It's the end of my 34th year, and also nearly the end of my travels...for now. I spent the last week in Iceland. And if any of you were following my Instagram pics, you'll know how that place is pure magic. Every picture revealed something incredible. I understand why it inspired writers, and and travelers alike. Between the insane moss covered lava fields underfoot with hot water cutting through the terrain and the aurora borealis dancing above, I cannot convey how amazed I was by Iceland.
I went because my friend asked me to join her. I had no expectations and honestly wasn't super excited about a cold weather destination, as up until now, I'd been chasing summer. I have to say, i will reconsider my anti-cold weather vacation stance. The Scandis say there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. And once I figured out the right layered approach, me and my travels mates (three incredible women who let me convince them to make this an extreme sports vacation) enjoyed the fresh air and even managed to hike up a mountain and strip down to bikinis and swim in a hot spring.
After all these months of travel, it's funny how easy it all becomes. I landed in a freezing down pour, managed to lose my suitcase (very briefly), and managed to get a head cold. And yet, I got my bearings in Reykjavik, met some locals, had breakfast waiting for my travel mates all within a few hours.
After all these months of travel, I've learned not to over plan. I broadly knew what Iceland was known for, and as a group we went to a tourist info office and asked what was available and recommended. I refuse to do bus tours, and since we had a car, we had some amazing options. In the end, we decided to climb a glacier, go ice climbing, horseback ride through a lava field, ride snow mobiles, and bliss out at the blue lagoon for two days, and leave our last day open.
With that game plan, we embarked on some truly incredible adventures. And yes, it was a bit more touristy than the rest of my travels, but I'd be an idiot to climb a glacier unaided or rent snow mobiles in a remote area without a guide. I love extreme summer sports, and i was out of my element with winter activities...so this was the way to go. And what a way to go. I can honestly say, I loved every minute of that trip. Our group dynamic was perfect. I only knew one other person in the group, we had done a road trip together a few years ago, so I knew if she liked the other women, we'd be fine. But i have to say, I could not have anticipated how much fun, how easy and enjoyable this group would be. When you're in close quarters with 3 other people, whether it's a long car ride, or just living in an apartment together, moments of awkwardness or tension are usually inevitable. But we never had that. It was always fun. Every meal we tried new foods (including, fermented shark, puffin, whale, and lamb pate) and talked for hours. And really, isn't that one of the best things?
Every aspect of our trip was amazing. The blue lagoon felt like living on the surface of the moon, the milky blue water was incredible, and at night the sky put on a show for us. Everything we did was new to me. Turns out, I LOVE snow mobiling. Fjord ponies are adorable, and I want to decorate my house all in Scandinavian style. You have to go to Iceland. That is all.
A while ago, I started a list of the things that will always make me happy (I will publish that soon) the first thing on the list: good food with good people. Every meal for a week was like that. I feel so lucky. In fact, this trip with the icing on top of an incredible few months. Since it's my birthday, and I'm in a reflective sort of a mood, please indulge me: I'm realizing more and more just how lucky I am. How honored I am to have known and met such amazing people throughout the years. Quitting my job, leaving the life I had cultivated for 12 years was challenging and at times a bit scary, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm lucky I could afford to do it, and lucky that my family and friends were so supportive. I'm so excited for my new life in Tel Aviv, but I think just moving there would not have been enough if I hadn't seen so much of the world first. It's quite a change for me to just freelance full time, to not have a full time job financial guarantee, but it's exciting. I've had the privilege to live however I see fit for nearly one year. I've been able to see things I could hardly imagine. And I was able to spend quality time with friends I rarely see. I have no regrets. I am in awe.
