Friday, 15 May 2015

Four hours to kill in Reykjavík airport

However much I try to avoid asking strangers for directions, it's impossible to look lost in Iceland for more than 30 seconds before a stranger in a 4x4 or a van pulls up and asks where I'd like them to drive me. It's not actually as terrifying as it sounds. I found myself on the wrong side of Reykjavík airport, facing a walk of a few miles round to the entrance after already walking for half an hour from the hostel in the city centre. I was rescued by an Icelandic courier driver. 

After the standard 'Where are you from and what are you doing in Iceland?' conversation, I explained that I was travelling before going to university in October, to study biochemistry. 'I always hated chemistry!' he exclaimed. 'I'm a physicist. I had to take some classes in chemistry but there's something about Avogadro's number that I just hate!' I wondered to myself how anyone could hate Avogadro's number. After he'd told me about his difficulties choosing a project for his doctorate, his decision to leave academia and become a hiking guide and his career change to courier driver, we arrived at the airport. 

I've roughly halved the weight of my rucksack by offloading the now useless camping gear into a luggage locker. I need to catch two buses to get to Borgarnes - unfortunately, the next bus doesn't leave until 3pm, so I have four (well, three and a half now) hours to wait. Finding things to do in an airport is not usually a problem, but the Reykjavík domestic airport terminal is one room, which contains a check-in desk, a cafe and a baggage reclaim belt. 

2 comments:

  1. Oh No! I assumed there would be a bus from hostel to airport?

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    1. It was possible to get there by bus but it involved changing buses and took almost as long as walking. And as picking the rucksack up and putting it on my back is the hardest bit, it was easier to walk with it for half an hour than get it on and off two buses.

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