Southern tip of Greenland

March 4 2004

My airplane seating preference changed a couple of years ago from windows to aisles.  I found that the aisle meant getting out faster, more legroom/room to stretch, easier access to get up during the flight, etc.  So it's been a long while since I sat at the window on a transcon an intercontinental flight.  Today, however, I'm in the best seat in the (AA 777 coach) house -- the window on the exit row, with six feet of legroom in front of me, and no need to bug anyone to move about.
Thus, I just glanced out the window and saw snow and ice, and lots of it.  We're flying quite a northerly route today.  Those Viking-age marketing guys were pretty funny, giving Greenland its name -- I don't see a single spot that even looks habitable, much less a verdant hue.
That Globe Trekker episode where Ian Wright visits Greenland is spot on -- really doesn't look like much there, and there is clearly, absolutely, no overland way to navigate.

Ed Brill | AA91, LHR-ORD, seat 31J Category:  Travel  Add/View Comments [5]

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  1. 1  geographer  | 3/4/2004 9:34:18 PM

    Hey Ed,

    if you ever DO find yourself over the Southern tip of Greenland on a transcontinental flight, you should change your airline preference :)

    There are no transcontinental great circles that go across Greenland! That big blue thing under you is the North Atlantic!

    Happy trails

  1. 2  Ed Brill www.edbrill.com | 3/4/2004 9:46:27 PM

    fixed that :)

  1. 3  Chris Miller http://www.IdoNotes.com | 3/5/2004 9:19:19 PM

    is that they named Greenland to get people to come and ICeland to keep people away. No matter if it is true or not the naming scheme works

  1. 4  Gerco Wolfswinkel http://www.wolfswinkel.net | 3/9/2004 8:18:42 AM

    I've seen several programs about Greenland and the Vikings on Discovery, and from what I remember, Greenland once used to be green indeed. These vikings lived there, had their sheep on the pasture, and even managed to harvest off this land. After a couple of decades however the climatet turned, and eventually Greenland had to be abandoned.

    If anyone has more specific knowledge, feel free to correct me, but this is what I remember.

  1. 5  Seth Van Noy Nelson  | 7/18/2005 12:49:17 PM

    OH YEAH!

    I REMEMBER DOING THE EXACT SAME THING BACK ON AUGUST 6, 2003! I HEARD LYNYRD SKYNYRD'S "FREEBIRD" WHILE FLYING 42,000 FEET OVER ICELAND AND GREENLAND IN SEAT 31J GOING FROM THE BEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD (Heathrow, of course) TO CHICAGO! I WISH I COULD DO THAT OVER AND OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    sethn172