Iceland

Lets start with the facts: Iceland is phenomenal. I love pretty much everything about it. I love the constantly changing, occasionally extreme weather. I'm used to unpredictable weather in Seattle, but it pales in comparison to Iceland. Sitting directly on the gulf stream doesn't help any. A relentless wind pushes a week's worth of weather systems across the island in an afternoon.

I love the alien landscapes, the result of a recent combination of volcanic and glacier activity (not to mention that Iceland lies on the mid-Atlantic ridge, which continues to pull and stretch the island). The glaciers fuel a gorgeous collection of rivers and waterfalls, which wind their way around geothermal activity and through tectonic cracks. And there is no doubt about it, Iceland is rugged land. I saw a more diverse population of shrubs and bushes on the edge of the Sahara than I saw throughout inner Iceland. (And the rest of my pictures from a day trip through inner Iceland are here.)

I love the small, comfortable feel of Reykjavik. With a population under 200,000, downtown Reykjavik is a friendly union of small business and houses. No colossal high-rises, overwhelming pedestrian crowds, or frantic commutes. A streak of Scandinavian practicality that runs through nearly everything, too. Building design is simple and effective. It almost looks like IKEA decided to get into the architecture market.

And, possibly more than anything else, I love Icelandic people. After weeks among overbearingly boisterous Spaniards, Iceland's reserved nature was relaxing step back (although many locals appear determined to make up for their agreeable personality with a brazen disregard for American or European style standards, opting to forge a style that is purely Icelandic). Iceland is truly a multilingual country, as everyone speaks flawless English. It was fascinating to watch them talk to each other and subconsciously slip back and forth between languages, depending on what the situation called for.

And speaking of the Icelandic language, what a strange beast. I read a quote about learning the language that goes something like: "Learning Icelandic is like getting a tattoo on your ass: it's painful, it takes a long time, and you rarely get to show it off." Encouraging! The biggest problem is that most of the letters look familiar (it's based on the Latin alphabet), but the letters don't sound like you'd expect them to (and there are several sounds that I'm simply incapable of producing). For example, "h" and "v" work as expected, except when put together, where they produce a "qu" sound. The letter "g" sounds like a "g" or a "y", depending on the surrounding letters. And "ll" creates some weird "l"/"h"/clicking sound, which I haven't come close to saying correctly.

Icelanders were also a little confused about why anyone would visit their windswept island in the middle of the fall. Without fail, the first question they ask is: "Why come to Iceland, and why come to Iceland in November?!" There are, as I've started to list, at least million reasons why Iceland is amazing. Icelandic people, growing up and enduring the windy, dark, and sometimes bleak conditions, have a hard time imagining Iceland as an exotic location. But it is. I liken it to traveling to Mars and running into a Martian race there. The Martians would have a hard time understanding what is so exciting about a vast, burnt, dry, red land. But come on, it's Mars!

I always felt a little silly telling the locals I went to Iceland because well... "dude, it's Iceland!" Next time I tell them to read this, instead.

Arctic Chill

I just landed in London this afternoon, I'm currently spending a wonderfully quiet evening outside the Stansted airport (where I'll be departing for Iceland from tomorrow). I can't tell you how comfortable it is to be in an English speaking country. Passing through customs, I was able to stroll up to the counter with a casual "How's it going?" greeting. Of course, the English would rather choke on their own tongues before partaking in some casual pleasantries with a stranger, but it was still nice to know that a certain level of comprehension was available to both sides of the conversation.

Also, I still can't get over the hilarious ways that British English manages to stretch the language. Take the signs at the airport for example. There are signs for "pick up" where, presumably, one would go to get arriving passengers. So what does the sign for departures say? "Set down," of course. Sure, it's the opposite of "pick up" so it makes sense, but do you really say you're about to go "set someone down" at the airport? Funny people, these British.

Anyway, back to Iceland. It will be, I think, one of the highlights of my trip. Enormous natural hot springs, geysers, absolutely alien landscapes, probably a little snow, and — hopefully — a glimpse of aurora borealis! I've never gone hiking in a snowstorm before, this could be my first chance. Of course, having just spent the last two months in a wonderfully Mediterranean climate, I'm not sure how ready I am for sub-freezing temperatures and gale-force winds. But it all adds to the mystique and the adventure.

But right now I think I'm most excited about not having to travel for a few days. Tomorrow is the end of my eleven day travel marathon. I've been through four countries, on three planes, five trains, a couple ferries and spent countless hours in buses. It's been an unforgettable, but extremely busy week and a half. I can't wait to have just one day where I can sleep in, wake up, and not pack up my bags for trip somewhere. Spending two nights in a row in the same place will be blissfully relaxing. Well, at least until I step outside and am blown off my feet, at least. :) I have no idea what to expect in Iceland, which should make every day a surprise.