I adore New Years Eve

I've always loved New Year, more so than Christmas. I think it was due to the Blenheim parties, each new year Anne brought the corned beef sandwiches and we shared food with the Derricks while the Disco played. Since then I've celebrated New Year in all manner of ways, a white party, Edinburgh, London, Hungary and loads in between. People say it's an anti climax after christmas but I like to get Christmas out of the way so I can celebrate New Year.

This year we had a Hannah Montana Pop star party, each person dressed up as a popstar. I dressed as Elphaba from Wicked, Ali went as an Ooompa Lumpa from Charlie and the Chocolate factory, Sal as a doctor, Mum as Cat Stevens and Dad as Boy George. Ali won the fancy dress competition. We had party food, played quizzes and between 10-12 we had a huge dip in energy. Having only been in thew hour for a few months, we didn't have a clue whats acceptable for New Years, luckily air horns and party poppers were at the ready...and we needed them. We sang Auld Lang Syne in the street jumping up and down, then it was time for bed. An exhausting night of party games, but 2012 is going to be phenominal year, we can't wait.

Our pre-wedding anniversary

What was meant to be a nice relaxing dinner last night turned out to be interesting. We decided to go to a resturant in Hella, 10km west of hotel ranga but you have to imagine the roads, no roadlights, you are pretty much in the middle of no where. So when we left the restaurant there was a lot of snow on the road but I couldn't understand why ali was driving so badly and putting her foot on the break! However, as soon as we got off the snow onto the road I realised it wasn't ali's driving, the breaks had frozen on so we were skidding all over the place. We could go backwards, but no forwards. After I had a go, we walked into the petrol station to find out if they knew anything about cars...nope. So, we asked them to phone the operator, to phone hotel ranga, who then picked us up in a transit van as all of the emergency details were in the hotel.

A quick phone call to the hire company, then our keys were picked up by a mechanic and we were told our car would be back tomorrow. Writing this is sounds so easy, but we were a bit stumped when we realised we didn't have any contact details for the hotel, for the hire car company and we were in the middle of nowhere. All's well that ends well, at 9am the mechanic brought our car and we drove him back to his workshop and we were mobile again...with a warning to never put the handbreak on. The picture of Ali in the car park was taken before she went flying, a cartoon legs in the air fall.

Off we went to visit the registrar for our meeting about the service and what we need, it's exactly a years time when we get married. In the afternoon we loitered around the hotel doing wedding planning but that was way too grown up so we decided to get in the hot tub. On with the swimsuits, bath robes and boots :) and out into the snow, however, it was absolutly freezing. By the time I got in, Ali had frozen solid so ran back in. I put my hat on and lasted one round of bubbles and then Ali came back out in her snowsuit to help me out. I needed it, as soon as I got out the wind froze my towel into ice!!!!

On with the snowsuit and then we had a walk around the hotel grounds to the river to see an amazing sunset (the sun is only visible for 3 hours a day so sunrise and sunset are pretty close). To combat our sensible morning, we made snow angels :)

As it's exactly a year until we get married, we splashed out with a meal in the hotel. Last year I said it was the best meal I've ever had, and today's beat it. Vegetable soup, Chicken and corn 4 ways with Skyr sauce and Skyr cake...heaven.

Visiting Eyjafjallajökull and Katla

Waking up when it doesn't get light until after 10am is quite tricky but breakfast in the dining room was spectacular, for the food and the windows looking out to the sunrise over volcano Hekla. We just had to get out there and take some pictures, so that's what we did. The snow was so crunchy, it's like a layer of ice has been placed over the top.

Today was a test to see if we can get to Vik and whether the road was passable. Our first stop was to Seljandafoss, where we will be having our photo's taken at the wedding. A lot of the falls are frozen so are stalectites from eyjafjallajökull, the infamous volcano that brought England to a standstill for over a week due to the ash cloud. We drove onto Skogafoss, although bigger, I remember it as the dirty waterfall as the water is a brown colour. However, the drive to get there was 'interesting', it resembled an ice-rink. For someone that is very nervous of snow driving, Ali did an amzing job. We drove past eyjafjallajökull, this time we could actually photograph the peak and then went onto Katla, the volcano that has been rumbling over the last few months and due to cause climate change if it erupts as it's under a huge glacier.

The senic drive was spectacular, with snow covered farmland either side up to the mountains. However, it just got too scary when we got to the edge of Vik and the sign warned that we needed snowchains so it was about turn and back home.

Keeping the fingers crossed for clear skies tonight to see the northern lights...

