Day 1: REK to CDG

Landing in Iceland was beautiful. The entire land is ravaged and burned and covered in hardened lava, you could see where the flow reached the sea and combined with the heavy waves that crash against the cliffs. The earth has begun to recover though. Already there is moss and grass covering large patches, and there are still houses gathered in patches on the horizon or little mounds in the earth with doors. I'm told these were the original style of house that the Vikings built when they first colonized Iceland.

The airport is small but quite beautiful. I heard what I think were at least five different languages spoken the first minute I stepped off the plane. Keep in mind where you disembark from one plane is not inside the terminal proper. I had to go through security again to get to my gate but the rules are still exactly the same. Liquids in a plastic bag, shoes off, and computers out. It was easy, as was going through customs.

I h e to say seeing the custom's guy's eyebrow twitch when I counted off Morocco, Spain, and France was funny. Good thing I didn't mention Netherlands, Germany, and maybe Italy. But he relaxed when I mentioned I was meeting my boyfriend in Morocco.

I found my gate but the seating is spread down the hallway instead of alcoves offered for each gate unlike most US airports I've been to. So I sat near the only other person I could see who also had a giant backpack. He was French I think because he told me my half finished drawing of an airplane was very good in French... At least I thi k he did. The woman near us was listening to some awesome French rap but I couldn't bring myself to ask her about it.

Sat next to a very sweet French couple on the plane. They didn't speak to me and I did not speak to them but they cuddled and held hands and dozed on each others shoulders the entire trip.

As we hit the first of the islands that make up the western edge of Europe I was so excited I could barely stand to stay seated, though that also might have had something to do with the coffee they served me. Or perhaps the fact that at the time of writing this, not counting sugary dried pineapple and a handful of trail mix, I have not eaten anything since 3pm Minneapolis time yesterday ( aprox. 13 hours ago ).

Sorry family members and loving friends. I know these are not the things that I should be writing about but trust me they'll make the full story a more interesting read in the long run.

Also, has anyone else noticed that French is not written AT ALL like it sounds? What is up with that France? Leaving whole pieces of words out of the pronunciation just seems rude. How do you think those extra vowels and consonants feel? Maybe that's why Icelandic words are so unnecessarily long.. They offer foster homes for all the unwanted French consonants.