This morning was a mish. Breakfast and packing were the highlights, followed by a sequence of challenges that tested the resolve.

On returning the hirecar, one needs to ensure it is full of fuel. The roads nearby Dublin airport reek of having outgrown their original intended usage and are somewhat of a labyrinth of circles/semicircles with no obvious lanes. The sign to rental car return is to a yard well away from service stations and almost impossible to return to once you've visited the servo. Then, trying to work out where the car rental return was at Terminal 1 as opposed to Terminal 2 just simply eluded me, and with time ticking I decided to just go into the multi storey where I could see hire car spots. Fortunately this was OK with Europcar and all was well, but minutes had been burned.

We found our way into terminal 2, then the walk across to departures and terminal 1. The iceland air counter, up the end, was fine and the queues were short, but the bloke who checked us in...let's say it looked like his first day of work experience. I was not at all convinced that the bag sticker was going to remain on my bag. Also a bit annoying because I had weighed my bag at 21;8kg only for their scales to say 22.9kg. Hmm...still under but I was ready to challenge if it was over and lucky I hadn't gone right to the maximum.

Then, through security (slow and with the need to remove boots as well this time), with the obligatory kidney overload to empty water bottle post juice and coffee and breakfast, and onto the gate some 15 minutes walk away. The duty free and sneeze inducing perfumes again assaulted the senses on the only passageway to the gates, and it was a relief to arrive at the gate just prior to boarding. Having allowed 3 hours which is normally waaaay too much time was all needed today and gives the reader an idea of the tricky morning we had.

The flight itself was uneventful and after 2hr 45min we landed in Reykjavik. The weather was notably cooler as soon as we landed and we were surprised to see some large piles of snow still on the ground, even though we're now into spring. Temp 4C.

Our bags did arrive (phew) and we cleared passport check and customs pretty smoothly. Next challenge, finding the rental car. This one is with a company called "project rental" and it's all automated. So, the email link allows you to use gps to walk to the self serve key collection spot. It was not that straightforwards and not wanting to drag suitcases all over parking lots unnecessarily was large in my thinking. But, given that in order to make a phone call for help requires a $59 surcharge on Telstra, I resisted. Eventually, we located the car, a Daxia Duster diesel manual and the key, followed the instructions, used the PIN and we were in.

Driving a manual, unfamiliar car on open roads with indicator on left, pedals as normal and gears on the right. It's like the feeling when I first drove a car. Every single decision requires active conscious thought, and that with the well-rehearsed automatic thinking from 30 years of driving differently...phew...I thought windy roads were a challenge. But, we managed the 35 minute drive into Reykjavik pretty well and onto our accommodation.

The drive in reminded us of what a truly unique place Iceland is. The roads are quite dusty, grey and grimy courtesy of the grit that is certainly a necessity for keeping things moving, as are the buildings are cars. Along the roadside we marvelled at the lava fields that are covered with lovely reddish vegetation, interspersed with pastel green moss and lichen. There was little soil to speak of and everything is spiky. Not many round rocks here I don't think. The rocks are mostly dark/black and no real evidence of soil so to speak at this early stage. As we neared Reykjavik, we were excited to see layered peaks with lots of snow on them, a taste of what is to come we think.

Getting into the accommodation was also a challenge, with quite tricky and to be honest, poor, instructions about accessing the apartment. The downstairs looks like it is probably a bar in high season but is closed at the moment and I reckon the breakfast listed on the booking won't eventuate. We were only temporarily locked out of our room for putting the wrong (one of 3 PINs/codes in the instructions), but got in.

Down to the local Netto grocery shop to get some supplies. Holy shit this place is expensive. Everything is at the very minimum twice the cost as at home, and in many cases more than that. Protein is especially expensive, with mince being similar in price here to a premium butcher steak at home. We will be on slim rations here. At the takeaway pizza place next to Netto, we found that it was to have cost $80 for 2 regular sized pizzas...as a special.

Oh well, scenery will more than make up for it I'm sure, so to stay tuned to the blog/diary, you'll need to switch to Iceland from now!