An article from Swansea Round Tabler Tony Currell on International Tabling at its best.
I cast my mind back to Christmas 2009 and the Annual RT57 Swansea Charity Santa Sleigh Run was in full swing around the frozen streets of Swansea; my first major challenge as Club Chairman. An email arrives out of the blue from Pisa, Italy – “RT57 Pisa are hosting the Italy AGM and EMATM in June 2011, please come! YiT Luca Bruschini†And why not, the weather will be great in Tuscany in June and who cares if I don’t know what an EMATM is!!! So cheap flights booked and registration made…
So my wife Denise and I arrived in Pisa, met at the airport, as promised, by a smiling Italian Tabler and whisked smoothly and efficiently to our beautiful hotel by the sea in Tirrenia. Luggage disposed we headed pool-side for a welcome drink. And this is where the magic of Round Table begins to enfold, because at this point we didn’t know a soul but within 30 minutes it was like we were long lost friends of Danes, Norwegians, Icelandics, Estonians, Austrians, Romanians, etc., etc., and the party was about to begin… And that I’m sorry to say is another story (if you buy me a drink I may tell), but just for a moment let me introduce two fine Icelandic Tablers, Thorhallur and Niale (and their delightful wives Anita and Gudrun) with whom we had the greatest of times. An EMATM, by the way is the Annual Meeting of the IROs for all Round Tables in the European, Mediterranean and African regions, and Thorhallur was Icelandic IRO, Niale their President. Come to Iceland they said, you’ll love it, it’s beautiful, we’ll look after you…
Iceland
So earlier this year I get a message from Thorhallur, he’s going to be Vice President of Round Table Iceland in 2011/12, President the year after. What are we to do but to book flights there and then and plan our trip? Of course we didn’t know then that we would have to turn down invites to William and Kathryn’s wedding, but Table must come first, they’ll understand!!! And so on Thursday 28th April we headed for Heathrow and the afternoon Icelandair flight to Keflavik, Iceland. Leaving unseasonably hot April weather behind us we wondered what Iceland would offer us. Iceland is a land of ancient legend and sayings, the most poignant being “If you don’t like the weather in Iceland just wait four minutes and it will change!†Wind and driving rain greeted our arrival, but so too did a couple of cheerful Tablers from Keflavik who put us safely on the bus to Reykjavik saying don’t worry Thorhallur and a few more Icelandic Tablers will be there to meet you and so they were. So suitably beered up, we climbed into a four-by-four and headed for Selfoss and a horse-riding farm & guesthouse in the mountains close to a certain volcano. This is where we would meet the rest of the International Tablers and guess what we knew more than half of them already from Pisa! More magic of Table.Friday arrived, the weather much improved and after a fantastic breakfast of homemade breads, cheeses and cakes we headed out for some sightseeing through this amazing volcanic landscape. Snow-capped mountains, glaciers, steam rising everywhere, the ominous presence of active volcanoes and plates. Lunch was in a Tabler’s summer bungalow on a glacial lake and was the most delicious lobster and monkfish soup cooked by Thorhallur. Then we headed for the location of the world’s oldest Parliament at Thingvellir, which dates to the 10th century and is also where continental Europe and North America are splitting apart. And so we headed back to Keflavik, our home for two nights, in wooden cabins.
Arrival!
 A good and raucous evening, capped by the notorious nations night, where each country produces typical food and alcohol in varying degrees of yuckiness. I can say that the Icelandic sheep’s head is now a particular favourite of mine, although this perhaps doesn’t come close to the putrefied shark I tried later in the trip! Thankfully, Welsh Vodka does help the taste go away!
Wooden Iceland retreat
Friday night in Keflavik would be Disco Night! And later the night-life of Keflavik would beckon. Now I know at this point you are concerned that the price of alcohol in Iceland is not for the faint hearted, but never fear, a combination of the 2008 crash, a more-than-favourable exchange rate and the ingenuity of Keflavik Ladies Circle got us down to the bargain price of £2.50 per pint and for additional staying power Salmiakki, a liquorice flavoured liquor. Daybreak beckoned!!!
Friendship made for life
Saturday already!
The Icelandic AGM was now in full swing, but International Tablers were excused for more sightseeing and the highlight of the weekend, the Blue Lagoon. Saturday afternoon bathing in beautifully hot geothermal water, beer in hand, who cares if it snows!!! And so to pre-dinner cocktails and the Gala Dinner, a blue Icelandic comedian (I know how blue because Thorhallur’s wife Anita translated for me!!), and the Icelandic equivalent of Chris Evans as DJ! Boy they know how to party in Iceland!
And so, as you do, I get talking to some boys from the Vestermann Islands, the main island of which was buried by ash from it’s volcano in the 1990s and it’s 5000 inhabitants evacuated; Surtsey is nearby! Next year they host the Iceland AGM, are we coming? It would be rude not too!! We had a great time in Iceland, thanks to all Icelandic Tablers and Ladies Circlers for making us so welcome, and particularly to Thorhallur for his wonderful hospitality. Round Table Island is a vibrant and young Tabling environment, with thirteen tables and an amazing one tabler for every 630 of the country’s 300,000 inhabitants. Already looking forward to next year!
Iceland Rondel on a 4x4
Tony Currell
