Reservations

After much back and forth with some very patient Icelanders (is that what natives of Iceland are called?), I have secured (and paid for) 6 nights at huts along this route. The last night was the most precious-at a hut that I can't begin to spell, pronounce or reproduce using the Western alphabet - and took the longest to get a response from. But finally Bjarney signed me up for the night of June 21st, which also happens to be Summer Solstice this year! I can't think of a better place to spend the Long Sun than at this high mountain hut on an Icelandic glacier. I have to pick up the key after I land in Reykjavik (ha! I can finally type that w/o 5 backspaces and a look up) from their office and give a hefty deposit. Let's hope in the 10 days after reaching Skogar and traveling around the island I still have that precious key in my pocket!

My hostel card arrived the other day; I haven't been a member of HI for years. And I realized the only addition to my backpacking gear needed was a body sized pack towel, not the mouse chewed one I took on the AT 4 years ago that could only dry one forearm at a time.

I fear the bus schedule will not allow me to hit every park and hike on the eastern coast that I would like to, here's where the travel Gumby in me must prevail. Flexible...be very very flexible.