Back to the Real World..

If the lack of posts hasn't clued you in to how insanely swamped I have been since getting back to school, then my crazy mess of a living space would. Well, I guess only if you knew me and my OCD habits.. My roommate makes fun of me a bit because everything is usually pretty neat and organized. I can't help it. Everything has a specific spot and I prefer that it stay in it. I mean, I even still make my bed. More so that I don't jump into it and pass out in those small breaks between classes, but hey, whatever works. But lately it has been a bit crowded and unorganized simply because everything else takes a back seat to my studies. I mean, it is pretty much the main reason I am here. I just have to remind myself that.. multiple times a day. I have unfortunately been met with 0% motivation since returning from Iceland. The travel fever set in and blocked my mind to everything I that was ordinary. Which is really unpleasant when you have 6 papers, a group project, and French exams to that need attention. So yeah, I haven't really taken much time to breathe, much less write.

But I just needed a breather, so since I only have films in both my classes tomorrow (and I have finished all work that absolutely needed to be done by tonight) I decided to just type a bit. And I am going home this weekend to just get even more of a break. I am hoping it will help clear my head a bit and give me a moment to remind myself how motivated and excited I was in the beginning. Not that I am completely bogged down right now.. it's just that final stretch nonsense kicking in where you gotta pull on your spare reserves to make it across the finish line.

At the moment I am stuck in limbo as to what to do about summer. I would really like to stay on campus and take classes, but residence halls unfortunately do not offer free lodging for summer. Actually, the cost for little over 2 months stay in summer is the same as the costs for staying a full semester. Insane, right? And since my Tuition Assistance has been temporarily suspended (I ranted about that in person enough that I don't feel the need to type it out.. you're welcome) money is a major issue. I also just paid for a pretty costly repair to my vehicle today, so that was a hindrance I certainly could have done without. Oh well. If by chance I am forced to leave for summer, you can bet I am gonna spend it exploring. Something, somewhere, anywhere. I'm gonna try new food, see new sights, meet new people, and read. Maybe I can make a dent in that 100+ list of books I seem to add to everyday. Sigh.. maybe that's what I need. I did say I wasn't going to rush this, right? I just went all starry eyed when my adviser said I could possibly graduate next spring if I did summer classes. Why do we get so excited when we get closed to finishing something? Why does conquering a goal become the main focus? Why can't we just enjoy the journey more? Bah.

Enough stressing.. it will all work out one way or another. Good things I have discovered? Two new teas for my Keurig machine that I am absolutely addicted to. One is a lemon herbal tea and the other is a mandarin orange spice tea. Oh my goodness gracious they are wonderful! Unfortunately I only ordered trial boxes of 5 servings, so I am forcing myself to ration them. But the full boxes will most certainly be in my next order. Some people may scoff at a fancy coffee machine, but I adore mine. Coffee in the morning, green tea at lunch, and herbal tea in the evening. It is worth every penny. I also tried English Breakfast Tea, simply because I've never had it but I see it everywhere, and I don't understand the hype. I mean it's good, I guess.. doesn't really taste like much. But there was this one tea that I had in the Iceland airport that was mind-blowingly fantastic.. the brand was lipton and it was something to do with blue fruits.. tasted mostly like blue raspberry. But I haven't found it here. Just like that dang soda I had there that was so amazing and not available here. Downside of travel: falling in love with foods and drinks that you are unable to get back home.

Oh and sidenote, tattoo has completely healed. I love how peoples' eyes light up after they ask me what it means and I explain it and tell them where I got it. Someone actually called me an inspiration the other day. Not gonna lie... major stroking of my ego. If I inspire just one person to find the courage to step outside their comfort zone, well I can rest easy with that.

Pictures :)

Geysir

 

 Super Jeep

 Gulfoss

 Silfra

 Seljalandsfoss

 Crater Glacier

Skógafoss

View from atop the Perlan

 

 Saga Museum statue

Sólfarið - The Sun Voyager

 And of course, Stormer and I :)

Airports

I do not like airports. They are stress traps designed to make the simplest of tasks so insanely complicated. And you know the employees can't stand their jobs because I hardly ever meet anyone who doesn't look like they're one bad look away from strangling someone. And each airport is different.. Leaving Iceland, didn't have to take my shoes off. Leaving Phoenix, they went through my bag and wanted to pull out each little item. It is paranoia to the extreme going through a damn security checkpoint. Everyone is a terrorist until proven innocent. One day I would really love to watch some one just scream "bomb!" And just see how everyone would react. I wouldn't want to do it personally because I think my short bit of patience and smart mouth would just get me into further trouble if I were ever detained, but I would sure love to witness it.

So yeah, I am once again sitting in the airport with the stuffy air and the mirgaine slowly trickling in. It never fails. Flying takes so much out of me. I would like to think if I wasn't claustrophobic I might handle it better, but that's just wishful thinking. Running on four hours of sleep might be a bit of a hinderance as well, but oh well. I hate sleeping ln planes because I always wake up with the worst pain in my neck and sometimes my lower back. The flight back from Iceland was especially rough on my back, but I guess that's to be expected from a 7 1/2 hour flight.

