u/ChipsAhoy65

My husband and I are driving from Durham, NC to Allentown, PA in early August. We’re looking for the best overall route, not necessarily the absolute fastest. We’d prefer to avoid the worst traffic around Washington, DC and Baltimore if possible, even if it adds a little time. I’m finding multiple routes with a wide range of opinions -too many trucks on I-81 vs the slow downs on the I-95s.

Has anyone made this drive recently and have any insights?

*Edit Thanks for all the feedback. This is extremely helpful. Also, I didn’t know that you could select now or other dates/times in the map apps. The sad thing is I’m the IT helpdesk at home (well, my husband thinks so).

Hi Norfolk,
I'm coming to town tomorrow night to see Echo & the Bunnymen at the NorVa. I had a freak accident and fractured a toe today. I was advised by the PA not to stand for long periods.
Does the NorVa have any seating or accommodation options available? I've tried calling but haven't been able to reach anyone.

I have weird luck with that Echo and the Bunnymen. I went to see them years ago in Austin and had food poisoning and managed to miss 90% of the show.

Thanks for any insight.

My husband and I attended the Lynn Blakey tribute at Cat’s Cradle last night, and it was a really special evening.

I’ve always loved Lynn’s voice, whether with Tres Chicas, Let’s Active, The Salt Collective, or the many other musical projects she was part of over the years. The music was wonderful, but what stayed with me most were the stories. Friend after friend shared memories that painted a picture of someone who was deeply loved, generous, talented, and woven into the fabric of the local music community.

Lynn passed away from metastatic cancer, and knowing that her husband is also currently undergoing cancer treatment made the evening even more moving.

There was something comforting about a room full of people gathering at Cat’s Cradle to celebrate a life through music and stories. It was a beautiful reminder of the sense of community that exists around music in this area.

A beautiful tribute to a remarkable musician and person. My thanks to everyone who helped make it happen.

I don’t know if posting GoFundMe links is allowed here, but there is a need to help cover medical expenses for Lynn and her husband. It’s easy to find with a quick search and is being managed by Caitlin Cary.

Just got back from Iceland (May 17 to May 23) and figured I’d throw out some random observations from a first-time visitor from the US to Iceland.

If you’re already thinking, “Oh no, not another Iceland trip report,” feel free to keep scrolling. Reading other people’s recent experiences helped me while planning, so maybe this will help someone else.

This was only a six-day trip, and I wasn’t interested in spending all day in the car, so we stayed mostly in the south. I travel a lot for work and have accumulated an embarrassing number of Marriott points, so we used some of those along the way. We spent the first couple of nights at the ION Adventure Hotel and really enjoyed it. Our room had access to a private sauna, which was a nice way to unwind after a day of sightseeing.

We then stayed at Hlid Fisherman Village. Quirky with private sauna and hot tub in the cottage called the “Family Room”. Sounds super luxurious, but it was basic and homey. Midweek it was much cheaper.

For our final night, we stayed at the Marriott Courtyard near KEF using points. It was super convenient because we could top off the rental car with gas before returning it to Blue Car Rental. There was also a restaurant and a pharmacy within walking distance, which made our last evening easy.

One thing I noticed right away: Icelanders were pleasant and helpful, but not especially chatty. Everyone we interacted with was polite and friendly, but there wasn’t much of the casual small talk you get in some parts of the US. Everyone speaks English.

Flights, Airport, and Customs

We flew RDU to KEF on Icelandair. The airline was organized, efficient, and the crew was friendly.

Before the trip I had read countless posts about Icelandair cabins being unbearably hot. That wasn’t our experience at all. The cabin wasn’t cold, but it definitely wasn’t hot either. I was comfortable the entire flight.

One thing that surprised me was that a Coke cost about $3.50. It was Euro Frontier!

I was able to charge my iPhone using USB-C on the outbound flight and USB on the return.

Customs entering Iceland was incredibly relaxed compared to what I’ve experienced over the last 40 years. Quick passport check and we were through.

My sister checked a bag (much to my dismay) and it appeared at baggage claim very quickly.

Leaving Iceland was just as easy. We departed on Saturday around 5 PM and passport control took maybe 10 minutes.

Rental Car, Driving, and Navigation

We rented through Blue Car Rental and got a Dacia Duster with a manual transmission because it was cheaper. We also got the hotspot. The vehicle was clean, drove well, and we had no issues.

One thing I really appreciated was the pickup process. We were able to check in without speaking to anyone at the counter. Blue Car uses a self service system where you scan a code at a locker and a box pops open with your keys inside. After an overnight flight, getting on the road quickly was a huge plus.

