rok and roll

rok it is. whole gale in English, as opposed to strong gale, fresh gale, or moderate gale. grounded. no flights north today, most likely. so it goes. the rok brings restless sleep and no relaxation, the flux of energy is so intense. wind speeds between 40 and 50 meters/second in some places. flights north are canceled all day until 1800 when they mobilize a 757 to do the hop. luck out with a business-class seat, at the front, the first place to go in a downing. next to me sits Brad, I think his name is, a basketball recruit for the Akureyri team. all the way from Connecticut. his first time in Iceland. says it was the worst plane flight he’s ever had. I told him he was lucky we were landing in the dark, as the sight of the mountains that the plane threads through on the way into the fjord are hairy on a good day. in a rok, the whole machine is bucking, thumping, and revving like a Huey under fire over the Mekong. bless me, father, for I have sinned… whewsh. and a 30-minute wait for my bag, and a further 30-minute wait for a taxi. the entire local infrastructure groaning under the stress of a full 757’s load of bodies itching to get outta R’vík and back to winter-enshrouded northlands.