September 9th: Journey from Iceland to the Netherlands
Good day. September 9th. Making my way from Iceland to the Netherlands. Still on the early bird schedule, the flight was at 20 to 8am in the morning, so I needed to get up at 4 o’clock again. No issue with the time difference. Made my way in the dark and found the airport.
Airport and Flight Experience
The hardest thing was to find a place where I needed to drop off the car because they had changed things around. Even checking in took its time, but it was relatively relaxed. I was on another Boeing 737 and found a place way in the back with plenty of room for everyone. Since the flight was definitely not fully booked, it felt comfortable.
Meeting a Traveler from Syria
While flying, I needed to tell you about another person I met yesterday who was from Syria and had been in Reykjavik about three and a half years. He left Syria at 19 because he did not feel up to joining the Syrian army, made his way to Lebanon, and then onward to Iceland. Since he had lived at a higher elevation in Lebanon, he was okay with the weather in Iceland. He could handle the snow, because even at the Blue Lagoon there is snow in the wintertime, even though it is open year-round.
Arrival in the Netherlands
I had a relatively minimal, bumpy flight, but nothing we couldn’t handle. Made it safely and found the train that got me to Zwolle, where some of my relatives live, and was able to stay with my sister. It does take a little more money than it used to to take the train, but I guess that’s the same with everything else. €25 got me to Zwolle. Many upgrades with many systems. It was good to be in Zwolle again and see everyone.
Family Time and Land Cruiser Preparations
In the evening, I had a nephew visit with his daughter, and we were able to pick up the chair that I still wanted to put in the Land Cruiser. The chair came from someone who imports Renault Embrace chairs from France and sells them in the Netherlands as a side job. He happens to be from Turkey, and the first time I spoke with him, he was in Turkey. It’s all very international, hence how we ended up with “Bridging the Continents.”
Reflections on the Journey
Finding a fitting name for this journey took a long time, but it seemed appropriate given many aspects of what is happening. Thanks again for coming along, and we’ll catch you next time.
