Of all the people I had the pleasure of meeting this trip, four stood out.
I had lunch with a couple in Greenland. A French Woman who used to be pretty high up with the WWF and a Danish Man who currently works for an oil company, preparing patents for maps of the ice fields in the Arctic.
Turns out the WWF used the Danish's Man's company info yearly to show and prove their point that the ice fields are shrinking at an alarming rate. And ironically diminishing ice means higher accessibility to off shore oil fields...
His company has high interest in Greenland's untapped resources. Even he had to admit when you compare the last 10 years of maps, it obviously pointed to non reversing shrinkage. In the March issue of Greenland Today, a significant amount of the magazine was dedicated to how Greenland will deal with all the worldwide companies wanting in on their resource development. And how their new government, elected a couple of days before I arrived will handle things.
Then the topic turned to travel. Whoa, did I feel like a small player compared to those two. The French Lady had been pretty much everywhere, couldn't speak more highly of Africa, especially Serengeti and Botswana and encouraged me to go there ASAP.
The Danish follow is an experienced trekker and his current favourite areas to hike were Annapurna (Nepal) and the Atlas Mountains (Morocco), having done Kilimanjaro twice and base camp Everest once and most of everywhere else you could think of. Their combined knowledge base of the world is downright stunning. Felt like I wasn't thinking big enough, that I lived a very sheltered life.
The third person was a young man from Switzerland. I remembered him from the departures area at Reykjavik airport, looking just spent. I found out later it was because he had gotten "Air Iceland" mixed up with "Icelandair". So he thought his flight to Greenland left from Keflavik...Which is at least an hour away...and he only had 1hr 45 min layover...
He spent his time couchsurfing with a local in Ilulisaat. Talked of how his host cooked whale -- Wrapped in bacon and in a slow cooker for the day -- Was unbelievably tender. He had a couple of great pictures of the Northern Lights. And was offered a job as a summer guide with the company I used. He too was disappointed that dogsledding was unavailable.
He was on the last leg of a 1 1/2 year backpacking adventure that took him to Asia and South America. His current favourite place was Kathmandu because of the locals. From Reykjavik, he was heading to the Faroe Islands, then Copenhagen, then hitchhiking all the way back home.
We spent the duration of the flight back to Reykjavik (3 hr) talking about his adventures. I told him how I longed for an extended period of time off (1 yr+) and how I cannot see how that could be possible without retiring completely, which I was not quite ready to do just yet. That I couldn't imagine even a month off whereas he cannot imagine taking a trip that was less than a month's duration.
He was ready to go home and start on his next phase of life, which will consist of further education as he wasn't interested in going back to his previous career. He encouraged me to go sooner than later (especially to China for the pollution is only getting worse) and to rent my house for the duration.
That after even a year, my thinking would change so much, nothing I was clinging to or worried about right now would really matter. Perception of obstacles will shrink. That's how much growth I would experience. It was his mindset and conviction I was most fascinated with.
Interestingly enough, he felt very strongly that keeping hold of a home base or core possessions was important. Without it, he would have high difficulty mentally, knowing he had nothing to come back to.
I had a difficult time understanding what he really meant by that as I see coming back to a clean slate incredibly exciting. A chance to create. If I was going house hunting right now, I would not chose the house we're living in because I've changed in the last 6 1/2 years we've been living here. The only thing holding me back is inertia, not wanting another mortgage or other related costs.
Last and certainly not least, our guide and superjeep driver in Reykjavik. He had some real interesting stories having been a commercial fisherman (tough job!) and as a driver for a high end private tour company.
His favourite celebrity was Roger Moore, described as incredibly polite, gracious and completely "Bond" all the way. Least favourite was Jude Law, whom he found to be very full of himself. He also had a chance to meet Kirsten Dunst (found her to be really shy) right after Spiderman 2 premiered as well as Angelina Jolie and her children.
This summer, he is taking a superjeep for a couple weeks to tour northern Iceland. He also listed a bunch of movies that were filmed in Iceland and confirmed that the beginning of the movie "Prometheus" was indeed Iceland!
When D and I went to see it (I had no idea it was the prequel to the Aliens franchise...otherwise I would have never gone...don't like anything that resembles horror), I leaned over and said to D, "That has to be Iceland! No other place on Earth looks like that...".
Icelanders, like the Norwegians, love their country and cannot wait till summer to explore it themselves. It's in their blood. Looking forward to the day I stand at Dettifoss myself. He told me the sound and power of it is unbelievable...I was ready to go right then and there...
***Forgot to mention in my last post that should you wish to do away with all the planning and gear that comes with cold weather travel, just go in the summer like what over 80% of visitors to Greenland do. You will have to bring some serious bug protection though ie. bug suit as I hear they are rampant and will eat you alive...Personally, I would take the cold over bug bites or bug suits any day but then again, I'm a mosquito magnet.***
Showing posts with label Iceland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iceland. Show all posts
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Return To Reykjavik
I saw Iceland as the near perfect country. Vast, rough, educated, large enough, strong values, stronger people, environmentally ahead of almost any place I've ever been to or heard of, refined and "wealthy", even with the downturn.
It is nice to be in a place where I didn't have to worry about people eyeing what I owned. A place where I didn't feel like I had to dress down to fit in. If anything, I could have dressed up more. Cost of living is still high. Food, clothing are still pricey. In line with other Scandinavian countries.
The first thing that struck me upon my return to Reykjavik was the increased traffic. It is a 45 min ride from Keflavik airport to the city and I did not remember so many cars last time around (more people moving to the city for work?).
