Hallo Reykjavik!

Hollah. The air tickets to Iceland have been bought! I know what you're thinking. Iceland?! Who the heck goes to Iceland for vacation?!!! Me, that's who! And nooooooo, it's not because I'm often mistaken for being Scandivanian, almost became a professional dogsledder (I gave it up because I didn't have a dog or a sled), or have a hankering for some roasted puffin and pickled reindeer (both readily available there), it's because:

1. It's cold there. Sweaty people like cold places. (No really, we wanted to go somewhere cool in the summer when it's hot over here...and it's not THAT cold over there in summer).
2. It's much closer to Hawaii/US than you'd think, and since Ryan is still pretty young- we're trying to limit our flight hours.
3. Like the Pyramids of Giza, the waterways of Venice or bustling Tiananmen Square...I am drawn to the Blue Lagoon!
4. Ryan has been learning Olde Icelandic and would like to test out his language skills.

Though we used to go abroad once a year, our last trip overseas was when I was pregnant (Greece/Turkey) back in 2008! Incidentally, that was the FIRST trip in our entire lives that we've ever ended early (pregnancy related issues...we'll leave it at that). So we've been itching to get back on the road, and now that we've taken Ryan on a few domestic trips to NYC, San Fran (3x), San Diego, Alaska and Seattle, we feel pretty confident in his travel worthiness. In fact, truth be told, he's actually proved to be a much hardier traveler than his mama (lest we forget The NYC Pukefest of 2010, and The San Fran CoughFest 2010). Come to think of it, 2010 wasn't such a stellar year for Mama on the road...

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I'm super excited about this trip. I've already read the Lonely Planet Iceland two times and have been visiting blogs and online forums about where to go and what to do. I've even found a great little apartment to rent in Reykjavik that will accommodate our entire entourage. We invited the 'rents...you know, since we hardly see them, and my brother Joey, who after being asked to come along, asked exactly one question, "Isn't there an Ice Bar there?"and then when answered in the affirmative, quickly said he was in. And when I asked him if he wanted me to buy a Lonely Planet and have it sent to him he said, "Did I ask you to send me anything about Egypt before I went with you there? Um, that would be a no. Just buy my ticket and send me an itinerary." Good point.

So on the itinerary as definite must-do's so far:

1. The Blue Lagoon

2. Ice Bar.I'm sure we will also see the usual geyers and glaciers and whatnot (Hawaiians might be the only tourists in Iceland who turn up their noses at the active volcano), but we have plenty of time to figure that out!