I cannot stress enough how worthwhile the portable WiFi hotspot was. It worked everywhere we went. We used it in the car for navigation and then simply tossed it into a backpack while exploring towns and attractions.

I have AT&T’s international day pass plan, which charges $12 per day for cell service when traveling abroad. I was surprised by how often I lost cellular service. Without the hotspot, I would have been screwed more than once when relying on maps and navigation. I did download maps too just in case and was happy I didn’t have to mess with them.

I used Apple Maps throughout the trip and it was accurate everywhere we went. Combined with the hotspot, navigation was effortless.

Gas stations work pretty much like they do in the US. One thing that is different is you have to choose how much fuel you think you’ll need, authorize your card, and pump gas. It doesn’t charge if you overestimate the amount you need. It only charges the amount of how much gas you pump.

One thing to know: the preauthorization hold on your credit card may remain longer than what you’re used to in the US. Ours took a few days (4-5) to clear.

Read up on roundabouts before you go. They are different but they work well. The roads were excellent and easy to drive. I only annoyed one driver during the entire trip. I was about to make a right on red and he laid on the horn to let me know that was not a good idea. Learn the traffic signs before you go.

Our Duster had a speed limiter system that constantly reset itself. We Googled how to disable it, but it remained intermittently annoying throughout the trip.

Download the Parka parking app once you arrive. For whatever reason, I wasn’t able to download it before getting to Iceland.

Money and Credit Cards

I prefer American Express because of their customer service while traveling, and I was shocked (in a good way) by how widely it was accepted.

The only place that wouldn’t take American Express was a record store.

Iceland is essentially cashless. I used Apple Pay everywhere and never once needed cash. In fact, I never even pulled out a physical credit card.

I also never had to enter a credit card PIN during the entire trip. I asked a shopkeeper about it, and he told me PINs are generally only needed when using a physical card at automated fuel pumps. Since I used Apple Pay and contactless payments, it never came up.

I carried American Express and a couple of Visa cards in Apple Wallet and that was more than enough. I suggest having more than one Visa. One of mine was denied because of fraud alert (Chase Visa) and it was comforting to switch to another and make my purchase. Chase emailed me the “is this you?” Email and I had no issues after that.

Food, Groceries, and Restaurants

The gas station food is surprisingly good.
The hot dogs deserve the hype. You can debate ingredients and nutrition all day, but I hadn’t eaten a hot dog in probably ten years and I enjoyed it.

As a Southern girl and a committed Coke drinker, I struggled with the Pepsi situation. Most restaurants seemed to serve Pepsi. I ordered one once out of desperation and thought it tasted like RC Cola (meaning it was gross).

For groceries, I preferred Krónan over Bónus.

Bónus, the pink pig store, felt a little like a glorified Aldi to me. I did buy one of the reusable pig bags because it was cute.

We initially planned to rely heavily on groceries and picnic food, but eventually got tired of it.

Pizza was often more affordable than expected.

Soup is everywhere and generally reasonably priced.

We ended up mostly eating a larger lunch and keeping breakfast and dinner light.

If you drink alcohol, stop at duty free before leaving the airport. The savings are real.

Blue Lagoon / Retreat Experience

We landed around 7 AM and headed straight to the Retreat.

We thought it was absolutely worth it.
Our reservation included five hours at the Retreat Spa, which turned out to be the perfect amount of time after an overnight flight. Having access to the quieter lagoon areas away from the larger crowds was fantastic.

The body scrub and moisturizing treatments were enjoyable, and having private changing facilities and lockers made everything easy. It was our biggest splurge.

Most importantly, it helped us decompress after the flight while somehow waking us up at the same time. If you’re arriving on a morning flight and trying to stay awake until evening, it worked really well for us.

Clothing and Packing

My biggest packing takeaway: pack lighter than you think you should.

I wore the same pair of black Fjällräven hiking pants every single day. My husband joked that I looked like an insurrectionist because of all the pockets, but they were comfortable, practical, and worked everywhere from waterfalls to restaurants. I bought a pair of REI waterproof zip-on rain pants on sale that fit over them, and those turned out to be one of the best purchases of the trip.

My clothing list was pretty simple:

• One pair of insurrectionist hiking pants

• Waterproof rain pants

• Two base layer tops that I rotated all week

• One fleece sweater

• One waterproof rain jacket

• Underwear for each day (I’m not completely disgusting)

• One pair of waterproof socks and wool/hiking socks.