The types of vehicles have shifted away from luxury German SUVs to Japanese (Toyota and Subaru, and not new ones). The sprinkling of luxury vehicles this time around leaned towards Range Rovers and Cayenne Turbos. Things have changed.
The second thing that struck me was how developed tourism was compared to 3 years ago. When Icelanders take on something, they Do It. The tourist infrastructure is impressive and so has been their recovery. They've managed it without bailing out their banks, something they're very proud of. The majority of the population no longer wish to join the EU.
Icelanders are so fiercely proud of their country, it made me feel ashamed I was not more proud of mine. And there was no time to wallow in the "economic crisis". They are so very present and focused, being there was like getting a shot of adrenaline. However, I was dismayed to find out they will be "getting rid" of a waterfall by damming it to create power for a new aluminum plant. Our Superjeep guide felt it was poor business.
The airport itself is undergoing renovations to handle the greater visitor loads. Visitor numbers are expected to be double their population (700+K) in another year. For example on our departure, they had 2 major transatlantic flights (Toronto and Boston) boarding within 5 min of each other from this small departure hall. That's at least 500 people trying to line up. You can imagine the chaos. They need to restructure the logistics.
One cool thing you can do on Icelandair flights is use your "Saga Miles" to pay for anything available on the plane from food to duty free. You will need your membership card, not just the number. A great way to use your miles. The card itself will cost $4 if you need a replacement one like I did.
It is nice to be in a place where I didn't have to worry about people eyeing what I owned. A place where I didn't feel like I had to dress down to fit in. If anything, I could have dressed up more. Cost of living is still high. Food, clothing are still pricey. In line with other Scandinavian countries.
The first thing that struck me upon my return to Reykjavik was the increased traffic. It is a 45 min ride from Keflavik airport to the city and I did not remember so many cars last time around (more people moving to the city for work?).
The types of vehicles have shifted away from luxury German SUVs to Japanese (Toyota and Subaru, and not new ones). The sprinkling of luxury vehicles this time around leaned towards Range Rovers and Cayenne Turbos. Things have changed.
The second thing that struck me was how developed tourism was compared to 3 years ago. When Icelanders take on something, they Do It. The tourist infrastructure is impressive and so has been their recovery. They've managed it without bailing out their banks, something they're very proud of. The majority of the population no longer wish to join the EU.
Icelanders are so fiercely proud of their country, it made me feel ashamed I was not more proud of mine. And there was no time to wallow in the "economic crisis". They are so very present and focused, being there was like getting a shot of adrenaline. However, I was dismayed to find out they will be "getting rid" of a waterfall by damming it to create power for a new aluminum plant. Our Superjeep guide felt it was poor business.
The airport itself is undergoing renovations to handle the greater visitor loads. Visitor numbers are expected to be double their population (700+K) in another year. For example on our departure, they had 2 major transatlantic flights (Toronto and Boston) boarding within 5 min of each other from this small departure hall. That's at least 500 people trying to line up. You can imagine the chaos. They need to restructure the logistics.
One cool thing you can do on Icelandair flights is use your "Saga Miles" to pay for anything available on the plane from food to duty free. You will need your membership card, not just the number. A great way to use your miles. The card itself will cost $4 if you need a replacement one like I did.
This video may make you dizzy.
(should a picture appear beside the video, I see it too but
wasn't able to make it go away)
We couldn't leave the country without
seeing some of these fellas.
And I couldn't miss attending this concert.
Until next time,
one last look from above.
Urridafoss Waterfall, before it disappears.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Elements
S. B. made a comment earlier he thought my pictures seemed better this time around. When in reality D's camera has gotten more beaten up over the last couple of years. I'm being emotionally biased when I say I feel my best pictures are of Norway, with Cinque Terre second and this last set a close third.
As mentioned before, my background is with manual photography and I remember learning a bit about the various types of filters available to bring out certain elements.
What I noticed immediately in Greenland was the clarity of the night sky. I've never seen stars shine so sharply that their sparkles and flickers were as distinct as metal. And the amount of stars! I wish I had access to a telescope. Whereas in Iceland the daytime light had a clear gray tone to it even on a bright day. The nighttime sky in the city wasn't remarkable enough to stand out to me.
The glacial ice in Greenland had a tinge of blue or turquoise and sometimes gray blue. My thought is, when sunlight went through/reflected off of it, it acted like a lens filter, and our eyes took it in as clearer, sharper, brighter. As if a polarizing filter was used. Even a scratched up camera lens caught that. Should I return with a new camera, it would be interesting to compare picture quality.
Also the quality of the ice was something I've never encountered before (not counting cruising by). Glacial ice is really really hard. In Iceland we went to what remained of the glacier that was melted when Eyjafjallajokull erupted and our guide got us a piece to chomp on. We couldn't break into it and D is a veteran ice chewer.
In Ilulissat one morning I decided to walk to the mouth of the ice fjord and there were quite a few moments where I questioned my judgement. Crossing small areas of glacial ice melt was extremely slippery and treacherous. Once you got sliding, you just couldn't stop easily. I'm not sure sitting down would have helped much.
And trying to go back uphill...Scared me...No traction. I ended up leaving the trail and climbing over lichen covered rocks to go around. Should you find yourself in the same situation, watch your footing because there could be streams underneath the ice and always test your next step as moss may not be covering anything solid. Getting submerged thigh high and your ankle caught between rocks wouldn't be desirable. I saw a few scarily misplaced foot prints.
