What can I say? You are: magical, cozy, incredible, sublime, amazing, awesome, exciting, charming, etc. But of course I must also add that you're a bit cloudy, wet and dreary. Don't take it the wrong way though, it's part of your charm. A bit like a friendly black cat that sheds and drools. I'm willing to deal with your quirks.
I've been thinking too that maybe it's those quirks that make this place so special. Or maybe I've been rained on so much I've just convinced myself that I like it. Pitching a tent in the rain and then packing it up in the rain can be a bit demoralizing. But like when in Skaftafell that rain clears to reveal the most beautiful night sky I've ever seen, well, sometimes getting rained on isn't so bad. And when you're driving along the coast and mountains are covered in clouds, it adds a certain character to them. A bit mysterious. Images of Godzilla lurking around entered my mind as I looked up. He'd fit in pretty well here. Often I also expressed my wish for a kite, you'd be in danger of flight yourself while flying one. But watching the pattern the wind makes blowing the grass around in a field or on the water in a lake at the bottom of a crater makes you appreciate it.
You get a real sense that this country is alive. Not just from the wind and the rain. At Krafla we saw bubbling mud, Mývatn the volcanic glow in the sky, Skaftafell a bit of glacier and northern lights, Akranes was home to fierce winds and the ocean, and Thingvellir a rift in the land between two continental plates. The waterfalls, like stars, would be near impossible to count. Endless lava fields, some covered in moss, and huge craters remind you of Iceland's past. So do the fjords, giving you a feel for the power of nature. Often we would ask ourselves "Where are we?", "Is this even real?" Asbjørn would mention that he felt like he was in a dream, a feeling I can relate to. Iceland is a different world from any other I've seen. I'll miss it here but one day I'll come back.
Right now I'm writing this post from a comfortable bed here in the Hlemmur Square hostel, downtown Reykjavik. It's quite a luxury. For the first night in a while (50+ days) I'm not in a sleeping bag and I've got a real pillow. Sounds of street traffic comes up into our dorm from below. Yesterday we ate in a real restaurant, with a waitress, and wandered around town. Reykjavik is different from where I've been. And I like it. A lot. As far as cities go this is my favorite so far. Taking down the tent in near hurricane winds with a light drizzle yesterday morning may influence that. Or it might be just that this place is nice. With 66-75% of Icelands population and tourists flooding the streets I never once felt crowded. The stone streets, trees, and architecture all make for a lovely walk. The people are friendly and far more fashionable than I'll ever be. Reykjavik will be added to the long list of places I wish I had more time for. But for now, if only for a bit, it feels nice to be back in "civilization".
One of the stars of my "Dear Friends," post, Anna, has already left. She's headed for Norway and soon I will follow. When my flight lands I'll take a train to Oslo to meet her at the bus station. From there we'll hop on a bus and head out into the wild. Lots of backpacking is ahead of us.
For now though I'll enjoy my last little bit here. So thank you Iceland, again, for being what you are. An island in the middle of the Atlantic that's like nothing I've seen. You've certainly had an impact on my life and captured part of my heart. One day I'll be back!
Sincerely,
Zeb
No comments:
Post a Comment