The Base

Our first visit to NASKEF Keflavik was today, thanks to a gracious co-worker of Pete’s who accompanied us and gave us a tour ofthe Nex and commissary. If you have checked out the exchange rate between the U.S. Dollar and the Icelandic Kronur (http://www.xe.com/ucc/), you will instantly know why we are so grateful.

It is outrageous (most of the time) what one pays for items on the local economy. Then there is the 17.5% Value-Added Tax (sounds like it adds value, right?). Nope, not really! Of course, you will have this tax wherever you go and you cannot always get it back. The rules of each country are completely different and equally as confusing. Now that 8.5% sales tax doesn’t seem so rough, does it?

I have digressed, sorry! So, we went to the base and I went nuts. I had been cooped up at home for two days with nothing but pasta and water and I wanted food, darnit! The poor person who accompanied me actually mentioned halfway through that he “could always bring me back on Saturday”! Given that we had nothing in our house, however, these were but mere necessities.

So, many $ later I am leaving the commissary and Pete drives up only to be stunned by the two overflowing carts of groceries The kicker is that had I been at a U.S. grocery store, I would have easily paid twice as much. The base has the best prices around and for that, we are all truly grateful. Without the base, there is simply no way a family of four could survive on the local economy. More examples later and a big thank you to Fred* for the two trips to the base!

*names have been changed to protect me from my husband, the Mr. Security!