I had read that when camping in the winter, you need to screw down sleeping bags into the ice because if you get sliding, you may not stop until it is too late. Didn't understand what that really meant until I got on the ice. I didn't have my ice cleats with me as I was expecting snow and an "easy" walk but I would definitely remember them for next time. The less than 5 km took me 1 1/2 hours! I do question whether they would have been strong enough to penetrate the ice but won't really know until I try them out next time.
And the wind! You don't realize how surprising wind is when there are no sound indicators (no trees). In Greenland, you would just suddenly get slammed. I found I had to turn around to catch my breath because it was so strong. It was strong enough to physically stop me in my tracks. I now completely understand how wind and ultra slippery ice form a potentially deadly combination.
One other thing to remember -- Your cell phone (even a world one) will probably not work in Greenland. Hotels will offer you free use of theirs'. You just have to pay for air time. I forgot to get one. And had no whistle on me either. You can imagine I felt pretty silly when I found myself with no one around for hours and I wasn't even that far out. Or it could have been locals had more sense than to be where I was that morning.
As mentioned before, my background is with manual photography and I remember learning a bit about the various types of filters available to bring out certain elements.
What I noticed immediately in Greenland was the clarity of the night sky. I've never seen stars shine so sharply that their sparkles and flickers were as distinct as metal. And the amount of stars! I wish I had access to a telescope. Whereas in Iceland the daytime light had a clear gray tone to it even on a bright day. The nighttime sky in the city wasn't remarkable enough to stand out to me.
The glacial ice in Greenland had a tinge of blue or turquoise and sometimes gray blue. My thought is, when sunlight went through/reflected off of it, it acted like a lens filter, and our eyes took it in as clearer, sharper, brighter. As if a polarizing filter was used. Even a scratched up camera lens caught that. Should I return with a new camera, it would be interesting to compare picture quality.
Also the quality of the ice was something I've never encountered before (not counting cruising by). Glacial ice is really really hard. In Iceland we went to what remained of the glacier that was melted when Eyjafjallajokull erupted and our guide got us a piece to chomp on. We couldn't break into it and D is a veteran ice chewer.
In Ilulissat one morning I decided to walk to the mouth of the ice fjord and there were quite a few moments where I questioned my judgement. Crossing small areas of glacial ice melt was extremely slippery and treacherous. Once you got sliding, you just couldn't stop easily. I'm not sure sitting down would have helped much.
And trying to go back uphill...Scared me...No traction. I ended up leaving the trail and climbing over lichen covered rocks to go around. Should you find yourself in the same situation, watch your footing because there could be streams underneath the ice and always test your next step as moss may not be covering anything solid. Getting submerged thigh high and your ankle caught between rocks wouldn't be desirable. I saw a few scarily misplaced foot prints.
I had read that when camping in the winter, you need to screw down sleeping bags into the ice because if you get sliding, you may not stop until it is too late. Didn't understand what that really meant until I got on the ice. I didn't have my ice cleats with me as I was expecting snow and an "easy" walk but I would definitely remember them for next time. The less than 5 km took me 1 1/2 hours! I do question whether they would have been strong enough to penetrate the ice but won't really know until I try them out next time.
And the wind! You don't realize how surprising wind is when there are no sound indicators (no trees). In Greenland, you would just suddenly get slammed. I found I had to turn around to catch my breath because it was so strong. It was strong enough to physically stop me in my tracks. I now completely understand how wind and ultra slippery ice form a potentially deadly combination.
One other thing to remember -- Your cell phone (even a world one) will probably not work in Greenland. Hotels will offer you free use of theirs'. You just have to pay for air time. I forgot to get one. And had no whistle on me either. You can imagine I felt pretty silly when I found myself with no one around for hours and I wasn't even that far out. Or it could have been locals had more sense than to be where I was that morning.
Post Eyjafjallajokull eruption site.
Crossing this stuff was crazy!
Easily could have been blown into the water.
I remember standing here thinking, OMG do I keep going?!
Sunday, April 7, 2013
The Start
Some days it would be easier if I was Vulcan and not anonymous. I would be able to just share my experiences using a mind-meld. Would save a lot of time!
In case it wasn't obvious, I attempted to re-create in my photos, the progression of what I saw so it could be as if you just took a walk with me. What I obviously wasn't able to do, was show you my reactions and can only hope you might have oohed and ahhed and caught your breath too at sight of some of the same scenes.
D has enjoyed showing some of our photos to his co-workers as it has been satisfying witnessing their reactions. Our destinations were not on the top of any of their lists. All of them asked him how did you come up with the idea to even go there?!
After a few of those show and tells, D said that despite my best efforts, I will never get the satisfaction of seeing all of your reactions. And he's right.
Yes there are limitations to this medium. It was always there. But since Norway, Cinque Terre and now Iceland/Greenland, not feeling like I've been able to convey the depth of how those places affected me has bothered me a little. But I share what I can as I'm obviously not trying to make it as a regular blogger, much less a travel blogger. So don't worry -- I'm not going to start tweeting or start a forum or put up a blog facebook page. I have enough trouble managing time and technology as it is.
The genesis of this trip came during the conversation I had last summer in Barcelona with the fellow who sold me my watch. We talked about how neither of us had seen the northern lights yet despite efforts and how 2013 was going to be a stellar year for solar activity. He was going to try his luck in Alaska and I told him I wanted to return to Iceland and thought I was ready for Greenland. If I bump into him upon my return, I will certainly ask him how his trip went.
That was last summer. As it has happened often enough I do not question it anymore, I'd be working on something and an email or voice message or some other perfectly timed sign would show up to help me make up my mind during a pivotal moment.