But I am back state side and as I have said many times, I am not happy about it. After breakfast Sunday morning, I just went walking around the streets in Reykjavik. The stores weren't open and people weren't out (except for the lady walking a pair of really happy and friendly Scottish terriers) but it was the quiet peacfulness that I enjoyed. I really did not want to leave. I may hate the journey of getting somewhere (the flying part at least) but I am officially in love with travel and exploration. I feel new motivation to explore as much as possible, even if I am not leaving the country or the state. I read a quote somewhere that traveling isn't so much about being somewhere different, but seeing your surroundings in a different way. That sounds a little easier and a whole lot cheaper way to occupy my time until my next adventure.

Oh, and pictures will come either later today or tomorrow.. We will see how long it takes me to crash once I get back.

Iceland Day 6: Blue Lagoon, Puffin, and packing

My last night here.. My post for yesterday went up late because I was spent from the trip last night and got as much sleep as I could before being picked up for the Blue Lagoon. It is Iceland's most famous geothermal spa and for good reason! It is amazing. The majority of Iceland is run on geothermal power and there are tons of hot springs all over. The Blue Lagoon is the largest and sit on the tectonic plate rift. It's waters are bright blue and truly bath-water temperature. Walking in I was watching my breath clouds in front of my face thinking, "There is snow on the ground and I am really about to go swimming?" As a Southerner, that just goes against every natural instinct. But the water was just too inviting.

Now, my French professor had mentioned before that Europeans have no aversion to nudity, but that tidbit of knowledge didn't resurface from my memory until I rounded the corner in the locker room to see three women standing by their lockers chatting away without a stitch on. Showering en masse in basic training broke me of any lingering shyness I might have had, but when you have tattoos, you sometimes forget that they draw attention. So it was a very interesting experience to have a German woman question me about my rib tattoo after I took off my shirt, and then continue to remark on the rest as I tried to finish getting undressed. You needed to shower without your bathing suit first before going in the water, as well as put in comditioner in your hair because the water isn't so gentle on your hair. Great for skin, not so much on hair. So shower, bathing suit, fluffy bath robe, and then out to the water. Like I said, outside is cold. The water was hot, so there is tons of steam flowing off the top and giving the pool a very ethereal look. Tossing off the robe and dashing into the water to escape the cold didn't seem to be the best way to avoid standing out, so I found the rack closest to the waters edge, disrobed, and walked very quickly to the steps. Once in the water though, oh every muscle thanked me and my mind told me a nap would not be protested. I took my phone with me for some pictures, and got plenty of weird looks, but this was the moment that the LifeProof case purchase came in handy. I tried the white silica mud mask that promised exfoliation and smooth skin, and although it felt good, I think it dried my skin out just a bit. An hour and a half flew by although I was just lounging, wading, and floating through the water without a care in the world. That place could make you forget time and responsibilities completely.

For my final dinner here, I vowed to try Puffin. It's those cute little birds that look like penguins, but they aren't. Apprently they are very clumsy at flying and are known to crash often, but very graceful in the water. Another thing that they are is tasty. It was a three course meal (complete with me trying to figure out which stupid fork was for what... I am so not made for fanciness) with smoked Puffin first and Grilled Puffin next. The meat is very dark brown but very tender. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't comfortable eating meat that still has a bit of bloodiness to it, because the way I understand it is that it will develop the consistency of a leather shoe if you cook it too long. I like steaks medium so it was perfect to me. I can't really compare the taste to anything I have had before, but it certainly doesn't taste like chicken. It is just good.. Plain and simple. Oh and random note.. I honestly believe strawberries taste better here. All the ones I have had have been so wonderful. Come to think of it, I don't think I have eaten anything here I did not like. Which is suprising for me because I am usually a very picky eater. Still not trying the horse though.
Another thing that stood out to me at dinner was how much I enjoyed being surrounded by so many different languages. Every conversation I could here was spoken in a different language and although I didn't understand any, except for a few snippets of French, it was a plesant sound. Just listening to the differences in punctuation and watching body language to try to guess at the meaning. Languages have always fascinated me and it is one of those skills you can never run out of ways to improve. I'd like to test my own limits of mutiple language comprehension.

And now its night and it is time for me to pack. I really do not want to say goodbye to this country tomorrow. Its like you just got to watch ten minutes of a movie and you're dying to know the rest. And you know you won't be at peace until you see the end. Iceland, my dear, you call to me and I promise to return one day.

Iceland Day 5: Gelato, Museum, Ink, and the Aurora Borealis!!

