Today started at 6am for me.   I had to call Siggi at Extreme Icelandic Adventures at 9:30 to double check that the weather was cooperating and wasn’t too windy to go snowmobiling.

I still haven’t found a way to leave the room quietly in the early hours.   Every time I think I’ve got it figured out, something happens.

I had put all my clothing and stuff I would need for today in a little pile off to the side last night so that I could just quietly take the pile out of the room and get ready in the bathroom down the hall.

I thought I had made a quiet, clean getaway when my phone fell out of my jacket creating a loud thud as it hit the floor.   Sigh, so close.   Sorry Dorianne.   I’m trying, I really am…

I went downstairs and paid 1100 krona (about $9) for some breakfast.   I had a couple of meat and cheese sandwiches,   some orange juice and an amazing pastry filled with hazelnut.

A little later I took a walk onto the still dark and empty streets as it started to drizzle.   Something about walking around a new little town at that time of day brings a smile to my face.   I walked along the seashore and up the steps to the large church overlooking the city.

At 9:30 I called Siggi and was happy to find out we were good to go for today.   He came by the hostel an hour later to pick me up and we headed to his adventure location about 20 minutes away on Súlur mountain.   As I was the only one on this little trek I’d be having some nice one on one time with him.

On the drive up I discovered that Siggi used to play hockey, taught skydiving where he met his Swedish wife, lived in Sweden for 10 years and Norway for 5 years and that he built his humongous all terrain truck with 54′ tires himself.

After signing my life away and suiting up we hopped on our snowmobiles up the mountain.   The higher we got, the more the rain started to fall and the windier it got.

Although I was well covered in the ski suit he gave me, my face was getting a tad cold from the wind blowing into it past the helmet.

We stopped a few times so I could take some photos and videos.   At one point I stood near the edge of the mountain where the wind was blowing ridiculously hard.   So hard, in fact, that one of my gloves flew over the edge when I took them off to take a picture.   No worries though, it was a glove Siggi supplied me so my gloves are just fine!

After a couple hours and 30,000 krona (about $260) I was being driven back into town.

Next stop:   Rub 23!

Rub 23 is the restaurant I went to last night.   Normally when I’m visiting a city I try out a few different restaurants to get some variety but when I get great food and service like I did last night, I stick with that restaurant.

I was happy to see my waiter Alexander again and tried the special lunch 3 course meal.

The meal started with an appetizer of 7 different pieces of sushi.   For a main course I had baked cod with potatoes and a green salad.   Finally, for dessert I had Alexander choose his favorite for me and he once again didn’t disappoint when he served me cheesecake with chocolate ice cream and marinated fruit.

I pretty much did nothing for the rest of the afternoon and counted down the hours til it would be time for dinner so I could visit the restaurant again.

At 6:30 I headed over   there and had another 3 course meal.   This one started with an Arctic Char tempura.   Next was a beautiful dish of blue ling cod and catfish with a medley of potatoes and vegetables along with another scrumptious green salad.

For dessert, I tried one I hadn’t had yet – the apple cake with fresh fruit and vanilla ice cream.   So decadent.   So amazing.   Man, I love this place.

My dinner was enhanced by the table next to me – a mother and daughter travelling together from Boston.

I had actually briefly saw Marilyn and Audrey a little earlier at my hostel checking in and when I heard them ask the guy at the desk for a place to eat I immediately chimed in “Rub 23”.   Lo and behold – there they were at the table next to me.

We ended up having a great conversation about Iceland and just travel in general.   Who knows, perhaps our paths will cross again – time will tell…

After my meal I was on my way back to the hostel ready to turn in early for the night as we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow.

On tap tomorrow:   whale watching and (hopefully) seeing the northern lights!