Gleðilegt nýtt ár vinir (Happy New Year, Friends)! My trip to Iceland was even more eventful and exciting than I could have imagined. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with my partner’s family, ride a snow mobile for the first time, get a glimpse of the northern lights, meet interesting new people and show off some of my new language skills. I definitely faced some language challenges during my stay and I will expand upon some of those experiences in my next post. For now, I thought it would be fun to share some visual and written highlights from the trip! 🙂
Learning Common Icelandic Words on the Plane
To my delight, when I stepped on the Icelandair flight I saw that every headrest had a different Icelandic word or phrase with its corresponding English definition. I think that most Icelanders are aware that many people find their language and culture fascinating, and it is great that they are encouraging people to pick up some useful phrases on the flight.
Listening to a Concert in a Lighthouse
My partner’s lovely and talented friend Sara invited us to her intimate concert in a lighthouse in Akranes. On a windy and rainy evening, we ventured out to the coast to experience a very unique concert. With the sound of the ocean splashing against the shore as her backdrop, Sara’s voice echoed through the long and narrow structure in a beautiful ghost like resonance. Our ears were serenaded with English and Icelandic songs. At the very end, Sara and and a couple of her musically inclined friends performed an improvisational interpretation of the sound of the waves. A saxophone, multiple guitars and other instruments that are foreign to me, transformed into the deep and mysterious sounds of the ocean. The audience was intrigued by the rhythmic yet unpredictable movements, and if you closed your eyes it was almost as if you were transported right into the middle of an intense storm on the water.
Riding a Snow Mobile!!
This was my first time riding on a snow mobile and now I completely understand why people love doing it! Yes, it was pretty cold riding along the edge of a glacier but the sights are so stunning that it is worth bundling up in the onesie snowsuit that the company provided. It took about 45 minutes in a monster coach (a coach on 8 huge tires) to arrive at the base camp where the snow mobiles awaited us. In total, we rode for an hour along a trail with our guides and made one stop for photo ops of the stunning scenery. This experience was invigorating and I seriously can’t wait to do it again!
Lots of Yummy Food
Our diet ranged from traditional Icelandic cuisine like cured meat, pickled cabbage, mashed potatoes and lamb stew to lots of guilty pleasures like candy (nammi) and hotdogs (pylsur). The sweet, savory, and sour foods of Iceland took us on a culinary journey of the past and present. We enjoyed every last bite and used the excuse that we were on vacation to stuff our bellies to the brim.
Appreciating the Beauty Around Us
There was so much more that I gained on this trip than just language immersion. Being this close to pristine and untouched nature always gives me an intense positive emotional response. I can breathe in the fresh air and feel reinvigorated. It is almost as if all my senses get detoxed and my cells feel refreshed. I enjoyed every second of this journey and I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to experience this beautiful place and share it with you. 🙂
Þakka þér fyrir að lesa og sjáumst fljótlega (Thank you for reading and see you soon)!