Yes, the post says Gelato. I had never had it before and since I had understood it as originating in Europe (could be wrong) I figured I should try it while I was here. The server gave me like three scoops of the stuff and a lady that passed by when I first got it and when I was almost finished remarked on how long it took me to eat it all. But it was delicious! Better than ice cream, no, I'm Southern and partial to fattening foods that are absolutely horrible for me, but it was wonderful.
I got it while waiting for the Saga Museum to open up at the Perlan, or "The Pearl". It was a beautiful dome shaped museum that sat on the top of the hill in Reykjavik so you had an excellent view of the city from outside and up top. The museum was made by the owner and a lot of the life-like models were molded from people in the town. You were given a head set that told the story of Iceland as you walked through the museum. I love history as long as its a subject I am interested in, and the more I am here, the more I want to know everything. Maybe thats why I bought three more books in the bookstore...
After the museum, it was time for my tattoo appointment. I had stopped in the shop called "Reykjavik Ink" and although at first I was disappointed that the owner and artist were not Icelandic, it was nice to speak with a fellow Southern about our experiences here. He was from Alabama and is lucky enough to get to come here once or twice a year to stay and tattoo a bit. Now, I know there are a lot of people who do not agree with permanently inking your skin, most of my family included, but I would like to stress that just because something is not what you would do yourself, does not make it bad. The main difference between inked people and those that are not, we will never (most of us anyways) judge you for not being tattooed. You haven't found anything you're willing to commit to memory through pain and self-expression? That doesn't bother me one bit. Thats your choice and I respect that. So please extend me the same courtesy because I love my tattoos. They are a story of important events in my life, and since I am the only one who sat through the pain to get them, I am THE only one who's opinion matters on them. Most people follow the flow of what their society deems as beautiful, but I've always had way too much fun challenging things, and the ink in my skin is beautiful to me.

Okay, enough ranting. You get the picture. The tat session took maybe 30 or 40 minutes.. I didn't really keep track because 1. The sound of a tattoo gun drives me nuts and I always talk or find some other way to tune it out, and 2. It was an interesting conversation so I was pleasantly distracted. But it wasn't so long that the shops were closed after I was done. The shops here in town all start closing down around 6, which is kind of early when you think about it. But the more I paid attention to the people and the way they work, I realized that interaction with one another was important. Iceland has become a popular tourist spot after their economic downfall, but it wasn't always that way. It used to be pretty expensive to visit here and its clear that although they see the benefits of the tourism, most Icelanders can't help but feel slightly invaded. The number of tourists visiting the country annually is well over the number of actual citizens. It's a fine line between being proud of your country and all it has to offer, but also protecting it and the way of life you are used to. So although it may sometimes be a hassle for me, I respect that they value their own culture enough not to change for the benefit of tourists. They close shop and go home to their families.

So after dinner, I had enough time to grab a quick nap before the bus picked me up for the Northern Lights tour. When the bus picked me up, the guide said I could sit up front, and oh I am so thanful for that. We drove back out to the National Park and the wind picked up considerably in that time. We were well away from the light pollution of the city and parked of the road a bit in the snow with a good view of the horizon. The stars were so bright and our guide was telling us so many things about the Lights. It was wonderful to hear how excited he was about them although he has seen them more times than he can remember. He said they are something you just don't get tired of, especially because they are never the same. We had been sitting there staring at the sky for about an hour and a half, getting a little discouraged because although the stars were breathtaking, it wasn't the sights we were braving the cold for. Then they started. It was just a faint green hue off in the distance in the form of three green streaks, almost like someone had taken a paint brush and just made three quick stripes to check and make sure that was the color they wanted. For the next two hours we watched them brighten and fade, dance in ribbons and columns, burst out from a ball and spread out, change from green to purple to pink. The guide said sometimes red can be seen, but its super rare, and he has only ever seen it twice in his life. Now, I thought they always did the ribbon-like movement, because it seems like thats the only example I have ever seen in movies or pictures. But no, those lights have no set script of how they dance. I had tears in my eyes.. Not gonna lie. When you've dreamed about seeing something for so long, and then you do, well.. The word overwhelmed come to mind. The guide and I sat in the front of the bus discussing the lights and colors while everyone else watched from outside. I could see the lights without risking frostbite.. I had the best seat in the house. If you have never looked at something and been struck speechless with the awe and beauty of it, I sincerely hope your path leads you there and soon. That feeling reminds you you are alive and capable of experiencing this world and that in and of itself is beautiful.

Iceland Day 4: Icelandic off-roading, volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls and culture comparisons

Everytime I get ready to type up these posts, I try to remember all the great things I experienced during the day, but I always seem to miss something. I get frustrated for a moment until I realize that it just means I'll still have tidbits of information to talk about with someone wanting to know about this trip, even if they have read all my entries. Positive side to everything.

