Iceland Travel Preparation

Iceland is a place that makes the world we live in feel majestic. Certain places can make me feel like sharing the same planet with them is a myth. Iceland, being a place that has glaciers and hot springs, sunshine for 24 hours some days, but having the most beautiful night sky in the world at other parts of the year, are two sides of a coin that most people do not get to keep in their pocket. The Blue Lagoon and puffin colony are the two things that I look forward to experiencing the most. I have to say I’m nervous about the weather. I have always considered myself a summer person. Growing up at the beach, I have always struggled with cold temperatures, especially being by the water in the winter. I do think that traveling to Iceland will change my perception of lower temperatures because I believe I will find beauty in colder weather after exploring Iceland. I tend to find comfort in adding new adventures to my life and think walking on volcanic grounds and glaciers will motivate me to continue trying new things. Contradicting my love of being adventurous, one thing I am not good at exploring is different foods. I would say I’m stuck in my childhood phase of only ever wanting to eat foods that are familiar to me. I’ll say I want to try something new and I will, but if I had the option to eat something I have already had instead of something new I will always choose a food I have already tried. It is something I am guilty of. But again, I think this trip will expand my palate along with my cultural traveling experiences. 

Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon. Shot with iPhone 15.

I always find myself getting inspired by the unknown. Any type of myth or history that has not been explored, any story or tale that does not have an ending. The reason why I wanted to become a writer was how easy the idea to write a story is for me. When I was a kid, I could see two people walking down the street and immediately have a story idea from beginning to end. That is why I cannot wait to look for some more information on Icelandic folklore. The fact that a story as unique and classic as “The Hobbit,” was birthed from Icelandic folklore gets me so excited to learn more about the roots and origin of Iceland being on the ground.  According to Egill Bjarnason's "How Iceland Changed the World," Tolkien, along with many ancient kings and universities, consistently sought Icelandic speakers. Reading, writing and interpreting old scripts is the oldest profession in Iceland. This urge to be engulfed in Icelandic literature and the chance to be inspired in a completely different light is definitely an expectation I have set for the trip. I do believe that literature is not the only thing that will empower my creativity, because the scenery of the country alone will put me in a new world. A world that I will want to build on in my mind as a writer and on my feet as a traveler.