Wondrous Wanders: Iceland

Today we feature the 6th post in our guest blog travel series.  This series highlights the favorite travel destinations that inspired wonder in each guest blogger as they wandered there.  Today's post is from Zach Sundquist and he is the Air Service Analyst at the Chicago Rockford International Airport in Rockford, IL. When he's not talking to airlines or other airports about new routes, Zach is exploring the world, spending time with friends across the country, or taking a road trip to a new city he's never been to.

In May of 2009 I had the opportunity to visit the most incredible place on Earth. Sitting near the arctic circle on the Mid-Atlantic ridge, the country of Iceland awaits. The task was to drive all the way around the island in seven days and see and do everything there is to see and do in Iceland. Needless to say I failed, because the fact of the matter is there isn't enough time in life to see and do everything there is in Iceland. The ever changing landscape is growing every year and every time you look away and come back something has changed. So allow me to give you a quick overview of some of the highlights of Iceland.

Once you touch down in Keflavik (35 miles outside Reykjavik) you really wonder if the pilot didn't take a wrong turn and you ended up on the moon. Lava fields stretch as far as the eye can see with a mountain range off in the distance. As you continue to drive you slowly start to change scenery as you enter Reykjavik and start to encounter about 75% of the country's population (Only 300,000 total).

For a quick visit there is plenty to do in the capital of Reykjavik. Take in a concert at Harpa, shop at one of the many boutique stores, eat a wide variety of seafood, and then party into the night at one of Iceland's many pubs and clubs. Reykjavik is always hosting some sort of Festival from fine arts to music and Film. In an effort to recover from the economic collapse of 2008 Iceland has been focused on inspiring tourism and has a campaign Inspired by Iceland (www.inspiredbyiceland.com). The President of Iceland is inviting you to a pancake breakfast with his family! How's that for hospitality! If a breakfast with the president is a little too personal for your tastes don't fear, there are many companies which offer one day tours of the Golden Circle where you can enjoy three of Iceland's most unique venues, Geysir, Gulfoss, and Thingvellir. All three are amazing and give you a quick glimpse at what this country has to offer.

Another great trip is only 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik and that is the Blue Lagoon. Who knew a power plant could be so fun as you soak in a geothermal pool. This is Iceland's number one tourist attraction. While it is a bit pricey, it is after all a tourist stop, you will leave feeling rested and rejuvenated.

If commercial tourism isn't for you, then head off into the countryside. Trust me, you won't regret it! Once you leave the Reykjanes Peninsula the views are astonishing, with your brain telling you this had to be computer generated because nature doesn't do this! Every fjord you encounter is unique and then coming out of a fjord and over a ridge you see a huge Glacier. Iceland is home to Vatnajokull, Europe's largest glacier. A little further down the road you encounter glacial runoffs and one of the most incredible sites in all of Iceland is the icebergs that have broken off from the glacier and are slowly making their way to the North Atlantic.

As you travel further in to the country you encounter Volcanoes around every turn and it is clear based on the lava fields and black sand beaches that this is an ever evolving landscape. My second favorite place in all of Iceland are the black beaches along the southern coast. They stretch for miles and being the only one standing on that beach with a mix of grays, green and black you literally feel as though you're on a different planet.

Heading north you come to Iceland's second city and my personal favorite, Akureyri. This little town in the far north of Iceland sits at the end of Eyjafjordur, one of Iceland's longest fjords. Surrounded by mountains it’s a great place for skiing in the winter and sensational hiking in the summer. A quick 45 minute drive from Akureyri is my favorite place in the world. Godafoss (Waterfall of the Gods). Here snowmelt and glacial melt run north from Iceland's interior to the Greenland Sea. While I've seen thousands of waterfalls, Godafoss has the most incredible power and beauty. It is a definite stop on any itinerary that ventures to the north of Iceland.

All in all if you are looking for a trip away from the norm, but incredibly scenic and cultural then Iceland is a place you must visit.

Have you ever visited Iceland?  If not, what about this post inspires you to visit this scenic destination?  Are you a fan of colder weather vacations?

Guest Blog: Issues that international travellers have with US airport security

We have asked a few select guest bloggers to join us on this blog as part of a six week mini series on hot button aviation topics that effect you, the traveler. These guest bloggers will no doubt enrich your travel experience by bringing in their own various perspectives and experiences from different horizons. Today we would like to introduce Darren Cronian as the fourth guest blogger*.

Darren, living in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, writes and rants about the problems that consumers face with travel. He is asked regularly is why he started writing his blog. Is is because In 2005, he visited a high-street travel agency and was not impressed with their customer service and felt that the travel agent had no interest in helping him find a holiday. He arrived home, annoyed, and wanted to rant, so welcome to the Travel Rants blog.