Okay, so today was the off-roading trip. It was advertised as a Super Jeep tour, but it was actually in a Toyota SUV.. It was still super though. Let me tell you.. We have absolutely nothing on the lifted vehicles found here. Off-roading here is not just done for fun, but in the winter it is a daily necessity. So their tires are usually over 35 inches at least, but many of the vehicles are well over that. I've got plenty of pictures of different vehicles to illistrate my point. But needless to say, I was excited.
Our trip headed out of Reykjavik for a drive over an hour so we had plenty of time to get acquainted. The two others in the vehicle were a couple from Scotland, and I could distinctly hear the difference in accent between English and Icleandic from that of a Scot. Never really been around that many different Europeans before, but they certainly do not all sound the same. We all discussed what we did, why we here, etc. The guide and Scottish man had a bit of fun discussing my accent, and the Scottish guy begged me to say "y'all". We critizied the States' (which is what most Europeans refer to USA as instead of just "America" which I agree with) system of measurement for a bit before we discussed how difficult and messed up the English language is. The guide tried not to laugh too hard at me as I struggled through pronouncing things once again, but the Scots weren't that much better at it, so I don't feel so bad. I mastered thank you and bye, which is Takk and Bless, but those aren't really that difficult. But hey, its something!
We stopped at the gas station to use the bathroom and get snacks before we started the tour. The guide and his brother were explaining to me the different beverages unique to Iceland, and I settled on a soda called "Mix" which is pineapple and blood orange flavored. It was wonderful! (And I'm sad I left the bottle in the car, but it shouldn't be too difficult to find again) But I did pass on the chocolate covered licorice, even though they assured me it "enhances the flavor". I think chocolate tastes just fine on its own, thank you.
From there it was on to Seljalandsfoss. The reason that Icelandic names are so long is because they mush a bunch of words together to name things. This name roughly translates to "waterfall where they milk goats". But the more I pay attention to the names of things, the more I understand the individual words. This language may not be so difficult after all. But anyways, the waterfall was beautiful, of course, but unfortunately it was rainy when we got there. And windy.. Plus it had been snowing on the way up there, but since there was a trail that led behind the waterfall, I wasn't letting that stop me. Braving the rain and freezing castoff from the waterfall carried by the wind, we all climbed the steps and followed the trail. And I'm glad, because on the other side I captured a photo when the sun was just starting to break through the clouds right behind the top of the waterfall and it was just amazing. I'm not a great photographer by any means, but I am so thankful for my present of the Nikon D40 camera from my mom, because otherwise these photos would not be possible. Thank you Mom! :)
From there it was a nice trip off the paved road through what used to be lake before the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull. This was the volcano that erupted in 2010 and delayed the air traffic in Europe. The eruption broke the side of the lake that was beside it and since all the water rushed out, tours are now led into the remaining crater so you can actually go up to the ice cap covering the volcano. Seeing a glacier up close and personal is definitely something worth bragging about. It was snowing again as we walked up to it, and all the volcanic rocks contrasted against the white snow made me feel like I should be wearing a lot more snow-approved apparel. The view though was unbelievable, and I was really thankful for the panorama feature on my iPhone. I really cant wait to get these pictures up.
Then it was another famous waterfall, Skógafoss. There were tons of photographers with their tripods at the base of this waterfall, although most seemed to be unwilling to do the steep hike up the side of the moutain to overlook the top. I do regret not going myself, but I was getting a bit worried about my camera being in the rain so much, so I snapped a few quick shots, played in the black sand a good bit, and hopped back in the car. 
While we were waiting for the rest of the group to get back, the guide was telling me about a few of his favorite Icelandic bands. He asked if I knew any, and I said I didnt think so, but once he started playing Of Monsters and Men, I instantly recognized them. Did not know they were Icelandic.  He played two other bands who sang in Icelandic instead of English, but even though I couldn't understand the words, I liked the music.
On the drive back, we disccused everything from language to food, from movies to education, and tons in between. They didn't know what okra was and I did 't understand their strange word for Eggplant. They thought it was funny that out guide's brother had guessed I was Scottish at first because he said I didn't have an American accent. He then called me a "Georgia flower" when I told him where I was from and I had to explain that the phrase was "Georgia peach". It then dawned on me I hadn't seen any peaches and he said they only had canned. Such a shame to not know the taste pf fresh peaches. Now many people may be wondering why I would ever think they would be able to grow fruit in such a cold climate, but the geothermal springs allow them to power greenhouses where they grow all sorts of fruits and veggies.. Even bananas! Yeah, they're very resourceful.
But the movies part of our discussion was my favorite. I had learned on the plane that the movie Prometheus was filmed in Iceland and the guide I hashed out our opinions on Ridley Scott's directing styles. Then we somehow got to Quentin Tarintino and Tim Burton. We also discussed the goreyness of Koren movies (thanks Daniel). What was the guide's favorite movie? The Big Lebowski! They really appreciate movies and make a lot here as well. I'm falling more in love with this country everyday. But although the guide assures me its really tasting and definitely worth the try, I refused to eat horse. Just no. Or that fermented shark thing. Yeah, some of their food I'm just not brave enough for.
But the conversations had to have been the highlight of this day. Between the jokes, stories, and opinions, it was pretty awesome to see so many commonalities. You can't really experience a country if you aren't willing to get to know the people. The culture is an essential part and any trip lacking that is just wasted. I'll have the pictures to remember the sights, but the people will have no problem sticking out in my memory.

