As I stood above the thundering waters, I wished I could fly. My mom was at the railing next to me, staring into the mist as the rain splattered upon our heads. The waving green grasses churned about us as my dad clicked pictures, and I wished with all my might to see the secrets hidden behind the grey clouds and curtains of mist. I imagined soaring high above the water and diving down below to meet the trolls and elves we had heard so much about. At last it was time to go, and as we turned to head back down the muddy path, I glimpsed a flash of something through the sparkling mist.
It took one week for my parents and me to travel around the Ring Road in Iceland, and during that week with Saga Travel I found one word best described the adventure: mythical. Surrounded by tales of elves, trolls, and Vikings as well as close up encounters with geysers and glaciers, this place felt like I was living inside a story book.
I pushed open the heavy wooden door in the grassy wall of the house of the famous Viking, Erik the Red, to find a gaping maw of darkness waiting before me. I felt my way inside and noticed a doorway on my left. I followed voices through the doorway and into a room where a smoky fire burned in a pit on the floor. As I joined a group of people seated around the only light source, my eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. I scooted over on the itchy straw platform to make room for my parents. The hole in the roof to allow the smoke to escape was covered with skylight made from a dried horse placenta, the beds were short because everyone slept sitting up, and the cows lived inside the house during the frosty winters. I desperately wished for a TARDIS to travel back in time and visit these amazing people who traveled for hundreds of miles in the 9th century on the open sea to reach the land of fire and ice. Known abroad for their speedy attacks using frightening, fast, strong ships equipped with a removable mast and a short draught that allowed them to beach on shore, the Vikings were a fearsome bunch when they ventured out aviking to raid other countries but peaceful farmers at home with one of the first democracies in the world.
Looking eagerly out the backseat window I scanned the landscape in search of trolls turned to stone by the glare of the sun. I spotted facial features that appeared etched in the stone of a mountain ahead of us. The troll’s eyes seemed to follow us as we rolled past. My gaze slid from his face as my dad spotted one standing in the water off shore. This troll was massive, and I could almost see the hand that he would be using to drag a ship inland to crash upon the rocky shore.
A black foal wobbled towards us through the dewy grass. He came closer and closer until he reached my dad. Curiously he nuzzled the camera lens and then slowly checked each of us out. I was in awe of his fearlessness. All of the Icelandic horses we saw were extremely friendly and loved to be admired.
Iceland was a magical trip through mystical lands of massive glaciers and spurting geysers. We came unbelievably close to an uncountable number of natural wonders and creatures. I will never forget it.
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2 Replies to “Iceland: Living in a Fairytale”
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One of the most expensive parts of the trip is the accomodations. Our family has a timeshare in Williamsburg and we get discounts on our maintenance for recommending others to stay for 3 nights at one of their 2 bedroom apartment with kitchen & take a 90 minute tour. The accomodations are great & free after you set your watch and listen for 90 minutes. Our link is on craigslist: http://raleigh.craigslist.org/vac/2518503559.html
NOTE: Yo u DON"T have to or want to buy into a timeshare, but if you do, you have 3 days to back out of it with no penalty. If you really are interested in buying, there are many foreclosures online that you can find.
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Bangor Maine 1 week road trip any suggestions on where to go from there. Some hiking some leisure and to the coast
We just published this great article about a road trip that starts in Bangor Maine and works its way up through New England to New Brunswick in Canada. There are a lot of things to see, and lots of activities that might interest your kids, with stops for hiking and swimming and offbeat museums.
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What should the letter of consent say if I, a single parent, am taking my daughter to Germany, but then crossing other borders into bordering countries on our vacation? I may not know specifically what other countries we will be visiting until we get into Europe (we are staying with friends in Germany and they will be taking us around Europe for a bit).
It's best to be as specific as possible, because these letters include the dates and destinations for your trip. We would suggest that you note the full date range (from… to ….. and make it a bit longer just in case), then you put down as many countries as you think are possible. List Germany and all the contiguous countries and add a few more, better more than not mentioning one you will visit.
Also, you should carry 2 notarized copies of the Permission to Travel Letter (put one with your passport to show at Immigration and flight check-in; keep the 2nd one in the child's luggage in case you lose one or an Immigration official wants to keep it). Enjoy your trip!
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I just turned 16 and am a make-a-wish kid. I am SO excited!!! I have dealt with a primary immune deficiancy my whole life, been a "lab rat", been on Death's doorstep so many times that I know he hates it when you ring the doorbell and run, and (because of missing so much school when I was young) have a harder time getting along with kids my own age than those younger/older than me. I get to leave on August 3rd, and will be staying at GKTW in FL whilst going to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Seaworld. It feels like a dream, and if it is, DO NOT WAKE ME UP!!!!! I am thanking God daily for all the blessings he has given me; my new sister and her continued health, my fudge-like family (awesome, sweet, and full of nuts, and so much more. B>)
Thanks for posting this Info on GKTW. I haven't found anything like this anywhere else!