It was New Years day 2013 and I was online out west looking for the apartment rental site for the place I rented in Reykjavik. I had just shockingly found out the apartment was no longer owned by the same people which to me meant they had sold their gorgeous home. I immediately thought maybe things had deteriorated financially and they were not able to keep it. I also noticed their other rental in Italy was gone too. And I knew what type of strain financially they were under 3 years ago. It made me sad.
Right then I got an email from the owners wishing me a Happy New Year! And news of how they are launching a new rental venture. My mind was immediately made up at that point and the research into Greenland began shortly after I firmed up the Iceland leg.
In case it wasn't obvious, I attempted to re-create in my photos, the progression of what I saw so it could be as if you just took a walk with me. What I obviously wasn't able to do, was show you my reactions and can only hope you might have oohed and ahhed and caught your breath too at sight of some of the same scenes.
D has enjoyed showing some of our photos to his co-workers as it has been satisfying witnessing their reactions. Our destinations were not on the top of any of their lists. All of them asked him how did you come up with the idea to even go there?!
After a few of those show and tells, D said that despite my best efforts, I will never get the satisfaction of seeing all of your reactions. And he's right.
Yes there are limitations to this medium. It was always there. But since Norway, Cinque Terre and now Iceland/Greenland, not feeling like I've been able to convey the depth of how those places affected me has bothered me a little. But I share what I can as I'm obviously not trying to make it as a regular blogger, much less a travel blogger. So don't worry -- I'm not going to start tweeting or start a forum or put up a blog facebook page. I have enough trouble managing time and technology as it is.
The genesis of this trip came during the conversation I had last summer in Barcelona with the fellow who sold me my watch. We talked about how neither of us had seen the northern lights yet despite efforts and how 2013 was going to be a stellar year for solar activity. He was going to try his luck in Alaska and I told him I wanted to return to Iceland and thought I was ready for Greenland. If I bump into him upon my return, I will certainly ask him how his trip went.
That was last summer. As it has happened often enough I do not question it anymore, I'd be working on something and an email or voice message or some other perfectly timed sign would show up to help me make up my mind during a pivotal moment.
It was New Years day 2013 and I was online out west looking for the apartment rental site for the place I rented in Reykjavik. I had just shockingly found out the apartment was no longer owned by the same people which to me meant they had sold their gorgeous home. I immediately thought maybe things had deteriorated financially and they were not able to keep it. I also noticed their other rental in Italy was gone too. And I knew what type of strain financially they were under 3 years ago. It made me sad.
Right then I got an email from the owners wishing me a Happy New Year! And news of how they are launching a new rental venture. My mind was immediately made up at that point and the research into Greenland began shortly after I firmed up the Iceland leg.
Our ride in Iceland.
A modified Nissan Patrol Super Jeep capable of going through
rivers hood deep and inclines that made you feel like you were hanging over a cliff.
Diesel. Huge torque, huge tires
which were deflated before entering the interior.
People who chose to live in the remote areas (which is most of Iceland interior)
have to be able to get their families in and out safely.
We got to experience the fun side for about 10 hours.
Cost of modifications alone: 100K+. Vehicle cost is just the start.
Volcanic soil very loose. Took a couple of goes for the Patrol to get up there.
Took 12 min for our able guide to deflate tires for the rough terrain ahead.
Took about 20 min to inflate them back up on the way back.
There were 12 earthquake alerts that day.
Something about that made me feel extra alive. I know I'm crazy.
Iceland has gotten 1000 earthquakes a month before.
Think about how it would feel to live in a country so active.
When Eyjafjallajokull erupted in 2010
exactly a week after I returned home,
Icelanders flocked to see the eruption in person.
By super jeep, by helicopter, by plane.
They were not deterred one bit.
Employees told their work places they were going into affected
areas to help with the evacuations of animals and farms affected by ash and just went.
Employers continued to pay them.
Engineers voluntarily rebuilt parts of the country's ring road washed away from the glacial melt
and the country figured out how to pay for it after.
Priorities.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Far Away Places
As you've likely gathered by the skewed number of pictures, the goal of this trip was for me to get to Ilulissat. Iceland was the cherry on top.
I was so happy D decided to come along (for the Iceland leg) as I got to experience his wonder and excitement in a new place. He's heard me go on and on about Iceland ever since I stepped foot on its soil 3 years ago, returning with a subscription to Iceland Review, despite falling off a horse and being pummeled by sleet the whole week.
Some people dream of Hawaii (Maybe a bad example as when I think of Hawaii now, I smile and think helicopters! But I think you know what I mean.). I dream of vast open places where conditions are extreme, harshly beautiful and the people (and animals) are tough and few and far between. Where silence out weights human sounds and where nature's sheer scale takes center stage.*
I want to go there to be visually and emotionally stunned. To learn to be stronger, to understand what skills one would need to survive there and what it would take to achieve the basic levels of Maslow's hierarchy. To see first hand how important it is to preserve our delicate world. To be reminded of what a truly "easy" life I have in Canada. To step out of my "self".
It's probably no surprise that the harshest areas on Earth are often the least accessible and most expensive to get to. It takes more planning and preparation than usual and you will need to build in leeway on either side in case of weather. Mother Nature does not take your need to get back to work on time into consideration. When there are only 2 flights a week in a fairly small plane and it is winter, you decide how much risk you're willing to take.
One reward is you get the pleasure of meeting some true adventurers. From the moment we walked into the small domestic airport in Reykjavik we were immersed into a world we've never witness before.
