August 12. Getting ready for the actual eclipse

 I thought it had been forever since I last posted but it looks like it was only a month or so ago.  But technically, that was last year so... 

Rereading the December post, it covers what I was going to say.  My brain is mush.  

So, my only real update is that I just booked an eclipse day tour (12 hours) to the Snæfellsnes peninsula which is closer to the eclipse epicentre (?)  Anyway, it has longer total darkness.  

Here is my tour.  I will miss my 'welcome meeting' for my Intrepid tour.  But I assume everyone else will too.  

On August 12th 2026, at precisely 16:47, Iceland will experience a true once in a lifetime event – a total solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely covers the sun, as viewed from earth, with its shadow turning day into night. For the first time since 1954, the path of the total eclipse will center over Iceland, with the western Snæfellsnes Peninsula affording perhaps the best chance to witness this rare celestial harmony. The whole eclipse will take two hours, with peak totality at 17.48.

BusTravel Iceland will be operating this tour on one day only – our itinerary is loose by design – we will seek out cloud free skies, whilst also taking in some of the spectacular natural scenery that this region offers. Highlights could include Mt. Kirkjufell, Arnarstapi, Djúpalónnsandur Black Sand Beach, Saxhóll Crater, and much more besides. But our main objective will, of course, remain the eclipse itself.

We expect this exclusive day tour from Reykjavík to be highly in demand, so we recommend booking well in advance to ensure your spot on our tour. As the next total solar eclipse in Iceland, will not occur until 2196 – this a true one time only opportunity.

Now I just have to figure out where to get Eclipse glasses.  

Two minutes later. The answer to all "where will I buy this weird thing' problems.  Amazon. 

And while I was in there I bought an Iceland bird book.  

A few hours later.  As I am trying to sort of plan things I thought I should check when I arrive in Krakow.  This is when I discovered that my itineraries in both directions had been altered.  

I was very careful to leave enough time in Frankfurt to change terminals and make it through EU customs.  But the change left me less than two hours.  Plus only one hour in Vancouver.  So, I updated their update. It's not great but it's better than spending the night in the airport.  3 hours in Vancouver airport  5 hours in Frankfurt.  too much time to kill, not enough time to get into town.  Pasties and coffee it will have to be.  

What to do beyond Iceland? I can't just do an 8 day tour, I have too much vacation to use up.  I considered Scandinavia, I considered the Baltics?  I considered another tour, I considered going on my own. I considered going after Iceland, I considered going before Iceland.  

I was worried about flights with the eclipse so I booked my flight from Helsinki to Reykjavik a couple of months ago. I figured, not matter what I decided to do and where I decided to go, I could end up in Helsinki on Aug 11.  

I decided to go before Iceland (at the request of Robynne, my coworker) to the Baltics (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia), adding in Poland at the front end and Helsinki at the back end.  On my own.  

My friend Joe gave me a Baltics guide book.  I have not read it.  But I might.  

I have booked hotels up the Baltic coast.  I kind of stole the G Adventures tour with some variations and extra days for diversions.  I really considered going with a tour but after the 5 stans and not having any agency to add in side trips, I decided to just make my own tour and do my own thing.  

Here's my current itinerary.  All hotels are cancellable but the prices are already going up so that is unlikely at this point.  It's pretty cheap at the moment. 

July 20-24 Krakow Poland 70s Hotel

July 24-27 Warsaw Poland Apartament na Koszykowej w perełce architektonicznej

July 27-30 Vilnius Lithuania Užupio apartamentai Nemokamas parkingas

July 30-Aug 1 Klaipėda Lithuania Dangė Hotel

Aug 1-4         Riga Latvia Studio in the city center

Aug 4-6         Jūrmala Latvia Sunset Hotel

Aug 6         Pärnu Estonia (Stop over, just for the day)

Aug 6-8         Tallinn Estonia Taanilinna Hotell

Aug 8-11         Helsinki Finland Unity Helsinki - A Studio Hotel

Aug 11-12 Reykjavik Iceland Guesthouse Sunna

I've had a look at trains/buses between towns.  Options seem much like my Europe trip last year, cheap and plentiful.

Now I just have to figure out what to do in each town.  The guidebook perhaps?  TBD.  

I also had to figure out flights.  Oh my, there were a million options.  Out of Vancouver, out of Victoria, which European city for the layover.  Everyone goes to Poland with their own country as the layover, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, London, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, even Chicago (umm, no!). I just went with Air Canada so I could add on Victoria.  And having finally learned my lesson about booking a too short layover in Europe, with the border control and the HUGE hub airports, I have a five hour layover at Frankfurt on the way there (I guess I am going Lufthansa) , and I think  five hour layover in Montreal on the way back.  And by booking with Air Canada, when they screw up the Montreal to Victoria hop, they have to deal with finding me a hotel room (mark my words!).  

So, the bones of the trip are definitely in place.  

How this all started: 

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.