Iceland Day 3: Snorkeling Silfra Lava Fissure and lessons in English drinking

So the morning started off with me being a little concerned about the cold due to the amount of overcast in the sky. Yes, I am in Iceland, and there's snow on the ground, so I do realize it's already cold, but the weather yesterday was a good bit warmer and considering that I was about to be jumping into water that's 2° C (or 36.5° F for us weirdos using a different measurement system than the rest of the world) it was a bit of an issue. Not the cold part so much, it's pretty much what I signed up for, but the worry that it may be cancelled. But I'm quickly learning that the rest of the world believes in your ability to take care of yourself a bit more and doesn't feel the need to hold your hand as much as America. Well, at least that's true for here, anyways.
So it started with a drive out of town back to Þingvellir National Park to the Silfra fissure. The lake that we were swimming in is Þingvallavatn and the water comes from the runoff of the glacier Langjökull. Hence why it's so cold. Also, neat fact about the water in the lake.. it never freezes. It may be so cold outside that the banks are frozen, but the water itself does not freeze. If you take it out though, it will freeze. They're not exactly sure why this is, but many people believe there are magical properties to the water. I just know that it tasted cleaner than any water I have ever had and it made my hair all soft and curly.. and my hair never curls well. At least I've discovered the secret to it now..
Anyways, back to the actual snorkeling part. First, we had to put on these puffy snow-suit type outfits that were insulated and very warm. We were also allowed (and encouraged) to keep a base layer on underneath even though the suits were so thick. Next came the dry-suit over that. As the name suggests, it is intended to keep you rather as opposed to a wet suit. The boots were already attached to the suit so they were sealed, and then the wrists and neck of the suit were lined with this super tight but stretchy rubber material. Once you finally manuvered your way into the thing (because it was hard) the rubber sealed to your neck and wrists to prevent absolutely anything from getting in.If I ever had one of those things on and needed to get out of it in a hurry, well I'd be shit out of luck.
Next came the hood and gloves. Those were made out of neoprene so the water did soak right through those. But it only took about a minute for your face and hands to go numb so you weren't suffering the cold too long. And by the time you had your face in the water, you were just in complete awe that the cold was the last thing on your mind. At least for me.. there was one lady in my group that seemed particularly upset with her husband for dragging here into it. But for me, it was beautiful. Visibility for up to 100 meters, bright blue water, interesting rock formations, and a nice slow current that meant you really didn't have to swim that much.. just float along. Which was a blessing for me because my boots were a bit big (the guide decided that a women's large was good enough for me.. he should never go into the fashion industry) and so my flippers were a bit awkward. But the contrast between the view of the banks to the world underneath was staggering. It made me wonder who discovered how beautiful it is in the water because you seriously could not guess it from the top.
When it came to the end of our swim, we got out and walked back to the entry point. Right behind there was a ledge overlooking a deep water hole. We were listening to them tell us that jumping off that ledge into the water was a right of passage for men many years ago and we were welcome to do it as well. Except that the generations of Icelanders before us had been doing it naked.. since no one seemed to eager to start stripping, they let us jump in with the suits. They also told us that there was an underground spring present there so the water was a bit warmer than the rest of the lake.. yeah, it was a trick. But it didn't matter.. I was on a ledge and the thrill of jumping was to great to pass up.. down I went. I didn't have the feeling in my face and hands return until about 30 minutes later, but I still say it was worth it. Plus we got hot chocolate after.
The overcast cleared up a bit on the drive back and we were able to see the mist rising off the lake like something out of a Tolkein movie. I'm telling you.. this place is where fairy tales originate.

Back at the hotel, I hate to say it, but I crashed. My body was letting me know that all this running around with absolutely no regard for time was taking its toll and I was out until dinner. Which this evening was an Italian dish that I can't remember the name, but had chicken, bacon, and chili. And my first beer here! Which was really smooth and a bit stronger than the beer back home. I loved it!
Which brings me to the next interesting thing that happened to me. The other day I had told a woman waiting for the elevator that I loved her jacket. It was this beautiful cream colored, down jacket, with more pockets than I cared to count, but it just looked great. Well I ran into her and her daughter in the lobby while I was trying to start this post so I could shower and get to bed early, but apparently they were very nice and loved to talk, so three hours later, here I am. They are from England and we talked about so many different topics. Another English woman came down because they had ran into her earlier as she was trying to get some pictures of the Northern Lights and she came to show us what was coming up on her camera. The lights haven't been visible since I've been here because of the overcast and rain, but hopefully it clears up by the weekend. Anyways, the photographer woman has telescopes at home where she can actually take pictures of the stars, planets, and moons. And they are book-quality clear. It was amazing looking at some of her photos. The older woman kept telling her how clever she was and her daughter asked her how much she had had to drink this evening. She replied that she was on her third glass of wine, to which her daughter said, "Mum, this is the same beer I had at 7!" And what was the mom's response? "Well that's because you're just silly my dear. Drink up!" Yeah, they suggested I just not go back home and just go back to England with them. One day, I will be in a position to say yes to an offer like that. Until then, we will just make plans for me to visit them later.