Dozens of people with plastic wrapped sleds, huge waterproof expedition sacks, large serious packs, dressed for extreme and fit fit fit. It was obviously there were a number of groups going on multi day/week treks. And gaging the energy coming from those people, if anything should happen, I'd want to be on their team. We were excited to be in their company.
One does not decide to go to Greenland by mistake. Expect to be thoroughly "checked out" visually. People were curious about what type of preparation others made. Judging from the language, the groups we encountered were from many difference countries around the world.
There were 2 flights leaving for the east and west coast of Greenland that morning versus many hourly flights within Iceland. The destined for Greenland people's gear took up 80% of the small airport's space. March and April are the prime months for dog sled and human expeditions. March is also the last month where you will be able to see the Aurora before the growing daylight gets too strong.
I finally saw the Northern Lights! Ironically stronger in Reykjavik than Ilulissat. They really are dynamic. I didn't know what to expect. I thought they would just show up and stay there. Instead they come in and out of view, sinking down and you can almost see particles. We witnessed mostly green and yellow with some blue/purple. You need to have a camera capable of 30 sec exposures to be able to capture them. I'm sure D's camera could but neither of us bothered to figure it out in advance.
The day I departed for Greenland (wouldn't you know it?), that evening, D saw such a magnificent display from our apartment (magazine beautiful -- we had access to a high deck), he actually got bored when it just went on and on, and thought he might have gotten sunburned from the strength of the lights...Meanwhile I'm standing there in Ilulissat at 2 am getting neck cramps from looking up and seeing (imagining?) small wisps of them and wondering what this over 95% chance of seeing them is all about!
*Until I have the time, energy and funds to get to such vastly harsh places, I will continue to explore the many other more populated parts of the world.
I was so happy D decided to come along (for the Iceland leg) as I got to experience his wonder and excitement in a new place. He's heard me go on and on about Iceland ever since I stepped foot on its soil 3 years ago, returning with a subscription to Iceland Review, despite falling off a horse and being pummeled by sleet the whole week.
Some people dream of Hawaii (Maybe a bad example as when I think of Hawaii now, I smile and think helicopters! But I think you know what I mean.). I dream of vast open places where conditions are extreme, harshly beautiful and the people (and animals) are tough and few and far between. Where silence out weights human sounds and where nature's sheer scale takes center stage.*
I want to go there to be visually and emotionally stunned. To learn to be stronger, to understand what skills one would need to survive there and what it would take to achieve the basic levels of Maslow's hierarchy. To see first hand how important it is to preserve our delicate world. To be reminded of what a truly "easy" life I have in Canada. To step out of my "self".
It's probably no surprise that the harshest areas on Earth are often the least accessible and most expensive to get to. It takes more planning and preparation than usual and you will need to build in leeway on either side in case of weather. Mother Nature does not take your need to get back to work on time into consideration. When there are only 2 flights a week in a fairly small plane and it is winter, you decide how much risk you're willing to take.
One reward is you get the pleasure of meeting some true adventurers. From the moment we walked into the small domestic airport in Reykjavik we were immersed into a world we've never witness before.
Dozens of people with plastic wrapped sleds, huge waterproof expedition sacks, large serious packs, dressed for extreme and fit fit fit. It was obviously there were a number of groups going on multi day/week treks. And gaging the energy coming from those people, if anything should happen, I'd want to be on their team. We were excited to be in their company.
One does not decide to go to Greenland by mistake. Expect to be thoroughly "checked out" visually. People were curious about what type of preparation others made. Judging from the language, the groups we encountered were from many difference countries around the world.
There were 2 flights leaving for the east and west coast of Greenland that morning versus many hourly flights within Iceland. The destined for Greenland people's gear took up 80% of the small airport's space. March and April are the prime months for dog sled and human expeditions. March is also the last month where you will be able to see the Aurora before the growing daylight gets too strong.
I finally saw the Northern Lights! Ironically stronger in Reykjavik than Ilulissat. They really are dynamic. I didn't know what to expect. I thought they would just show up and stay there. Instead they come in and out of view, sinking down and you can almost see particles. We witnessed mostly green and yellow with some blue/purple. You need to have a camera capable of 30 sec exposures to be able to capture them. I'm sure D's camera could but neither of us bothered to figure it out in advance.
The day I departed for Greenland (wouldn't you know it?), that evening, D saw such a magnificent display from our apartment (magazine beautiful -- we had access to a high deck), he actually got bored when it just went on and on, and thought he might have gotten sunburned from the strength of the lights...Meanwhile I'm standing there in Ilulissat at 2 am getting neck cramps from looking up and seeing (imagining?) small wisps of them and wondering what this over 95% chance of seeing them is all about!
*Until I have the time, energy and funds to get to such vastly harsh places, I will continue to explore the many other more populated parts of the world.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Iceland Review Pt 3 -- Holy Smokes!
(The timing of this post and this link Lizzie sent is scary and hits close to home... I had no idea when I wrote this post -- some of the pictures I posted were from there...)
The first thing my guide said to us was that there were 4 volcano alerts today and they can go off at anytime. The lot of us thought he was joking -- he wasn't. He went on to tell us that Iceland gets on average 3000 earthquakes a month.
One passenger asked if the government had a rescue plan in place for everyone -- he laughed. He said that people have 15 minutes to evacuate when a volcano or earthquake occurs and that families have an evacuation plan in place and practice it.
No one counts on someone coming for them right away. People are completely responsible for their own safety. Icelanders can come across hard as nails. Most if not all of the interior roads in Iceland over the winter are not passable and those who venture or live in such terrain have vehicles that can cross rivers without stalling.
