Done.)

Hot chocolate was made to be drank in cabins.

Nothing wakes you up more effectively than a swim in the ocean.

Soaking in a thermal pool in an isolated fjord on a crisp morning is the definition of living.

Fjords’ beauty never fades, no matter how many there are.

A fishing town to only have fresh fish five days a week is strange.  Stupid weekends…

A one lane tunnel is a little bit frightening, especially when you a T-intersection.

Unpacking and repacking a seven person SUV becomes tedious.

Sampling different country’s food, is a great way to get to know cultures.

The game Uno should not take more than ten minutes to complete. What went wrong?

Mind where you put your wine, especially on a white tablecloth.

Butter isn’t the greatest substitute for oil, unless you plan on deep fat frying pancakes…

Someone’s got to be the dad of the trip (and jokester).  Step up.

Finding a natural thermal pool isn’t as easy as it seems on paper, even with a guide.

Seals make photographing them a whole lot easier by swimming up to you.

One person paying for everything avoids a confusing web of IOU’s.  (Unless you like math.)

A substitute makes you appreciate how a good teacher is able to make material interesting.

Sometimes an intense vacation requires a vacation from itself. 

Fifth & Sixth Week

You’re a 80s baby when you can dress up for the era using items already in your wardrobe.

Knitting is something every foreigner should learn.

Wool is cheaper than food.  If only you could eat it…

Coffee shops are the best places to do anything.

Two birthdays are always better than one.

Whale tastes less fishy and more like a salty steak.

Guilt tastes less bitter when you know your restaurant only kills one whale a year.

Hot dogs may not be the best drunk food, but dang are they amazing!

Homemade desserts are worth the sugar high for the taste of nostalgia.

Reykjavik is small town. You will randomly bump into everyone all the time.

Just cause someone’s so interesting you could talk until 8:00 doesn’t mean you should.

Studying two straight days for a test will burn you out. (Sometimes for an entire week.)

Brits don’t need to put ingredients on food products. I’d be concerned if it wasn’t so good.

Running into a 65kph rainstorm is exhilarating, a good workout, and painful on the face.

When heading into the countryside always dress warmer than you expect.

Super jeeps are the coolest, manliest things ever.  Terrain trembles before them.

Caves, no matter their size, are awesome, just watch your head… and feet.

Apparently wool keeps you warm even when wet.  My feet can verify that cotton doesn’t.

When soaked to the core, the best thing is a hot shower, hot chocolate, and Hot Rod.

Knitting is addictive.  Seriously.  And that’s a good thing when you’re cold and want a scarf.

Pipe organ is alright, but when you add a possessed, old-man warbler, it gets weird.

Projections are cool, but when you add a contortionist and demonic eye it gets weird.

Practically no buses run past 18:00.  Plan on walking.

Honestly though, remember to dress warm.  You’re in Iceland.  What’s wrong with you?!

Seeing a large movie collection is weird after only being able to stream movies.

Everyone needs a good heart to heart.  Just try not to have a breakdown on main street.

Large amounts of people walking around Reykjavik? Something must be up.

Being vegetarian is easy.  It’s working meat into meals that’s a challenge.

Windless days are weird.  Everything is too quiet.

1:30 is never too late to go out.

Sometimes you just need a really good stout.  When you do, pay whatever the price.