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Turkey is a land of myth, a cradle of civilizations, a canvas of nature's most aesthetic bounties & a confluence of varied streams of culture. Owing to its favourable position, Turkey is the bridging nation between the East & West (Europe & Asia) & therefore boasts a spicy blend of oriental & modern, splendor & sleekness, which makes diversity its other name. In Turkey every visitor can find something for themselves. The world class cuisine, vibrant cities, warm hospitality, recreational facilities, historical attractions, cultural heritage, over 8000 km's coastline & an unparallel natural beauty make Turkey an irresistible holiday destination for independent or group travelers…
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San Miguel de Allende is a truly magnificent location, and is becoming a locale of choice for American and Canadian expats. There is a highly developed infrastructure that supports a very large and sophisticated English speaking community here. Culture abounds, and there is extremely active social calendar. There are easily forty or more art galleries in town. The climate is among the best, with warm, dry temperatures year round. Real estate here is among the most beautiful in the world, and your dollar can buy you so much more house than in North America. I lead exciting home buyer trips to San Miguel. Join me on one of these exciting tours to view and buy real estate in San Miguel.
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The road trips are always a good experince. In road trips we not only enjoy holiday destinations but the journey is also an amazing experince. I think the roadtrip with kids teach them various things around them.
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I know this is an older post, but I just saw it. My kids are 6, 7 and 15 and old pros at road trips. I LOVE road trips and have been known to take "road trip" vacations in which no video games/dvds/electronics are allowed and we pack the tent (to save money on hotels) and just drive to random spots and camp out along the way. If you pack a cooler it can be an affordable vacation if you only pay for gas, food from the supermarket and a few odds and ends. Historic landmarks, national parks, or places like Washington D.C. are full of fun cheap spots to bring the kids! My kids love this and handle being in a car forever very well, we play games, sing, talk, etc. Plus we aren't afraid to take deters and go see things like the worlds biggest chair! It's a bunch of fun!
Sounds like you know how to have fun, and like your kids really get along well. that's the biggest challenge we find in a long trip with a crowded backseat. When everyone starts to 'express' themselves it can get hairy!I love the idea of picking random spots to camp out in. You must be really resourceful!
I love the idea of picking random spots to camp out in. You must be really resourceful!
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Kyle —
Great color commentary — and congrats to Ron. Can't wait to see the film (but I guess I'll have to …)
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Taking children with you when you travel all over the word can be a hassle. I have had to do it myself on occasion. When my family and I were looking into moving (http://www.angieslist.com/moving/) over seas for work, it became even more difficult getting the documentation together. Though once you have al of the paperwork squared away you can save it again for another time.
Did you know that in a new survey released that Denmark had emerged as the world’s happiest country. you might include this in your itinerary for visiting other countries
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The town of Pigeon Forge is great for evening entertainment as it boasts comedy, music, and magic shows, as well as shops and restaurants.
While deciding a family -friendly vacation destination,one has to take in a account each member's preferences and concerns.Do not get confused we will aid your the right way.
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My childrens mother gave my 8 and 9 year old daughters to me to raise 2 years ago. She hasn't seen them in 2 years. She wants a 2 week visit with them in another state. I need a form to have her sign to make sure she returns the children to me by a certain date.
if I were you…I would be making the "Mom" come to her children for a visit NOT the other way around. The kids should not be put out by her especially if they havent seen her in 2yrs.
I certainly enjoyed the way you explore your experience and knowledge of the subject! Keep up on it. Thanks for sharing the info
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I stayed at http://www.premierinnhotels.co.uk/County-Hall-London-premier-inn-hotels.php — County Hall Premier inn — on my visit to London last month. It was in a great location. Was nothing fancy but I only needed it to sleep and store my things! Thanks for the other reviews, might book at a nice Hotel for one night on my return in September 2011.
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Always bring a small container of new little toys and a little treat for each child to have in the car or on the plane.
We do this with our sons…we purposely get some new toys and treats that fit into a small container so it is easy for them to carry it on their own. The novelty of new little things keeps it fab fresh and fun for them, which keeps it peaceful and happy for my hubby and me. A little bag of crackers or cookies, a small bottle of water, and a few little toys to play with keeps them happy. If we fly, we even try to find some gum that they may not have had before, as it keeps it interesting for them to try something new.
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San Antonio has so many fun family places like Seaworld and Six Flags,but dont forget the Lone Star Hall of Horns. My kids loved it.
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We shall be judged more by what we do at home than what we preach abroad. What made you want to look up abroad?
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