For mother Ellen Beam and daughter Anne Hemingway, a trip to Iceland meant more than just a visit to its top attractions and majestic landscapes โ it was a return to a place where Hemingwayโs life unexpectedly began.
Sixty years ago, Ellen Beam, then eight months pregnant, was working as a flight attendant on Trans World Airlines and traveling across Europe with her husband. During one particular flight on November 15, 1958, Beamโs water broke, she went into labor, and the plane had to make an emergency landing in Iceland. Beam was rushed into delivery and ended up giving birth to her daughter Anne at Keflavik Hospital (now known as The Southwest Health Center).
Drawing on this tie, the ladies worked with Kensington Tours to plan a monumental week-long trip back to Iceland in celebration of Hemingwayโs 60th birthday. The private-guided tour company arranged for a stay in one of Reyjkavikโs finest boutique hotels; organized an exclusive city tour and Northern Lights escape with an expert private guide; and provided luxury airport transfers. To make it a truly memorable experience, the tour company went above and beyond by locating the hospital where Hemingway was born and organizing a meet-and-greet with the hospital staff who worked there back in 1958. The event was even covered by Icelandโs biggest newspaper Morgunblaรฐiรฐ.
Beam, now 89, reminisced of the unexpected delivery telling Morgunblaรฐiรฐ that “it was as if God just meant for us to [land] here.โ
“We felt like we had to come,” she added. “We have a remarkable story that we thought we had to share [and experience together].”
โWe are honored to play a part in Ellen and Anneโs story,โ said Alison Hickey, President of Kensington Tours.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- To make it a truly memorable experience, the tour company went above and beyond by locating the hospital where Hemingway was born and organizing a meet-and-greet with the hospital staff who worked there back in 1958.
- For mother Ellen Beam and daughter Anne Hemingway, a trip to Iceland meant more than just a visit to its top attractions and majestic landscapes โ it was a return to a place where Hemingway's life unexpectedly began.
- Drawing on this tie, the ladies worked with Kensington Tours to plan a monumental week-long trip back to Iceland in celebration of Hemingway's 60th birthday.