Awards

So there is (probably) still a wrap to come, though once we get back into normal life, maybe that won’t be so formal.  Whenever you do a trip out of your own culture into different parts of the world, there is some reflection that happens.  It’s been a somewhat tempestuous time for the world these last few weeks, especially in Europe where we have been.  England voted to leave the EU, there was an attempted coup in Turkey, and several violent events.  None of them really impacted us, but You can’t help but reflect on those things, and I’m sure we’ll continue to do so over the next few days once we get back to normality.

In the meantime, on a more lighthearted note, as we fly back into Canberra to the soundtrack of Baker Street and babies hating the descent, we come to the Awards.

Best food: Hótel Stracta salmon (Justine, Iceland); Bourganes Seafood soup (David, Iceland)

Most exotic animal eaten: 1. Whale (David, Iceland); 2. Reindeer (David, Iceland); Horse (David, Iceland)

Most asked question: “what’s the wifi password?” (Aidan, everywhere)

Most annoyingly repeated phrase: “I’m a survivor” (Lauren, everywhere)

Most annoying photo model: Aidan

Best dessert: Apple cake (Hótel Skúlagardur, Iceland)

Friendliest people: Scotland

Best timed non-rain: Cairngorm trek

Comfiest bed: Djúpivogur

Furthest point North: 66.20 degrees

Best airline: Qatar

Worst plane: SAS flight 811 from Oslo to London.  Old, rickety and almost felt unsafe.

Best bedrooms: Pines House (Scotland)

Smallest airport: Edinburgh

Most unpronounceable place name: Bókhlödustígur (our apartments in Reykjavik, Iceland, of course)

Worst injury: Aidan’s infected leg

Least ill person: Justine (and daylight second)

Hardest Monopoly location to get to: Old Kent Road

Biggest variation in stress levels at an airport compared to previous visits: Öslo

Best hide and seeker: Aidan

Fastest discoverer of available wifi networks: Aidan (everywhere)

Most overused phrase: “what’s the wifi password?” (Aidan, everywhere)

Most appreciated drink: London smoothies after walking for hours on the hottest day London has ever experienced

Most lost item: all the device chargers and cords.  All of them. 

Best abs: Aidan (everywhere)

Longest queue: Customs line at Perth

Best buys: Justine – earrings (Scotland); David – summer clothes (London); Aidan – troll playing cards (iceland); Lauren – Nessie toy (Scotland)

Most surprising moment: Aidan – how unbusy London was; Lauren – how dirty Edinburgh looked; Justine – that on her next trip she wants more challenge; David – how much fun it was to just hop on a random double-decker bus in London.

Worst moments: Lauren – being sick on the first long haul flight; Aidan – having Apple juice spill in his bag during the check in process in Reykjavik; David – trying to find food and drink at Doahaairport on theway back; Justine – resolving everyone else’s bad moments.

And of course:

Best toilet view: On the Cairngorm trek. It was never going to be beatable really.

And that is all.  For now.