No fishy plot twists here: The answer is yes. Yes, we tip-toed the fish out of the fridge at the Harbor Hostel without getting in trouble for stinking the place up. Then we crammed it into the back of the SAD car, and drove it from the Snaefellsnes Peninsula to a little red cabin in …
Economy and Indulgence
Stikkisholmur Iceland is expensive. Everyday products, like a chicken fillet, or a toothbrush, cost an average of 56 times higher here than in Europe or the US. In layman’s terms, this means that a pint of tap Viking beer, which is just a normal, pilsner beer, in a neighborhood bar with wooden seats and creaky …
Iceland Blog not Really About Iceland
Me, trying to start this blog. Last night I read a Stephen King novella about a man, an English professor, who could whip out witty, insightful short stories without fuss, but when he sat down to write a novel, he froze. The words whirled and scrambled and stuck in his head until he panicked and …
What It Takes
Well now we know the answer to the question: How lonely does Kristie have to get before she turns friendly? 7 days worth of lonely. Lionel wasn’t impressed. “My God,” he said. “You don’t know his name? You never asked?” “Did YOU ask him his name?” I countered. ‘You were there, too.” “All you …
Memory
The air is so damp that everything is melting. I put my long sleeved shirt in my backpack when I got hot, and a piece of gum melted onto the elbow, sticking the sleeve closed. I keep picking it at but every time I put the shirt on I have to shove my arm past …
Chameleons
I got a couple rough hours of sleep and woke up drenched in sweat. After mopping myself up, I went downstairs bleary-eyed and puffy, to meet my new guide. Lionel was waiting for me wearing a turtlenecked sweater, straightlegged jeans and brand new black Converse tennis shoes. I bet I’m older than his mother. Actually, …
Fireworks
The next day, Malala collected me for a tour of the city. She was late because the streets were packed with people celebrating Madagascar’s national soccer team, who had just played in the semifinals of the Africa Cup. They lost, but after the first sting, it didn’t matter. The Africa Cup happens every year, …
Starting
The morning after the night I arrived a day earlier than I should have, I woke up to sunshine and a text from Brett asking when I wanted to leave my temporary hotel to head to the center of the city and my real hotel. I suggested after lunch. “A perfect plan!” Brett responded because …
Quickie
Ok, so I am going to write about my two days in Madagascar's capital Anatanavario later. I've got to wrap my head around some stuff. I've moved east to a kind of cloud/rain forest with bumpy roads and trees and mist and lemurs and I'm settling down a little. Hooray! I have about 20 minutes …
Here
Not to ruin the suspense or anything, but I made it just fine to Hôtel le Relais de la Reine, a lovely hotel where Brett had scored me room about 30 minutes before. I was pretty frazzled (didja notice?) and I didn’t want to leave my phone in the taxi (I’ve done that twice already …
ICEBOX PLUMS: Moments, sweet and cold 