These "Super Jeeps" can cost upwards of $200000 - $300000 and are fitted with 50 plus inch tires and sophisticated GPS systems. Iceland is one of the last countries where people believe in taking full responsibility for their actions. If you are going outside of the cities, it is your responsibility to be able to handle yourself appropriately.
You cannot blame others or the government for what happens to you. They believe as soon as a government steps in and enacts rules in the effort to "keep people safe", they are in fact making people into victims instead of empowering them.
We were told that if one wanted to die, it is very easy to do it there. You are not going to find warning signs, directions nor solid barriers. Should you fall in the mid Atlantic ridge, for example, people would say that was too bad. The waters blowing out of geysers are over 250 degrees Celsius and if you stand in the wrong side of it, you'll get second degree burns.
The reason so many Icelanders are upset about the collapse of their economy is because the ones who have leveraged the country and fled have acted in a very non Icelandic way. They ought to own up to it, take responsibility and face their people.
And those who bought into the need to live beyond their means? They will pay for their actions for what may be a long time. The owner of my apartment told me that is why they have made the apartment available to renters -- so they can pay for their mortgage.
I heard no whining or complaints about it. They are doing what they need to do and they are confident with hard work, it will all work out.
My thoughts are with the Icelanders today. If there are any group of people who are capable of getting themselves out safely, they are. I'd put my money on them. Thanks for letting me know Lizzie.
The first thing my guide said to us was that there were 4 volcano alerts today and they can go off at anytime. The lot of us thought he was joking -- he wasn't. He went on to tell us that Iceland gets on average 3000 earthquakes a month.
One passenger asked if the government had a rescue plan in place for everyone -- he laughed. He said that people have 15 minutes to evacuate when a volcano or earthquake occurs and that families have an evacuation plan in place and practice it.
No one counts on someone coming for them right away. People are completely responsible for their own safety. Icelanders can come across hard as nails. Most if not all of the interior roads in Iceland over the winter are not passable and those who venture or live in such terrain have vehicles that can cross rivers without stalling.
These "Super Jeeps" can cost upwards of $200000 - $300000 and are fitted with 50 plus inch tires and sophisticated GPS systems. Iceland is one of the last countries where people believe in taking full responsibility for their actions. If you are going outside of the cities, it is your responsibility to be able to handle yourself appropriately.
You cannot blame others or the government for what happens to you. They believe as soon as a government steps in and enacts rules in the effort to "keep people safe", they are in fact making people into victims instead of empowering them.
We were told that if one wanted to die, it is very easy to do it there. You are not going to find warning signs, directions nor solid barriers. Should you fall in the mid Atlantic ridge, for example, people would say that was too bad. The waters blowing out of geysers are over 250 degrees Celsius and if you stand in the wrong side of it, you'll get second degree burns.
The reason so many Icelanders are upset about the collapse of their economy is because the ones who have leveraged the country and fled have acted in a very non Icelandic way. They ought to own up to it, take responsibility and face their people.
And those who bought into the need to live beyond their means? They will pay for their actions for what may be a long time. The owner of my apartment told me that is why they have made the apartment available to renters -- so they can pay for their mortgage.
I heard no whining or complaints about it. They are doing what they need to do and they are confident with hard work, it will all work out.
My thoughts are with the Icelanders today. If there are any group of people who are capable of getting themselves out safely, they are. I'd put my money on them. Thanks for letting me know Lizzie.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Iceland Review Pt 2
One of D's friends when he found out I was going to Iceland exclaimed "Why would she want to do that? Aren't they a 3rd world country now?" It seems like a lot of people (except me) knew about their economical collapse a few years ago.
I had a chance to ask the owner of my apartment what happened? She told me that due to corruption and over confidence in the government, the country's monies were being wasted and businesses (mainly banks) were allowed to loan money to people who really shouldn't be borrowing.
Sounds familiar. So I asked if it was similar to what happened in North America, Europe etc? She said that it is worse. The amounts that have been leveraged is higher per capita. They have been living big.
Home prices are down 50% still and their mortgage rates are now linked to inflation and are in the double digits. Their currency has plummeted. The President has been replaced and most of the known corrupt politicians etc. have left for Norway.
People were buying holiday homes on lines of credit from the European branches of their banks in Euro because it was cheaper than their Krona. People had been spending 170% of what they made. Many housing and condo projects have been left midway and some people who have bought there are living without services.
Icelanders have enjoyed a standard of living that is much higher than some of the largest cities in Europe. They like to spend and buy the best. They also have no issue with debt. They work hard and many will voluntarily continue working until they are in their 70's.
A stroll down their main shopping street showcases fine clothing boutiques, people dressed really well and lots of nice, well maintained cars. They are a people who are highly educated and literate. They publish and buy more books per capita than any other country in the world.
I got a distinct impression, right from the start at the airport, that they may not really welcome visitors and wish to keep their country to themselves. They until recently, have not been interested in joining the European Union.
All the travellers I met exclaimed the same thing -- they had not been able to come to Iceland before because it was so expensive. Without knowing, I managed to plan my trip at a time where things are a few multiples cheaper.
There is a movement back to what Icelanders consider to be the core of who they are -- Total Personal Responsibility. More next post.
I had a chance to ask the owner of my apartment what happened? She told me that due to corruption and over confidence in the government, the country's monies were being wasted and businesses (mainly banks) were allowed to loan money to people who really shouldn't be borrowing.