He has learned a lot about the travel industry, and continues to learn. Considering he had no working experience of the industry has been quoted in a number of national newspapers and interviewed on BBC Radio. He was filmed as part of a consumer programme that was aired in December 2009. Read more about Travel Rants in the media His travels include Australia, Malaysia, Norway, and Czech Republic. His favorite travel moments are snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and climbing over Sydney Harbour Bridge.

You can connect with Darren on any of the following social media platforms, in addition to his blog. Browse his favourite sites and blogs on StumbleUpon, keep up to date with his travels on Dopplr, chat with him on Twitter, add your travel photos to his Flickr Group, become a fan of Travel Rants on Facebook, and watch his videos on You Tube.

The number of international tourists to the United States totals over 56 million every year, so I suppose you can understand why US airport security is much stricter compared with other countries. The United States though is not seen as a welcoming country to tourists and this does put a lot of people off from visiting.

Grumpy TSA staff

You are flying to the United States for a family holiday to the sunshine state of Florida; all of the family is excited about the prospect of two weeks of sunshine and theme parks but that excitement quickly disappears as soon as you land and make your way through airport security.

Yes, welcome to the USA, where the TSA staff are grumpy, unfriendly and not welcoming. It is a shame that these people are your first experience of this great country. It doesn’t take too much effort to smile and there’s really no reason to be rude when all you want to do is jump in your hire car and find the hotel.

The endless queues

You have flown for seven hours; the kids are bored and just want to start your family holiday. Rather than making the final leg of your journey as stressless as possible you then have to spend ages queuing to get through airport security. You are stressed, frustrated and you cannot see the end of the queue.

Quizzed like a criminal

You finally get to the end of the huge queue to be made to feel like a criminal by rude officials. In the UK we have a saying, that you’re not guilty until proven otherwise. In the United States, as you pass through the security your guilty until proven otherwise. You would have thought that airport profiling would have made security easier, but that’s not the case.

Can you imagine what it is going to be like when full body scanners come into force? I really do not think that this will improve airport security; it longer to get through. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is important that airports treat security seriously, but I do think that some common sense could be introduced.

Electronic System for Travel Authorisation form

The ESTA application takes up to 72 hours to be approved, gives flyers prior approval for entry to the US. This is now mandatory for international travellers who are passport holders in 35 countries with US "visa waiver" status, Britain being one of those countries. Prior to ESTA you had to complete the green I-94 card in-flight, so maybe, hopefully, this will improve the time it takes to get through US airports.

I am interested to read your experiences with US airport security.

*The opinions expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Harrisburg International Airport.

Are you an "ugly" traveler?

“One’s destination is never a place,
but a new way of seeing things." -Henry Miller

Let's face it folks, some of us, when traveling forget that our social norms and habits aren't normal or well-perceived when traveling abroad. We may talk too loudly; hold too aggressive body language, offer the wrong hand for a handshake, or any combination of what we consider typical responses or actions when in our native culture.

Truth is though, to be a savvy visitor to a foreign country, you must first be a student of that culture. Learn about the traditions and communication nuances of where you're traveling. Don't expect the way you'd conduct yourself at home as typical or acceptable abroad. For example, do you realize that shaking your head yes or no is not universal? In parts of Eastern Europe and the Middle East those head movements actually mean just the opposite. Or, how about this one? Americans hold direct eye contact in esteem, viewing it as an indicator of honesty. In a number of Asian cultures, looking someone directly in the eyes is considered an aggressive act.

Earlier today, MSN Travel Columnist, Christopher Elliot wrote on the 6 things you should never do when you're away. Quite honestly the content of Elliot's column is just good common traveling sense. In a nut shell, he advises against: threatening violence, yelling, having one too many, being inconsiderate of others, leaving your manners at home, and acting like a jerk. If these actions aren't copacetic on your home turf, they're certainly not cool on someone else's. Even more uncool is acting this way while in flight. Have you experienced flight with an angry or uncooperative flyer?

When we become the traveler who thinks it's our way or the highway when on foreign land, we become the ethnocentric individual referred to as the "ugly American." This term, according to Wikipedia, originated as the title of a book in 1958. An ugly American is defined as traveler or tourist who is loud, arrogant, demeaning, and thoughtless. Have you ever been or witnessed someone being an "ugly American"? If you were the offender, how did you remedy the situation?

Travelers and tourists can ensure they don't act like an "ugly American" by walking a mile in the shoes of their host country's residents. Imagine yourself as houseguest when traveling. How would you want a guest to behave when visiting your home? Would you prefer the guest who blantantly abuses your hospitality or the guest who is mindful of the culture of your home? That's not a trick question! We all prefer the guest who leaves their bad manners at home and chooses to be a delightful visitor. Generally speaking, practice the Golden Rule.

When traveling abroad, remember to take into consideration that everything from word choice to body language can have an impact on how you are perceived. But with a little pre-education and thoughtfulness you can avoid being the person that James Michener disdained, "If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.”