Today was our last day in Reykjavik; it was rainy, but we decided to take a walk anyway. We had no particular destination in mind, so we took the path of least resistance and walked along the shopping streets, looking for interesting sights, like The Heart of Reykjavik — I’m confident its merchandise is safe from intruders!

We walked nearly the length of Laugavegur (Laundry Street) before turning around. 2Guys, which won a “best burger in Reykjavik” award, found an interesting way to show their customers where the toilets are.

We had to go back to the hotel to identify our luggage so it’d be loaded on the right bus going to the airport; along the way, we found the first fire hydrant in Reykjavik.

Once more, we skipped the Penis Museum; the local “free walking tour” company wanted to make sure visitors knew that there were alternative options.

We still had nearly an hour after taking care of the luggage and checking out, so we walked over to Hresso to try Tuborg’s Christmas Beer (it was pretty good, with a little licorice added to the mix).

There had been two buses throughout the trip (Green for National Trust, Orange for Lehigh and USC), and that continued today. Our tour director Rudy made sure we were on the right bus and sent us on our way to the airport.

I think this road sign is a bit misleading – the International Terminal is more than 40km away from the Domestic Terminal!

When we got to Keflavik International Airport, we discovered that our bus was carrying the orange group’s luggage – their bus arrived about 10 minutes later, and we were finally able to check in for our flight.

I stood in line for nearly 30 minutes to get my VAT refund for purchases we’d made – I think I earned minimum wage, but I’m not sure. Getting through security took a while, too, as did the mandatory stroll through the Duty Free store (we left empty-handed); we finally got to the Saga Lounge with about 15 minutes before we had to leave for the gate. I wouldn’t have minded having more time in the lounge – the food and drink were good, and there was plenty of comfortable seating (unlike the lounge in Milan).

We had to take a bus from the gate to the plane (no jetway); I was happy that the stairs leading to the plane were covered, since the rain had resumed in earnest.

And we’re on our way!

We left Akureyri at a fairly civilized hour (8:30am) to drive back to Reykjavik and the Borg Hotel for a one-night stay before flying out (along with everyone else on the tour) tomorrow. We retraced Wednesday’s route; the weather was better, especially on the passes, but it was still hard to take good photos from the bus.

We had lunch at the Hraunsnef Restaurant, which is located on an active farm; the farmer (and owner) told us a bit about how he got there (he had been a used car salesman in Reykjavik!), then let us come out and visit with the animals.

Then it was back on the bus – next stop, Reykjavik! We drove along the harborside road as we approached the hotel, getting yet another view of Harpa.

We checked in and went out on a walk to the old harbor (it had been a long day on the bus!).

There was a Farewell Dinner at the Food Cellar about three blocks away from the hotel. The food and company was good, though it was more than a little bit noisy!

Conditions looked promising for one last shot at seeing the aurora; we went over to the harbor by Harpa and joined the crowd. There were some thin clouds, plenty of city light, and the John Lennon Imagine Peace Tower was lit, so the aurora was not impressive…but the iPhone camera captured it nicely.

We walked back to the hotel, stopping to enjoy the view of Harpa and its reflecting pool.

Time to pack!