Iceland Day 2: Horses, Gulfoss, Geysir, & Thingvellir

Today was just epic. No other way to describe it. The sights of Iceland can not be compared to anything, anywhere, ever at any point in time. This whole country is on a pedestal of beauty. At least, it is to me, and it is in the eye of the beholder, right?

Okay, let´s start at the beginning. Driving about 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik over a very windy mountain pass (oh, yeah, I keep forgetting to mention this, but they have a shit ton of roundabouts! I really don´t like those things), we get to the horse ranch. Little history of Icelandic horses.. the breedline is pure. It is the ONLY breed of horse here on this island. No other breed is allowed. And if one does leave, it can never come back. Since a stable population of these horses has been established here (not sure when that was but it was long ago) there has never been another breed of horse to step foot on this island. Ever! And it´s not like these horses aren´t living in other parts of the world.. there is actually a whole circuit of competition for this specific breed and what they can do.. but if the owners take their horses outside the country to compete in those shows, they can never bring it back. It´s kinda sad, but it means that the blood line has never been tainted. And I will have to look into it more when I have the time, but it makes me wonder if that has anything to do with their coloration. For the most part, they are all solid colors. Out of the hundreds I saw, I maybe saw 6 or 7 paints. It is crazy.

Anyways, the special part about them: they have their own gait. I said something about it yesterday, and I understood it as something between the canter and gallop, but it is actually slower and closer to the pace of the trot, but it can get faster. It is actually pretty flexible, but from what I experienced today, I can best describe it as a really fast trot, but smooth. You are not bouncing around in the saddle at all. You are not bouncing really and anyone who rides will understand how amazing that it. They all are born with this ability, but when they are broken, they do have to be taught how to trigger it. You have to hold the reins pretty short so their heads are pulled up but keep your hands down so they don't think you're telling them to halt. And you just squeeze you're thighs instead of digging in your heels. If I loosened the reins a bit, my horse would switch to a trot and it would be bouncy again. Pull the reins tighter, and everything smoothed right back out. It´s called the tölt and it is amazing (I attempted to get the guide to teach me how to pronounce that.. again, I failed. Ugh, this language is so difficult!). My horse was named Stormer and let me tell you, he thought he was the leader. He would actually head butt the rear of the horse in front of him until he moved out of the way and let him pass. I was so impressed by amount of personality he had, I let him do it. And even though we weren´t supposed to, we cantered a bit. And if there is a horse on this Earth that has a smoother canter, I have never ridden it. That little guy liked to go fast and I was all too happy to let him. I could be perfectly content living here and working on a ranch like our tour guides. One was Swedish and the other French. Neither had ever ridden Western style and had no clue what Barrel Racing was. I wonder how well an Icelandic horse would take to running some barrels.. Hmm..

Okay, so after that lovely ride, it was on to Geysir. This is where the word geyser comes from because geysir is derived from the norse verb "geysa" which means to gush. If I'm not mistaken, I think the sign said that it was the second largest geyser in the world, but I may be remembering that incorrectly. The tour guide said it erupts almost every twenty minutes, but I think they were just estimating on the safe side, because it was more like every five. I got tons of pictures away as it erupted and one right beside it. I also got pictures of the many hot pools and smaller geysers around it as well. It was a beautiful place.

But the next stop, was the whole reason I ever really paid attention to Iceland in the first place. I wanted to stand beside the gigantic waterfall that is Gullfoss, which means Golden Waterfall. I did what I promised myself I would do and it took my breath away. Beautiful just doesn't seem to adequately describe how that waterfall looked to me. I took so many pictures of every angle I could. And to top it off, there was a rainbow diving down into the cascading waters and it appeared so well on camera. The trail leading to the side of the falls was "closed" due to the weather and the path being slippery so I took a picture of the sign to show that I saw, acknowledged it, and crossed it anyway. And I´m glad I did because there was a completely different view from over there that you just couldn't get from the top. There was tons of other people doing it too, before anyone freaks out that I'm gonna get myself thrown in foreign jail. Trust me, if that happens, it'll be for a much more interesting reason.