The dry ice covered roads of the Golden Circle

A very quick breakfast before the car metre ran out, and then off to the tourist information centre to get some leaflets for our wedding guests then back in the car for the golden circle. Driving out of Reykjavik was 'interesting' as we spent a long time going the wrong way, then as we turned off the main road to the Golden circle, the snow covered roads began. This was the theme for all of the driving today. The high winds blew the snow over the roads so all day it looked like the roads were covered in dry ice, it was quite mesmerising. I don't actually remember the mountains being jet black, but with the white snow on them and then surrounded by nothing but snow either side and the snow poles guiding our way, all we could say is how we love being here and out of the city.

We finally got to Pingvellir, where last time we went on a lovely walk to see the first place of the Icelandic parliament, saw the pool where witches were drowned and the gorgeous waterfalls. However, this time it was closed apart from the look out point and we could see why, it was absolutely freezing. On we drove to Geysir discussing whether it's pronounced geezer or gayzeer. Walking up to the Geysir was fun, it was like an ice rink but worse! We saw a man do a cartoon fall with legs in the air and landing right on his back. We watched 3 eruptions but by this time we were getting pins and needles in our fingers they were so cold. Onto Gulfoss to see the double cascade waterfall. The snow covered slippery roads should have been a clue but when we got there we couldn't even open the doors, the wind was literally blowing us off our feed and becuase of the snow you couldn't see a thing. We could hear the falls, but had to escape back to the car and towards sea level.

It was my day of driving, and to be honest i pretty enjoyed it, especially sliding over the snow covered bits. We finally got to Hotel Ranga, the hotel where we got engaged and the venue for our wedding next year. It's good to be back.

Freezing hair at the Blue Lagoon

A very disturbed night, this cold is getting on my nerves but the appartment we stayed in was a bargain and wonderful, it´s in our guests itinerary, as is the bakery we visited to buy some cookies and cake for breakfast. Wedding diet is clearly out of the window when all I can eat is fish, lamb or things that are putrified. Ali´s turn to drive today, so off we went to the Blue Lagoon. As we have been before we knew about the secret door so while everyone else was tip toeing across the freezing cold concrete covered in ice and snow, Ali and I just slipped in the water indoors and through the secret door to the pools. Having been a regular of many a hungarian thermal spa, i can honestly say that the outside temperature today was the coldest i´ve ever bathed, minus 15 degrees outside. Therefore Ali´s hair froze completely solid and our ears were burning with the cold but that didn´t stop us spending a few hours bobbing up and down trying to avoid standing on the algae on the floor which is all gooey.

We had to make the dash to the car, with snow piled up high, our lunar landscape of the summer is now just covered in pure white, it´s spectacular. We drove back to Reykjavik and visited perlan, where last time the gale froze us, this time the cold froze us but we had to do the obligatory circuit. The sun was just going down. The sun made a rare appearance on the horizon for 3 hours. The lack of daylight is actually really nice, it´s like permanent sun rise which oranges, pinks and reds on the horizon.

We made the stop to our favourite eatery, the N1 petrol stations and then our mission to find the next hotel. Yesterday was the budget end, today is top end but they are so impersonal and an absolute nightmare to park. We walked around the christmas markets that are going to open in a couple of days, went to see Hotel Borg and looked at the christmas decorations. It´s really feeling christmassy, I´m expecting to see Father Christmas any minute.

Back somewhere familiar

After a 2 hour delay, we were on the Icelandair plane. It's not promising when the pilot says that the reason they were late leaving iceland was due to heavy snow, and the turbulance over the UK is caused by the gales so I was expecting a roll. er coaster but unfortunately there wasn't (much to Ali's happiness). The plane was very posh with it's TV screens in the back of the chairs, much better than the iberia trans atlantic flight. As this journey is all about the wedding I watched Bridesmaids which still causes a giggle. As we descended, all you could see was white. I was hoping it was me going mad and it was the sea but no, all snow. You know it's going to be cold when you step off the plane and there are blankets on the floor becuase the inside of the sucky tube thing on the side of the plane is icy.

We collected our car after a bit of a where's wally moment with ali walking the aisles of cars clicking the blipper hoping one would open, then we hoped in our huge 4X4. Our breath was steaming up the car, it was that cold so we decided to just drive, with me behind the wheel, on the wrong side of the road, in the snow and ice. We managed to get to the appartment in one pice, checked in and then went in search of food. Strangely the last time we came here we ate pizza, and today we did the same.

It strangely feels like we are back somewhere familiar, it's wonderful.

Back at the airport

Standing on the platform by people in black suits meant that Ali an I in our matching bright blue snow suits stood out like a sore thumb, everyone kept staring at us. To be honest we need look like we are on route to Antarctica.

When booking the train route we didn't think about the fact we would be lugging luggage trough central London in rush hour while boiling up. It's very rare you go to the end of the line on the tube, but we did. I even found out they get cleaned at the end of the line.

We are now sat in heathtow and guess what, one hour delay but it's a good time to start our guests itinerary. They had better appreciate this, just call me lonely planet.