Travel report LCI i Akureyri 2015
Our own pre-tour
Early in the morning of Tuesday August the 18th we from LC5 Malmö, Sweden, were on our way – me Maria, and the three past members Victoria, Jenny and Petra. Already at Kastrup airport we meet other Ladies, both from Sweden and India – somehow we recognise each other despite no visible LC-logos!
Our own, short pre-tour started with a dip in the Blue Lagoon directly on route from the Keflavik airport. Stepping of the bus and leaving our LARGE luggage in the storage, we are more than sceptical – the sufurous smell is heavy in the rain sodden air. Do we really want to swim in anything smelling like this, even if it is aquamarine blue??? But once inside, we quickly stop smelling anything bad. A clever system with electronic bracelets for lockers, entry and payment “card” gets us in to the water. And there, next to the bar IN the pool, we meet more Ladies. Finally we have gathered such a large group of LC-ladies from Sweden and Norway that our photo is taken by the staff of the Blue Lagoon. The four of us from LC5 Malmö are very inconspicuous in flowery bathing hats...
The next day, we went of on a pre-organised bus tour to see the major sights close to Reykjavik. Even though the four of us were the only LC-ladies on the actual bus, we kept running in to other during the day at the various sights. The landscape was amazing – very barren but surprisingly changing. Most vegetation was below knee-level and there were a lot of sheep around, as well as hot steam rising straight out of the ground an narrow winding black roads. We visited Thingvellir – the original location of the oldest still working parliament of the world as well as the rift between the north American and the eruro-asian continental plates. The next stop, after seeing amongst others the volcanoes Hekla and the infamous Eyjafjallajökull in the distance, was the fabulous waterfall Gullfoss, which falls 32 m in two distinct steps. After that we stopped at the geyser Strokkur, erupting up to 40 m in to the air every 4-8 minutes – as opposed to its neighbour Geysir which is mostly dormant. My mobile battery almost flat at this point, and it being really hard to time the eruptions, I settled of photographing the steam seeping out of the ground at up to 100 degrees C. Two shorter stops at a church and at a geothermal plant were made before returning to Reykjavik, where we hastened into nicer clothes and a dinner together with large parts of LC47 Lund from Sweden, also visiting the LCI-event.
AGM in Akureyri
Thursday was mostly spent travelling from Reykjavik to Akureyri via the national airport, where we met the final two ladies from our club – Agneta and Kristina. Also a lot of other Swedish ladies – it felt like the little airport was filled with circlers, each with a huge bag. But the check-in didn’t open early, so there was a happy chaos until 30 min before take off. After check-in there was no security control and only one gate to choose from, so from there on the boarding was quick!
Being picked up at the Akureyri airport by lovely Icelandic circlers, we checked in to the conference hotel, where the six of us shared two rooms. Lunch was eaten at Hamborgarfabrikkan,conveniantly located in the basement. A bunch of other ladies, notably from Denmark, had mad the same choice! Changing into national costumes, we walked up a STEEP hill to the welcome ceremony. Most memorable was hearing the former Islandic president VigdísFinnbogadóttir speaking – a memory for life! A long winding parade (no rain!) downhill later we arrived at the welcome party where almost 500 colourful ladies danced and Zumba:ed long into the night. Even though the temperature in Iceland isn’t very warm (some 12-15 degrees C while we visited), all indoor spaces are thoroughly heated - maybe thanks to geothermal heating?! Dancing in costumes made of wool was a challenge but the party was great!
The next day, the real reason for our trip started at 9 o’clock in the morning - the Annual General Meeting. Two new countries were made part of the LCI-family - LC Kenyaoch LC USA - and Zimbabwe became a full member country. Seeing LCI grow is really exiting. A lady from the Netherlands wan the price for best hat, but seeing the veritable sea of colourful and impressive hats was magnificent. In the evening it was time for the next highlight of the trip – the homeparty. All of us were bussed to different islandic homes for a dinner in a smaller gathering, making it possible to really talk and get to know other circlers from all over the world. We got to try the famous “black death” liquor, ate splendid food and talked, talked and talked. When the bus brought us back to central Akureyri, many choose to continue to a pub. The same talented DJ was playing there so dancing was a must, even though there was more people than space. The few normal tourists and Akureyri:ans in the pub seemed a bit chocked and surprised about the huge gathering of LC-ladies…
Saturday just after lunch we went whale watching! Fully bundled up in warm clothing, a boat took us approximately 30 minutes north out in the fjord where Akreyri is located before slowing down and the guide told us to start looking. A sudden splash of water and the first whale was sighted! Numerous humpbacked whales were hanging out and eating in the area, coming up for breath 4-5 times before doing a deeper dive – and in this dive they flip their tale up very elegantly. Where they resurface after the deeper dive isn’t easy to predict, and once two of them emerged really close (5-10m) to the side of the boat where I stood. Awesome feeling, even if I almost dropped my camera when the dark shadows broke the surface and made their “blow out” sounds!
Racing from the boat back to the hotel was necessary to change into gala dinner dresses, and once again walk up the STEEP hill – but this time in high heels. A ruby red drink was had outside in the surprisingly nice wheater, followed by a three course dinner with a lot of speeches and thanks. Chantess, the former LCI president, handed over the presidential chain to the new president Ruth. Her motto “we are one” was felt the whole evening.
Sunday, we had time for a walk in the beautiful surroundings before boarding the plane to Keflavik and from there on to Copenhagen. A bit tired and sad that all was over, we at least had the joy of sharing the trip with many of the other participants!
//Maria Johansson
LC5 Malmö, Sweden