And then we were on our way to the National Park that completes the triangle of what is referred to as the Golden Circle. But before I talk about that, I would like to discuss the things our tour guide told us. She was a very nice woman with pretty good English, even though her accent was extremely thick. And she called some things differently than we know them as, such as referring to Polar Bears as Ice Bears, which cracked me up. Anyways, she was telling us about the Fairy and Troll Sagas. Icelanders sincerely believe in fairies and trolls (and they'll get pretty pissed if you make fun of them) and there are many ways it affects the way of life on the island. They believe the rock formations at the bottom of some of the mountains or out in the bays are trolls that got caught out in the open when they sun comes up and gets turned to stone. They build small wooden, decorated houses, similar to birdhouses to offer as homes to fairies. And they also believe if you are building something such as a house or road and the construction is having issues, then you must be too close to the home of a fairy and they will actually move the project. Unless, of course, you get permission from the fairy. Case in point, this lady that built a house at the bottom of a mountain known to be "fairy territory". But she built many extra windows and doors into her house (on the smaller side.. kinda like doggy doors) and welcomed the fairies to share her home. And when an earthquake happened last year, rocks were falling all around the valley from the mountain, but not a single one hit her house because the fairies were protecting her because she protected them. Honestly, I think there are crazier things to believe in, so this was pretty cool to me.
But then she told the story of how fairies came to be. Apparently it is said that Adam and Eve had many more children than just Cain and Abel. One day, God came to visit and see the children, but Adam and Eve were ashamed of their children being dirty and tried to clean them before God arrived. They only had time to clean Cain and Abel though, so they made the other children hide behind the large stones. God knew this, and told the children that from now on they would live within the stones and have the ability of invisibility. Bam, fairies. This story was a little harder to take a face value, because Icelanders are descendants of Vikings, who followed the paegan religion of Old Norse, and therefore didn't have a monotheistic belief in one God until they were converted to Christianity. So yeah, I have a lot of issues with that one, but it was interesting nethertheless.
And then there is the little factoid that all Icelandic glaciers are named after men names, and all Icelandic volcanoes are named with women names. I'll let y'all go ahead and have fun coming up with the jokes of that one (that means you Mac). The one that we were passing at the time that she was telling us this is named Hekla, and she is referred to as the Gateway to Hell because of all the destruction she has caused. She's supposed to erupt or have some kind of activity every 5 years, and the longer she remains dormant, the worse it will be when she does erupt. And I believe the guide said the last time she showed activity was 2000.. I think.. but if so, that's a lot of built up badness. Also, this is a picture taken from the ash cloud of when she erupted last time, and it kinda makes you believe in her name.

Okay, now to Thingvellir. Or also referred to as "Parliament Plains" where the first Icelandic government was formed and continued to meet there until 1798. Today it is a beautiful national park and also home to the Icelandic president's summer house.. oh and by the way, it is in no way outlandish, showy, or heavly guarded. It is quaint and cute and our leaders could learn a thing or two from this country.. just saying (I'm still having a hard time dealing with the government suspending the military's tuition assistance, so no good feelings towards them from moi right now). It is also where the European and American tectonic plates are separating and the movement if causing these massive rifts all along the fault lines which run through the park. You can see the crevices where the ground has literally just been pulled apart. We actually crossed from the European to the American plate on our drive, at which point the guide announced, "Welcome to America!" My first thought was, I'm not ready to go back yet! This place is just something ripped out of a fairy tale and I am still amazed I am actually here. I'm even embracing new foods here! I avoided the horse on the dinner menu because I just couldn't bring myself to do that, but I did try lamb for the first time (wonderful) and some weird fruit thing that was the shape and size of a grape, but bright orange and kinda tart. Okay, so lamb and weird fruit may not be that daring, but I do plan on trying puffin and possibly whale before I leave. We shall see. I am just not that brave when it comes to food.

So I am still really irritated with myself that I do not have my computer to upload pictures with this post, but then I guess I would probably not get any sleep and that just would not work. It will be a field day when I get back going through them all though. I find a reason to take a picture pretty much every five seconds, and I really don't care if I look like a silly tourist. I just love this place.

Oh, and that tectonic plate rift I was talking about? It extends to the water as well, where you can snorkel and scuba dive in the crevice. I have to settle for snorkeling because I don't have a scuba certification (yet), but it's my activity first thing in the morning and I just can't wait. Am I ever gonna run into anything I'm not excited about in this place? Let's hope not!

And on a sidenote, I am typing on the computer offered here in the lobby because typing on my iPad really just takes way too long for me and I make too many mistakes, but I'm still making just as many here. See, most of the time I don't have to look at the keyboard as I'm typing, but when the keyboard you are using in in a different language and has different symbols, it is bound to mess you up. These are some of the natural keys on this keyboard:
°° ö ð æ  þ ´ € µ
So yeah, when those letters have replaced the ones I'm used to, I'll get halfway through a sentence and realize I can't read it. I wonder what kind of keyboard I'm gonna need when I learn multiple languages...

Day One in Iceland!

It really takes me forever to compose a post on my iPad, but since I decided last minute to not bring my laptop, it'll have to do. I'm concerned I might forget something if I wait to jot this all down until I get back.

So, Iceland.. One word: WOW! This country is just so dang beautiful and the people are incredibly nice. Except for the guy who hung out the window as he drove past and BAAed at me (yes, like a sheep). Still not sure what that was about. But everyone else has been nice for the most part. Went to an Angolian steakhouse for dinner and the waitress tried to teach me how to pronounce the dish I ordered (picture is unfortunately on my phone and that will have to wait until I get back). The hard part is that French is technically my second language, even though I'm not fluent..yet, its the first experience I have had with a foreign accent. So in French, you roll your R sounds at the back of the throat and most sounds are nasal. For Norse(or Icelandic as they more often call it) the R sounds are pronounced by a clicking of the tongue behind the teeth.. Its hard to explain but the point is that it is opposite of what I'm used to. So she got a kick out of trying to teach me.. I failed miserably today but tomorrow I shall try again!

