Just a quick post about a hotel

 I know, I know, they said book early for the eclipse!  I went into my Intrepid itinerary which is not even for 2026 yet and looked at the starting hotel.  Then onto Booking.com.  Full.  Pretty much everything is full.  But I found one crappy room for $266 with a shared bathroom for Aug 11.  Ugg. In a panic I booked it!

Here is the Booking.com map for Aug 11:  red dots mean full

Guesthouse Sunna - Fancy!  

I think I included the breakfast but remember the panic part.  I just hit book and let's hope for the best.  

I am going to be away when the flights get posted for that day.  I am going to have to be on it!  This is not how I want to spend precious time in Istanbul but that's exactly when the tickets will be posted.  Bah! 

Well, since I'm going to be there anyway...

 So, Borneo still on my mind with it's quick turnaround, there and then home in less than two weeks, I got to thinking, I don't really want to do that again. And I don't have any other trips planned for 2026 year.  And Iceland is smack in the middle of the year (August) which makes trying to plan a Fall trip difficult, I figured, why not just tack on another trip!  So SMRT! 

Currently in the running, Scandinavia or the Baltics.  I am leaning toward Scandinavia if I am on my own.  The Baltics if Joe & Carolyn join me.  Tours are very expensive so I think I can manage on my own.  Haha, famous last words. 

That's it. No other updates, just thinking out loud.  But I did buy a Scandinavia book.  

Scandinavia 

The Baltics

Just a mere 21 months to go...

I am just starting this blog and then I am going to ignore it for a year or so while I do other things, like go to Borneo in February 2025.  

I have always wanted to see an eclipse.  But I've never really planned far enough in advance.  Or it is a happening at a bad time. Or in an inconvenient place.  This time, I'm planning almost two years in advance and it is happening during a low period at work, in an accessible part of the world!. 

There is going to be an eclipse along the west coast of Iceland on August 12, 2026.  I  want to go to Iceland. I want to see an eclipse. Is it just me or does this sound perfect! 

I checked out my normal tour group, G Adventures.  They have tours to Iceland listed for Aug, 2026 but I checked dates against itineraries and none of them would be on the western part of the island on August 12. So, I checked Intrepid, the 'other' cheapy yet reputable tour company.  They have a nine day tour encircling Iceland that starts in Reykjavik on August 12.  The eclipse covers Reykjavik, just, on August 12.  Still sounding perfect! 

I checked the times.  It starts around 16:47 and ends around 18:47.  I can arrive that same day if flights work out and be there in time to see the whole thing!  More still perfect!  Using 2025 dates, looks like an overnight flight will get me there in the morning.  How is this working out so well?  (Someone knock on wood immediately!)

Anyway, I have put a deposit on Intrepid's Iceland Discovery tour from Aug 12 to Aug 19, 2026.  I better put that in my work calendar.  This early in the game, I'm going to need a reminder.  Now that I think of it, I better put a reminder in for August 2025 to start looking for flights.  

Iceland Discovery 

Ok, see you all in August 2025 for a 'flight' post.