Danger is a Relative Thing

Even though this trip is 100% safe, it is very easy to forget how how easily something can possible go wrong. 

It's a good thing to be pushed out of your comfort zone. Over the span of this trip I have tried to get out of my comfort zone as much as possible. Whether it's trying rotten shark meat, or attempting some terrifying hike I try to be a good sport and always do it. 

There have been times where I have been very aware of the possible danger. The first time I have already talked about on this blog.  The hike up the mountain in Grundarfjörður got me pretty terrified. I I kept thinking "if I fall, then I will be severely injured or die". I knew it wasn't going to happen, but the possibility of t happening was intimidating. 

The next time was when we were looking at the puffins on those steep cliffs. I did every safety precaution to make sure I wasn't swept up by the wind and tossed off the cliff into the blue ocean way below. Laying down on the edge of the cliff just to look at some birds gave me a strange feeling of fear. 

I also had the same feeling when we were hiking near the Vatnajökull glacier. There was an outcrop that was a perfect lookout for the glacier. There was a path down to the peak that people had obviously used to get a better look at the glacier. Standing on the edge and looking over into the valley was another moment I felt uncomfortable. I thought: "If I fall off, I will die". Even though we are on safe  trail, it's easy to have thoughts like that. 

There was one time where I thought I was completely fine, but was actually not doing the smartest thing. We were on the pebbly beach and I had the overwhelming urge to let the waves tough my feet. So I took off my boots and walked a couple of feet ahead of me. The rocks felt amazing on my feet and I was waiting for a wave to make its way up to where I was standing when I heard a whistle coming from behind me. A woman then signaled me to get away from there in a very stern manner. I knew I was safe, but I didn't realize how potentially dangerous the situation was. 

Sometimes you just need an external reminder to be careful in your new surroundings. 

May 26th, 2016

Remember how I said that the hike in Grundarfjörður was one of the hardest in my life? Well after today I feel the need to  retract that statement. 

Today we a went to Breidamerkurjökull, a glacial lagoon that serves as the outlet to the largest glacier in Iceland, Vatanajökull. The Jökulsa river is what brings the icebergs, melt water and sediment into the ocean not too far away. 

To say that it was windy would be the understatement of the century. As we arrived we saw hundreds of Arctic terns both on the grounds and futilely trying to fly. The bus stopped and the wind rocked the bus back and forth. I lost balance as soon as I stepped off the bus due to the force of the wind. We walked with the wind to our back down to the lagoon. 

The lagoon was filled with large, blue icebergs calving off of the glacier.  I have seen many images and movies of calving glaciers, but I never expected to see them for myself. The ice that made it ashore was crystal clear and was just like an ice sculpture. The wind and the rocks made them uniquely textured. We walked along the rocky shore for about two hours looking at the icebergs. We reached the end of the beach and reconvened on top of a moraine. At this point my feet were really hurting. The loose rocks and sand on the shore of the lagoon made walking very difficult and stressful on your body. Group pictures happened and then it was time to turn back.

The wind was just an inconvenience on the way down, but it was flat out challenging on the wall back to the bus. I have experienced some strong winds in my life, but never anything like this. Each step felt like there was someone trying to push you back. The intense wind plus the loose footholds made the trek back painful. It was an hour of pushing through the pain and wiping dust out of your eyes. My legs were on fire, and I couldn't feel my right foot by the end. Stopping would just make it worse, so we pushed forward until we reached the entrance.

I sat down on the bus in extreme relief. Then I felt my hair. I now have a single dreadlock instead of hair. 

Although it was painful and I thought I was going to die from a 6 mile hike, it was incredible. I feel very lucky to be able to see what I saw today. The extreme conditions just made it much more memorable.

May 19th, 2016: The Birds

May 19th, 2016: The Birds

Today we are finally going to see the famous (or infamous) puffins. The first day we stayed in the hostel in Reykjavik I read an English newspaper about how the "puffin shops" were outcompeting the locally owned artisan shops. The article discussed e Icelanders should tolerate the annoying business because it is good for the economy. This made me surprisingly self conscious about my excessive excitement to see these absolutely adorable avians. 

Nevertheless, we arrived at Latrabjarg after a tedious two hour bus ride. We stepped out onto the cold wind bluffs and we were bombarded with the smell of bird poop. Looking around I noticed people laying on the edge of the cliffs. I laughed at their stupidity. Who in their right mind would damage themselves off of a cliff to get a picture of a bird? The answer: Me. 

In order to not get blown off of a cliff, or step in a puffin hole, you have to lay down to see the puffins. 

Looking at all those birds made me think of my mom. I know that she would have been beside herself looking at all the different types of birds living in those cliffs. I have to admit that I wish I knew what birds I was looking at. Maybe I should brush up on my Icelandic bird knowledge.