Sounds familiar. So I asked if it was similar to what happened in North America, Europe etc? She said that it is worse. The amounts that have been leveraged is higher per capita. They have been living big.
Home prices are down 50% still and their mortgage rates are now linked to inflation and are in the double digits. Their currency has plummeted. The President has been replaced and most of the known corrupt politicians etc. have left for Norway.
People were buying holiday homes on lines of credit from the European branches of their banks in Euro because it was cheaper than their Krona. People had been spending 170% of what they made. Many housing and condo projects have been left midway and some people who have bought there are living without services.
Icelanders have enjoyed a standard of living that is much higher than some of the largest cities in Europe. They like to spend and buy the best. They also have no issue with debt. They work hard and many will voluntarily continue working until they are in their 70's.
A stroll down their main shopping street showcases fine clothing boutiques, people dressed really well and lots of nice, well maintained cars. They are a people who are highly educated and literate. They publish and buy more books per capita than any other country in the world.
I got a distinct impression, right from the start at the airport, that they may not really welcome visitors and wish to keep their country to themselves. They until recently, have not been interested in joining the European Union.
All the travellers I met exclaimed the same thing -- they had not been able to come to Iceland before because it was so expensive. Without knowing, I managed to plan my trip at a time where things are a few multiples cheaper.
There is a movement back to what Icelanders consider to be the core of who they are -- Total Personal Responsibility. More next post.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Iceland Review Pt 1
Ever since I met D almost 7 years ago now, I've started to have increased trouble with going away on my own. Over 90% of all my travels have been solo until then.
In fact, 3 days after our first date, I was going to the Caribbean. Half a year after that, I had gotten a ticket to the French Open at Roland Garros through their international lottery so I was going to dust off one of my lifelong ambitions.
I remember being in tears at the airport because I didn't want to go. It was as if I was one of those crying kids that didn't want to go to camp as the parents were dropping them off. Once I got through security, I was fine. I guess I just wanted to share the experience with him.
Well, I didn't cry on the day of Iceland trip but I grumbled about being too tired to go and wanting to stay home and was questioning what got into me back in January when I booked the trip.
Meanwhile D is just laughing and saying he goes through this every year with me while I denied it. He knows and I know that there is something in me that craves the solo exploration of new places. D doesn't have this and is not interested in cultivating it but I do. Where I get it from? Who knows? None of my family travels or moves for pleasure, just for work.
By far, this trip had the most moving parts (I'm sure when I make it to India or Africa, the scale will probably expand even more). I had 3 types of currency (Cdn, US, Euro) in order to navigate and eat my way through airports, 4 by the time I reached Iceland as I had to exchange Euro for Icelandic Krona at the airport. Plus there is the whole language thing...
They just had some snow when I arrived so I didn't see what the lava fields really looked like right away. What I didn't know was that in the south, they were evacuating people out of their homes because of avalanche warnings.
By the time I transferred to the bus station and started my walk to the apartment, I was getting really weary and a bit disoriented and forgot how to use my world phone. I forgot that I didn't have to use the area code and the + sign when dialing because it links into the local network of whichever country I'm in as if it was a local phone.
So after 3 attempts and hearing a bunch of Icelandic in my ear, I gave up and decided to start walking. I was supposed to call the owner of the apartment first. Luckily, I walked by a pay phone so I tried to used it without knowing how much a call cost.
I put in change I had and the phone wasn't working right because I could hear him but not the other way around. Tried the other phone and was successful. They really ought to label their phones with the cost!
I started walking and couldn't find that pathway I was supposed to take. He recommending that I not walk on the main roads as it was not as safe because it is semi highway but I couldn't find the path due to the snow whereas the roads and sidewalks were clear.
I later found out that there are pipes under the streets and major sidewalks which carry the gray waste water out of buildings and houses and serves to melt the snow and makes snowplows unnecessary. Private homes have this technology for their driveways too -- very cool. So I made my way on the main roads and couldn't find the link to the side street I wanted.
Turns out it is common there just to walk through things to get to the street you want and make your own path. It was Sunday morning in Reykjavik and people there party seriously everything weekend til 5am so the streets were dead. Eventually I made it and my diversion cost me 15 min or so.
My apartment was located in a fairly affluent area of Reykjavik. The cars in the driveways were Audi, BMW's and where I was staying, Porsches. My original plan was to stay here until I found this apartment. Where I was ended up costing more than the hotel but the flexibility and privacy I gained made it more than worth it.
Plus I get a kick out of staying in a place that costs more than all the real estate we own added up. Even with the 50% drop in the real estate market for Iceland, the houses in that subdivision would still be listed in the 700000 euro mark. Out of my league.
When my apartment orientation was over, I fired up my computer to send D a quick email before I crashed and found out that he had sent me a frantic email wondering where I was and should he be going to Boston?
It turns out that he had gotten a few calls from Icelandair wondering where I was and asking him if he knew because they couldn't find me(?) and if I didn't show up in 5 minutes, I was going to miss the flight. D told the fellow that I've been at the Boston airport all day and I had just told him I was heading to my gate. It was impossible I wasn't there.
I had no idea this was going on. Where was I? Sitting in my seat drinking water, thinking just how fortunate I was to have been upgraded to business class! Apparently, what had happened was that they changed planes after I had checked in and printed my boarding pass the day before so my seat number had changed though no on told me.
My pass triggered an error when they scanned it but they overrode it at the gate and let me on the flight. My new seat was one row behind in economy. Once the fellow announced my name on the plane and found me and checked that my boarding pass did say the seat I was in, they closed the flight and I got to enjoy my upgrade.
