Velkomin! (Welcome!)
It is day one of my journey in Iceland, and I’m glad you could join me as I explore this beautifully chaotic island. Iceland is labeled the land of Fire and Ice by Icelanders and foreigners alike. But what you really learn is that Iceland is the land of Hot and Cold (and not always meant literally).
Let me paint you a picture. Our day of travel began with two delays due to bad weather, which meant we would be in an airport for over 15 hours. This was the first time we got to hear Ólöf, our amazing tour guide to the ways of Iceland, use a common phrase: “Fall er fararheill!” (It means get all of your bad luck out now, so later is smooth sailing.)
When we finally landed in Iceland, we were greeted by the notoriously chaotic wind on the peninsula. The wind was cartoon-level strong, which was funny considering Dr. Barry and Ólöf said it wasn’t even the worst they had seen. As we drove into Reykjavík, the capital, we casually stumbled into a blizzard. Common Saturday afternoon vibes, I guess.
We were forced to run full speed into the Perlan Museum so that we didn’t accidentally make this trip part flight school. But when we exited a few hours later and made our way to our first hotel, the sky was blue, and the sun was in sight. So metaphorically, Iceland really is hot and cold. You never know what you’re going to get until you’re in the middle of it.
What I also learned at the Perlan Museum is that Iceland has more of a temper than a cold shoulder. We associate Iceland with glaciers, snow, and, of course, ice. But because of its perfectly situated position on top of tectonic plates, numerous fissures are erupting, some under glaciers and others making their glorious debut on the surface. Iceland is physically the land of hot and cold, or fire and ice. Often, you can look out and see glacial waters with jagged rocks of magma pushing through.
Iceland is a bit of what I expected and a lot of filling in the blanks of what I thought I knew. For instance, the Lorax would have a heart attack if he saw this island. Because of the volcanic rock and constant magma activity, trees are far from welcome here. Instead, you find small shrubs and a bright green moss that blankets the old lava fields.
Also, I expected more snow. In my defense, Ólöf told us their winter has been mild this year, right before we ran into a blizzard, but still.
I know I’ll keep encountering cultural and environmental surprises I never even thought about. I’ll keep you updated on everything I try, explore, and witness. But I have been up for 25 hours, and sleep is beckoning me.
Góða nótt! (Goodnight!) (Or have a good evening for those of you comfy at home in the US)
Swanson School of Engineering 