"How would you like a free trip to Reykjavik?"

"Does it involve anything illegal?"

"No, of course not! I've won a cruise to Iceland for two, and we haven't seen each other for a couple of years. You are the only person I can think of who would enjoy the adventure. The booking includes airfare to Halifax, so we just need to pay for inland excursions."

"Okay, I'm in. Give me the dates, and check out flights. I used to work with someone who loved vacationing in Iceland. I'm not sure if I'd choose a cruise to get there, but we'll have fun. And I'll start looking at inland excursions. Glaciers? City tours? No... how about volcanoes?"

***
So, here I am in the north Atlantic on a cruise ship to Iceland, with my friend Liz. She's a Family Practice physician, and it's essentially a CME event, so Liz can log in some credit hours on the trip. Unfortunately, the lecture topics aren't her greatest interest: endocrinology. But she's not complaining, since it's a free trip to Iceland with some CME credits she needs to maintain her state medical license and board certification. While she's in lectures, I'm catching up on my reading, making casual trips to the gym, and striking up conversations with the other non-medical travelers.

Life on a cruise ship is more interesting than I expected, since I'm the type who usually flies to spend more time at my destination. Our fellow passengers are a mixed group; obviously, many are endocrinologists and their traveling companions, but some are just going to explore Iceland for a variety of reasons.

Liz loves to cut a rug, and we found an evening spot on the ship with all types of music and a dance floor. I'm part of the group that watches the dancers. It's a mix of people from the US and Canada, so there are plenty of interesting things to talk about. Politics, religion, and since on a cruise ship - food!

Two of my favorite passengers are Jimmie and Sean, because it's interesting to talk to them about troubles in the Anglican Communion. It seems they are looking to buy property, but are also interested in exploring Iceland's volcanoes and glaciers; I think Liz has tempted them to explore the museums and restaurants, and that Jimmie and Sean will be good company.

This should be fun. We'll be docking tomorrow. Who knows what will happen?

Love on the Volcano: An E2 Romance Quest

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