Heathrow-Copenhagen-Keflavik (Iceland)

 

My test was negative! And so I finished packing my things this morning, checked all my documentation several times, gave all my snakes fresh water and headed out the door for the drive to Heathrow. It should have been simple from here....

Not knowing how many people would have decided to fly abroad, not knowing how long the Covid paperwork checks would take and the usual faff of getting my bike checked in at oversize baggage, meant that I had left bloody early for the airport.

My brother, Paul, had also reminded me tgat it was a weekend and therefore part of the M4 would be shut, meaning a non scenic detour through Dachet was necessary.  We arrived with hours to spare.

I had my usual struggles with the bike in the bag, thanks to the bollards that are not wide enough for my bike to fit through on the trolley,  meaning an awkward and undignified side shuffle holding on to the bag balanced precariously lenthways. Then check in...

My paperwork was examined ... they chatted amongst themselves... 'Why are you going to iceland?' as if the bike in the bag was not a big enough clue... 'holiday' I answered. 'Will they let you in?' was the next question...

Well yes, because I'm vaccinated. PCR test... yup done. When? Less than 72 hours ago... and so on. Seemingly satisfied they printed my boarding card and directed me to the bag drop... where I went through all my paperwork again. This time, I had to show the information on the danish foreign ministry website to show that it required a PCR 72 hours prior to landing in Denmark, not 48 hours as they seemed to think... Fingers crossed and a few deep breaths later I was through bag drop and headed to outsize baggage to place my bike on the conveyor belt. I prayed to the cycle gods that it would arrive at the same time and place as me and in one piece.

Then security, which was a much simpler process. I've gotten good over the years of travel of negotiating this obstacle quickly and cleanly. Sometimes they ask to search my bag as powerbanks and solar panels come up as wierd objects on the scanner but this time I was through cleanly.

All in all it was pretty quick and so I found myself sitting near the departures board waiting for my gate to appear with over 3 hours to wait... more preferential than having to run to the gate... which I have only done once in my life, and I blame my brother for that!

There were few people compared to normal times, but it felt like  more as every other seat was boarded off with a sign. The usual people watching commenced... people with masks around their chin or under their nose....

The time actually flew past and in no time I boarded my first flight to Copenhagen. The flight was short... the coffee goddam awful and my hope that I had a row to myself was cruelly dashed. Of course it had to be the awkward ones that sat next to me... charging phone on takeoff, keeping their tray tables up during landing and generally making a pain in the backside of themselves. We landed to the setting sun, glinting over the Malmo bridge. 

I had been there before, what seemed like a good aeons ago to see Mike Peters play.. the memories of which played on my mind as we touched down. I looked down to see my shadow dancing in the reflection of the setting sun. And then through the airport.. fingers crossed they accepted my Covid test less than 72 hours before. Smiling at the border post checks... they actually stamped my passport (a Brexit advantage... more passport stamps!! 😂)

And then more waiting for my now delayed flight which will see me get into Keflavik at just past midnight... it's a long day! As I sit here in Copenhagen aiport I'm trying to decide whether to put my bike together tonight... or get up early and do it in the morning... my mind already turning to the challenge ahead. A little flutter of excitement wriggles up... suppressed until I am sure that I will be let in. Despite my careful research and planning, there is still a slight worry that something won't be accepted and I will be turned back at the border.

The next flight took off at the scheduled 30 minutes late... meaning a 0030 arrival in Iceland.. not ideal for sure but beggars and covid holidaymakers cannot be choosers. The flight was uneventful and the 3 hours were passed without any sleep which will get me used to the days to come...

That said.. having now been up over 18 hours I was starting to feel a little sleepy. That all changed as the cabin lights came on and we touched down with a bump... I had made it. Question was... had my bike made it to?

As I was sitting right by the emergency exit, for once I got off the plane first and made my way to the baggage hall. Everything was in English as well as Icelandic so I had no problem finding the oversize baggage drop off... that and the bike sign urging cyclists not to put the bike together at that point but to go to the 'bike pit', a specially designated building with workstands and tools and pumps. However my plan had already been formed without seeing this excellent example of welcoming cyclists and I queued for a taxi... of which there were few. I appreciated the fact that it wasn't cold as I stood there and decided that maybe I had been a little overzealous in packing clothes. I had packed slightly more than the normal amount... (1 more pair of socks) in case of cold weather  but as soon as I started wondering if I should leave some clothes at the hotel with my bike bag, I shut off the thought, aware that in the highlands the weather may be a good deal cooler than here. Still, maybe I wouldn't freeze in my tent after all!

A taxi to the hotel was pretty simple, though the cost extortionate for such a short journey and crept into the hotel at gone 1a.m. I decided to put my bike together tonight and then sort the kit out early tomorrow... or today as it was. Surprisingly, despite my weariness, and without help from the trusty mechanics at AW Cycles (though I did wish that they were here in that moment) I put together my bike... all the pieces fit back together and even the brakes were mostly ok. I will have to do a slight bit of adjusting tomorrow (my favourite task in the world) but otherwise pretty happy with my early mornings work.

So now lights must go off and I must get some sleep for tomorrow/today the adventure begins!