• Waterproof hiking boots

The waterproof socks worked great. I’d put them on when needed and remove them back in the car.

I packed gloves and never used them. I did not bring jeans. Plenty of people wore them.

I never felt underdressed in restaurants.
My sister dramatically overpacked. I never let her live it down. On the plus side, I was able to sneak a few things into her suitcase for the trip home.

My advice: embrace outfit repetition. I found that two base layers were plenty when rotated throughout the trip. Bring enough underwear to stay comfortable and civilized, but don’t overthink the rest.

Hair, Makeup, and Skincare

For my fellow women, here’s my beauty advice: lower your expectations.

You absolutely need sunscreen. I wore a tinted moisturizer with SPF, lip gloss, and called it a day.

Don’t forget sunglasses. Between the daylight, water, and general brightness, I used mine constantly.

Bring a good moisturizer and lip balm, too. The wind and dry air can be surprisingly harsh on your skin, and I found myself reaching for both far more often than expected.

As for your hair, it’s going to look like shit. Just embrace it. Between the wind, mist from waterfalls, hats, hoods, and general weather chaos, I finally gave up. Iceland is one of those places where nobody cares if your eyeliner is perfect.

My ladies-you can buy Diflucan OTC! I purchased a couple of doses to hoard for just in case (if you know what I’m saying, and I think that you do!)

Weather and Water

We got lucky. We didn’t encounter the constant classic windy, rainy Iceland weather until our final day. Our wettest day was because of waterfalls and not rain.

Bring a reusable water bottle. The water really is as amazing as everyone says.
You can refill almost anywhere.

The endless daylight was one of my favorite parts of the trip. It made sightseeing feel relaxed because there was never pressure to race against sunset.

Music, Records, and Cats

If you’re into music, Reykjavik has some fantastic record stores.

My favorite was 12 Tónar. I later discovered that NME once named it the best record store in the world. The WORLD. One of the owners spent a lot of time talking music with me and was incredibly welcoming.

Smekkleysa (Bad Taste Records) was also good, but seemed to be more hipster. I was going to shows before the shopkeepers were born!

I’m not really a cat person (my sister is) but we also did the Reykjavik Cat Walk. It was surprisingly entertaining. The guide mixes Icelandic history, local stories, and visits to areas where famous local cats hang out. There’s also a cat café if that’s your thing.

Final Thoughts

Everything you’ve heard about Iceland’s natural beauty is true.

The waterfalls, geothermal areas, scenery, and landscapes really are as magical as people describe.

A few takeaways:

• Pack lighter than you think you should

• Layers topped with waterproof layers

• Rent the WiFi hotspot

• Download the Parka parking app

• Bring a reusable water bottle

• Stop at duty free if you plan to get your drink on

• Learn roundabout rules and signs before driving

• Don’t stress about carrying cash

• Food is $$$. It just is. Budget for at least some restaurant meals because you’ll eventually get tired of picnic food.

We loved the trip and would absolutely go back.

*** Addendum on staying connected. If you’re not in the mood to read through all of the replies: I opted for the hotspot option with Blue Car Rental, but it sounds like many commenters have positive experiences with eSIM and it is cheaper!

Please direct me if I am posting my question in the wrong place.

Could someone please share tips on how to offer support to my sister in UFing her apartment and car? She has struggled with it for as long as I can remember (she’s in her late 50s). There’s no need to go into a lengthy description. She’s recently shared that an ex told her he couldn’t go to her place anymore (cat urine smell and squalor) and that is why he ended the relationship. Her car is the same way.

Her grooming is immaculate. Friends and coworkers would be shocked to see her living space. She works remote and is required to be on camera. She’s told me she is worried the mess behind her will show even with the Teams backgrounds.

She says she has a goal of cleaning her apartment and keeping it that way. She says she knows the way she lives prevents her from having close relationships both romantically and with friends. We’ve had long discussions about it. It reminds me of the conversations I’ve had with alcoholics when it comes to getting sober. “Next weekend I’m going to clean it all up…”

Over the last 30 years I have tried different approaches-I’ve ignored it, addressed it head on, and had heart felt conversations. We’ve talked about if it is related to depression. She says her place stays the same regardless of her present outlook.

She recently got a cochlear implant and is excited to be able to participate in more social activities. I know there is the dynamic of the older sister (me) being controlling. However, it’s beyond that-I want her to have pride in her home and to feel like she can have people over.

Do I just say it’s her choice and her life?

Thank you for any insight on what has helped you feel supported by friends and family.