The 10 Things I Learned in my 10 Minutes in Iceland

This week, I ventured across the pond to Ol’ Blighty….London, to be exact.  I went via WOW Airlines (which I think is pretty cool and inexpensive), which transfers planes at Keflavik Airport, in Rejkavik–the capital of Iceland.  My layover was scheduled to be 1 hour, 25 minutes.  I swear it was only 10 minutes, and even though it was shorter than I expected, I learned so much.  Here’s what I know:

THERE IS NO ICE.  Well, at least not today.  I’m sure most Americans grow up thinking Iceland is actually Antartica.  Alas, it is not.  Don’t be fooled by the name. There was a plenty of ice cold rain, however.

YOU CAN DE-BOARD THE PLANE FROM BOTH ENDS.  The flight attendant said, “Passengers may also exit from the rear of the plane.”  I was excited that I could by-pass all the slow people in the front.  Yay!

YOU WILL LIKELY DE-BOARD THE PLANE DIRECTLY ONTO THE TARMAC. Hence the 2nd fact. I mean, I did briefly think, “Wow, how do they have two jetways from the door?” Um…they don’t. Why didn’t anyone say you have to walk down a flight of stairs from the plane (in whatever elements…like 30 degree rain).

YOU RIDE A BUS TO THE TERMINAL…..a terminal that is approximately 30 seconds away.  And you ask yourself, “What just happened?”

THE TERMINAL IS SWANKY.  It’s like an airport on IKEA.  All neat and sleek.

THE BATHROOMS ARE SLICKER THAN YOUR AVERAGE.  I was forewarned about the European disgust about the fact that Americans can see into and underneath each stall.  So every one in this place is a personal restroom with a full door. Complete with a slick ass faucet/hand dryer all-in-one situation. So smart and efficient. Good job Europeans.  

$1 = 127 KRONA.  If only I had time to go to the currency exchange to get some Iceland dough.

WHEN THE BOARD SAYS ‘GO TO GATE’, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY DO THAT.  Especially because of the next one.

YOU WILL RIDE THE LITTLE TRANSIT BUS BACK TO YOUR FLIGHT.  And you might not want to miss that. Despite the stoic, stone, non-friendly faces of your fellow passengers at 6 AM, you still want to take that 30 second bus ride to the next plane.

And lastly….

YOU WILL GET THE MOST ABSURD SURPRISE….Did i just walk off a plane, ride a bus to the terminal, race to my gate, get back on a bus….to go back to the EXACT SAME PLANE?  EXACT SAME SEAT?  Good morning, new flight attendants.

Ok, so maybe I was in Iceland for 45 minutes…..

See ya later, Iceland.