Speaking of accents, no one guesses I'm American. They're not used to my Southern accent, so they assume I'm British most of the time.That totally cracks me up. Especially since theyhave a slightly different accent than any Britsih person I've ever encountered. But I do certainly stand out as different. I have noticed very little people wearing blue jeans here, and thats kinda half my wardrobe. And I may be wrong, but it seems like no one really fixes their hair.. At least not in the way we are used to. At the airport, there was a girl with the most beautiful head of thick, curly, flaming red hair I've ever seen, but you could tell those waves weren natural. Most people have hats on or their hair pulled up (lazily thrown in a ponytail), but even if its down, it looks natural. Have not noticed one person with hair that looks like its been straightened or curled with an iron. Not sure why, but that stood out to me. Also, not much makeup either. But tons of freedom with body modification, i.e. piercings, tattoos, and dreads although the last doesnt really fall into that category but theres a lot of people with them. Passed by two tattoo shops on the walk through downtown, and you know I'm itching to go get one. Most shops close around six, so I'll have to check it out more tomorrow.

Also, their food is interesting. They have many of the same things we do, just different packaging. Their skittles bags cracked me up. And I even saw Angry Birds gummies, ha. But they advertise a lot of natural and organic food, as well as food from different cultures. In a four block radius, found Pakistanian, Italian, Mexican, Thai, Japanese, Indian, and Meditteranen. And I wanna try it all!

The one complaint so far.. The bathroom. Oh goodness its small. And the shower is just set up in the corner, with the curtian on a rod that curves around the corner and a drain in the bottom. So when I walk in and see a squeegee propped on the wall and no molding or barriers enclosing the shower space, I'm a little suprised but I guess I assumed they would design the floor to make the water drain easier, but no... That thing flooded!!! Oh, and since the water is heated by underground geothermal springs, it comes with this lovely side effect of smelling like.. Sulfur. That's right.. The water smells like rotten eggs. Its really not strong so its not terrible, but man its an experience. And even though the sign promises the water if safe to drink, I'll buy my own, thanks. Oh and no washclothes.. Just towels. Weird.

Tomorrow though, is going to be fun. Horseback riding trip to the famous Geysir and the Gullfoss waterfall. Seeing those sights on horseback is going to make it just so much better. Icelandic horses have a fifth gait between their canter and gallop thats supposed to be incredibly smooth. We shall see!! I'm regretting not having my computer to be able to put all my pictures together to illustratewith my posts, but I'll just have to make a big one with tons of pics next week! Now, bedtime. Got an early day tomorrow! Eeeeee!

But this is the view from the room to hold you over for now :)

Juggling

So, needless to say, it's been a while. I have noticed throughout my relatively short years that I have a bad habit of starting things with the utmost excitement, but somehow losing the momentum to see them through to the end. I'd like to break that habit because it tends to be pretty frustrating. My first step to achieving that is going to be keeping up with this blog regularly. Putting my thoughts down on paper, so to speak, really does help me, but sometimes I feel like I don't have enough time. Which is a lie of course.. I'm just not the best at time management. I'm certainly not the worst, but I do have a strong procrastinating streak. I blame my dad for that one.

Anyways.. time management. Something you most certainly need in college. And with the 18 hours that I am taking this semester, it's no wonder that I really don't take my head out of the books during the week. Even so, life creeps in the way and demands a slice of my time and attention. For example, I need to get an oil change really bad, I need to go get some groceries, and today would actually probably be the best day to get some time with Tay in before I head off to Iceland for Spring Break. A whole ten days out of the country... I'm so excited! But I'll talk more about that when I'm safely through the trials of midterms and can actually take a moment to relax. Back on topic though.. there are somethings that demand my presence outside of the library and I am trying to figure out what to deem "more important". Fact is, they are all important in some way.. so how to I fit them all in? Piece by piece. I take advantage of every second I have from the time my feet hit the floor so that when I lay down, I'm out in under 5. And even then, somethings slip through my hands a bit. Mostly assigned reading... because if the subject really doesn't interest me, I end up getting sidetracked a lot and will not even pay attention to what I just read. I try to balance it with a bit of personal reading, but I doubt that reading for 1 hour out of a text book and 3 hours out of a Clive Barker book is beneficial. Although it did come in handy for my philosophy paper which I did on Hedonism and Cenobites. Not at all what I set out to write about at the computer.. I actually had another book in mind, but that's what ended up coming out and in a little over 3 hours, I had researched the founding philosopher for Hedonism and written a 4 page paper (well over what was required). There is no doubt in my mind that I am an academic and learning is my path in this world. I am addicted to the thrill of learning something new and seeing the world in a different light and I hope I never lose the love of that.

Well, that seems like a very positive note to start my day out on! Now I must brave the below thirty degree weather outside and squeeze in some gym time before my first class.

Btw, I miss Rhino terribly recently. I am very grateful for the pug beanie Aunt V and Jordan gave me to help with that, and I'm surely testing the limits of the stitching because I pretty much carry it everywhere with me now. There is no love like that of a companion animal :)