A few notes from our recent trip

Yes, flights to the US always leave from the D gates. I always recommend to go through passport control right away as that can get quite backlogged. The actual gate announcement is only about 45 minutes before boarding, so a short amount of time. If you wait before passport control, you will be racing. We did that once, and learned;)

We always have some cash on hand as there are some toilets that are cash only as well as some remote hot springs, and then donations for other rustic hot springs.

How was the trip itself? What did you see and do? Three weeks is a good amount of time!

Haha, I had forgotten about the gate chaos and this jogged a memory from our trip this summer. Yes, get to your gate as soon as it is announced! We had 4 international flights leaving simultaneously, so yes, chaos!

goanywhere, mikliz97, and travisoverip, Thanks for the tips about the airport. I have added them to my notes for my trip next year.

Carrie, if you are flying on Icelandair, here is the exact thing you will need for the airport. When you enter, along the wall are self check in kiosks. Can scan your passport and check in there, all without an agent. Then if you have bags to check, don't go to the desks directly across from there, but head towards those and go to the left side and there is an area to self check your bags. You scan the tag that was printed out at the kiosk and put it on the conveyer and off it goes.

Note, if you need to go to the VAT office, do not send your bags off just yet, but continue down this way and the VAT office will be oj the right. After that go back and scan the baggage tag and send it on the conveyor. Sometimes they do want to see what you bought. I have had that happen there.

Then go upstairs and you will need to scan your boarding pass before you even see security. Then go around the corner and through security. After that it takes you directly through duty free and then out into where the shops/restaurants are. Just past those on left is passport control. Go through there and immediately after that you have to scan your boarding pass yet again and then go down the escalator. Down there are more duty free shops and restaurants. You can hang out there waiting for the gate announcement. All flights to the US are through the D gates. We usually hang out at the place across from the hot dog stand as it is a bar, but also a restaurant. BTW if you need the restrooms, they are downstairs from here.

When the gate is announced, head here immediately as the gates are chaos. Usually two lines, one for Saga and one for the rest of us. The agents will randomly walk through and check peoples bags here and if they don't fi the size, they will take them from you to check. They have a keen eye! Every once in a while you will actually board the plane right there from the gate, but most often you will be bused out to the plane. There is no boarding protocol if you are bused. It's basically a free for all. If you board at the actual gate, Saga goes first and then the line is just whoever got there first. So do not wait like here at home where you wait for your zone, just get in that line and wait.

Over our nearly 3 week trip, we began with several nights in Reykjavik. We went to the National Museum there, which we found quite interesting and enjoyable. It was a chilly walk there and back but we like to be outside when we can. We flew to Akureyri and stayed there for a few days. When my husband lived in Keflavik and worked at the NATO base hospital in the 80's (Navy Nurse Corps), he became good friends with a family in Akureyri and their teen son. The son visited my husband's family regularly in Keflavik (I was not in the picture then) and they kept in touch so this was their first reunion in nearly 40 years. It was a delight to meet him and some of his family. His teen friend is now a grandfather and owner of a very successful company.
After leaving there we stayed for a week in a lovely cabin about 35 minutes east. We visited Godafoss, Dettifoss, Myvatn and Husavik. Enjoyed our whale watching outing in Husavik even though I was getting a bit green towards the end. The boat rocked back and forth a good bit when we stopped to view whales in the area and that was beginning to impact me. It was a beautiful day so the outing was quite enjoyable in spite of my fear that I'd soon be feeding the fish, as they say. We enjoyed the whale museum in Husavik.
We flew back to RKV, picked up a car then drove to the Golden Circle area in very heavy rain; we stopped for groceries along the way in Hveragerdi before leaving Hwy 1 to connect with Hwy 35. Our cabin for the week was not far out of Reyholt. In that area, we visited the usual attractions of Gullfoss, Thingvellir, tomato farm, etc. We drove to Selfoss on a rainy day to get a few groceries, wine, and pastries. Returned to Reykjavik for a night (and pizza dinner at Baka Baka) before flying home.

goanywhere--That sounds like a wonderful trip! How wonderful for your husband to meet up with him again after all that time! I think you were there right as my husband was setting sail from there to Greenland. The weather was awful and they were delayed several days in Grundarfjordur just waiting for the weather to turn. He said the boat was just rolling, and he was career Navy so was used to that stuff, so I am imagining your whale watching trip with what my husband was describing to me. Which side did you go to at Dettifoss? We did the east side and the drive felt like we were driving on the moon;) Such a beautiful place. I love Baka Baka. I have not had their pizzas, but love their breakfasts.

mikliz97, I appreciate the extra details on the airport. For me, it always helps to know ahead of time what to expect. We will be booking with Icelandair. Hopefully, this week. I had previously read on the forum to bring our own food. So, I’m aware of that fun fact. :-)

goanywhere, thanks for the trip report! Looks like Baka Baka is right near my hotel (Hotel Saga). I love a good pizza!!!

Carrrie--Me too, I love being able to visualize places such as airports. The food on the plane isn't terrible. I actually like the baguette. We did preorder meals once thinking it would be better, but it was awful and I asked the flight attendant if I could just buy a sandwich and he just gave me one. It appeared that we were not the first to think that special meal was awful. We tend to eat in the lounge at the airport here at home before we board, but flying home we like to have a bite on the plane since we are awake for that entire flight. The airport has options to go, so think about that too.

When we flew home from Reykjavik we bought a couple of the pre made sandwiches at the airport and they were delicious. This was in 2018.

We viewed Dettifoss from the west side. Bathrooms (hold your nose but they were clean) available and various viewing areas. You could also walk a little ways to the other waterfall that is upriver.

You may need a reservation for Baka Baka. I did so two nights before we planned to be there. The place filled up!

My pleasure!