I made it to Iceland, land of Walter Mitty and Sense8 Season 1 finale! But before I get too far into that, I'd like to outline in more detail what you can expect from these blog posts: First and foremost, they are a record of my adventures so I can reminisce years from now and smile, laugh, or cringe at memories of my travels. Secondly, they are a semi-stream-of-consciousness journal of my experiences so that I may learn from them and grow as a person and world citizen. Lastly (but certainly not least), whether you are interested in my physical and mental well-being or my online presence as a travel blogger, these posts are meant to be a (entertaining) snapshot of my life and travels abroad, thus providing a glimpse of this magnificent world we live in. My hope is that it will encourage you to explore the world for yourself, get outside your comfort zone, and take part in creating a more understanding, accepting, and peaceful planet.
That being said, I'm not going to post nothing but the wonderful experiences and alluring pictures you might see in an Instagram feed. A very large part of traveling (and life!) is making mistakes, finding yourself in uncomfortable situations, and having your world-view challenged. (But if you would rather look at the picturesque fantasy-world where nothing goes wrong and everything is beautiful, you can ignore these posts and follow me and my online character/persona, Kåri the Koala, on Instagram @circasolis and @karikoalatravels.) In reality, the world isn't all shimmering, smiling, selfies and sunsets, or perfectly positioned platters of food. There's a lot of ugly stuff, too. And it's the ugly stuff that helps us learn and grow.
So here it is: my first blog post of this trip abroad.
I started writing this post in the lobby of the hostel I'm staying at (Kex), overlooking Faxaflói (Faxa Bay), across from some of the most stunning mountains I've seen (pictured left). Now I'm finishing it in an Icelandic café, sipping a mug of Earl Grey tea. As nice as that sounds, the tea is the only thing keeping me awake after getting only 0.0 hours of sleep on the 7-hour overnight flight from Seattle to Keflavik (by no fault of the airline or passengers; I just can't sleep on planes). Though extremely tired, I left the plane excited for the day ahead: a relaxing morning at the Blue Lagoon and an afternoon of exploring Reykjavik.
My excitement hit a roadblock when I lost my ticket for the shuttle bus to the Blue Lagoon. There I was, standing on the bus, holding up its departure, frantically searching my pockets and bags while the ticket-taker stared at me. Right when I said I must have dropped it on the way to the bus, I found it stuck in the crack between my seat and the wall. Embarrassed, relieved, and sweating profusely, I handed over my crumpled ticket. Instead of letting this ordeal bother me all day (as it once would have), I let the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon melt away my anxiety.
I was lucky that things worked out. I'm not sure what would have happened had I not found my ticket. So, for now, I'll keep clinging to the fantasy world that is Iceland--the friendly people, stunning vistas, and setting of a major motion picture and Netflix Original Series. But I will go forward with the near-miss fresh in my mind, not letting it bother me, but letting it serve as a reminder to be careful and observant, to prepare for any possible scenario and--upon realizing that such a feat is impossible and something will inevitably go not according to plan--to say as the Icelanders say: "Það reddast," (trans. "It'll all work out in the end." or "It'll fix itself." or "You'll be saved before it's too late.")
Apart from the brief moment of panic, there have been very "ugly" bits to my time in Iceland so far. I hope it stays that way, but, eventually, the realities of traveling and life will reveal themselves. And when they do, I'll relay them as I see them; not to paint a depressing picture, but to paint a picture in contrast to the "ideal" image we'd like to see, so that a true "ideal" image may one day be reached.>
Stay informed. -NLD
My excitement hit a roadblock when I lost my ticket for the shuttle bus to the Blue Lagoon. There I was, standing on the bus, holding up its departure, frantically searching my pockets and bags while the ticket-taker stared at me. Right when I said I must have dropped it on the way to the bus, I found it stuck in the crack between my seat and the wall. Embarrassed, relieved, and sweating profusely, I handed over my crumpled ticket. Instead of letting this ordeal bother me all day (as it once would have), I let the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon melt away my anxiety.
I was lucky that things worked out. I'm not sure what would have happened had I not found my ticket. So, for now, I'll keep clinging to the fantasy world that is Iceland--the friendly people, stunning vistas, and setting of a major motion picture and Netflix Original Series. But I will go forward with the near-miss fresh in my mind, not letting it bother me, but letting it serve as a reminder to be careful and observant, to prepare for any possible scenario and--upon realizing that such a feat is impossible and something will inevitably go not according to plan--to say as the Icelanders say: "Það reddast," (trans. "It'll all work out in the end." or "It'll fix itself." or "You'll be saved before it's too late.")
Apart from the brief moment of panic, there have been very "ugly" bits to my time in Iceland so far. I hope it stays that way, but, eventually, the realities of traveling and life will reveal themselves. And when they do, I'll relay them as I see them; not to paint a depressing picture, but to paint a picture in contrast to the "ideal" image we'd like to see, so that a true "ideal" image may one day be reached.>
Stay informed. -NLD
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