One thing I didn't know was that Icelandair will not serve you a meal if you are in economy. That's a first for me as all other transatlantic flights I've been on do. I got a meal this time but next time, I'll know to eat before boarding as I am not the biggest fan of airplane food.
I'm still shocked that they would go to such lengths to make sure I was on the flight. I cannot see any North American airline bothering to do that.
In fact, 3 days after our first date, I was going to the Caribbean. Half a year after that, I had gotten a ticket to the French Open at Roland Garros through their international lottery so I was going to dust off one of my lifelong ambitions.
I remember being in tears at the airport because I didn't want to go. It was as if I was one of those crying kids that didn't want to go to camp as the parents were dropping them off. Once I got through security, I was fine. I guess I just wanted to share the experience with him.
Well, I didn't cry on the day of Iceland trip but I grumbled about being too tired to go and wanting to stay home and was questioning what got into me back in January when I booked the trip.
Meanwhile D is just laughing and saying he goes through this every year with me while I denied it. He knows and I know that there is something in me that craves the solo exploration of new places. D doesn't have this and is not interested in cultivating it but I do. Where I get it from? Who knows? None of my family travels or moves for pleasure, just for work.
By far, this trip had the most moving parts (I'm sure when I make it to India or Africa, the scale will probably expand even more). I had 3 types of currency (Cdn, US, Euro) in order to navigate and eat my way through airports, 4 by the time I reached Iceland as I had to exchange Euro for Icelandic Krona at the airport. Plus there is the whole language thing...
They just had some snow when I arrived so I didn't see what the lava fields really looked like right away. What I didn't know was that in the south, they were evacuating people out of their homes because of avalanche warnings.
By the time I transferred to the bus station and started my walk to the apartment, I was getting really weary and a bit disoriented and forgot how to use my world phone. I forgot that I didn't have to use the area code and the + sign when dialing because it links into the local network of whichever country I'm in as if it was a local phone.
So after 3 attempts and hearing a bunch of Icelandic in my ear, I gave up and decided to start walking. I was supposed to call the owner of the apartment first. Luckily, I walked by a pay phone so I tried to used it without knowing how much a call cost.
I put in change I had and the phone wasn't working right because I could hear him but not the other way around. Tried the other phone and was successful. They really ought to label their phones with the cost!
I started walking and couldn't find that pathway I was supposed to take. He recommending that I not walk on the main roads as it was not as safe because it is semi highway but I couldn't find the path due to the snow whereas the roads and sidewalks were clear.
I later found out that there are pipes under the streets and major sidewalks which carry the gray waste water out of buildings and houses and serves to melt the snow and makes snowplows unnecessary. Private homes have this technology for their driveways too -- very cool. So I made my way on the main roads and couldn't find the link to the side street I wanted.
Turns out it is common there just to walk through things to get to the street you want and make your own path. It was Sunday morning in Reykjavik and people there party seriously everything weekend til 5am so the streets were dead. Eventually I made it and my diversion cost me 15 min or so.
My apartment was located in a fairly affluent area of Reykjavik. The cars in the driveways were Audi, BMW's and where I was staying, Porsches. My original plan was to stay here until I found this apartment. Where I was ended up costing more than the hotel but the flexibility and privacy I gained made it more than worth it.
Plus I get a kick out of staying in a place that costs more than all the real estate we own added up. Even with the 50% drop in the real estate market for Iceland, the houses in that subdivision would still be listed in the 700000 euro mark. Out of my league.
When my apartment orientation was over, I fired up my computer to send D a quick email before I crashed and found out that he had sent me a frantic email wondering where I was and should he be going to Boston?
It turns out that he had gotten a few calls from Icelandair wondering where I was and asking him if he knew because they couldn't find me(?) and if I didn't show up in 5 minutes, I was going to miss the flight. D told the fellow that I've been at the Boston airport all day and I had just told him I was heading to my gate. It was impossible I wasn't there.
I had no idea this was going on. Where was I? Sitting in my seat drinking water, thinking just how fortunate I was to have been upgraded to business class! Apparently, what had happened was that they changed planes after I had checked in and printed my boarding pass the day before so my seat number had changed though no on told me.
My pass triggered an error when they scanned it but they overrode it at the gate and let me on the flight. My new seat was one row behind in economy. Once the fellow announced my name on the plane and found me and checked that my boarding pass did say the seat I was in, they closed the flight and I got to enjoy my upgrade.
One thing I didn't know was that Icelandair will not serve you a meal if you are in economy. That's a first for me as all other transatlantic flights I've been on do. I got a meal this time but next time, I'll know to eat before boarding as I am not the biggest fan of airplane food.
I'm still shocked that they would go to such lengths to make sure I was on the flight. I cannot see any North American airline bothering to do that.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Icelandic Horse 1, Me 0
I fell of my horse yesterday. Yup, I did. (D, have you stopped laughing yet?)
Apparently, my horse had "spring feelings" for another horse that was going the other way and wanted to follow without telling me about it. She tried it again, once I got back on but I was ready this time and the rest was fine as we were ending and were very close to the stables.
The horses are so beautiful. I was on a private ride through the lava fields. So I was very fortunate I did not fall on a rock or a pile of poop either! It was one of those falls where everything happened in slow motion and I remember thinking about how slow it was while I was falling.
Luckily, as I know how to fall, I just walked away with a bruise on my foot, probably from the stirrup. Not enough to keep me away from my longest travel day yet down to the south coast today.
Apparently, my horse had "spring feelings" for another horse that was going the other way and wanted to follow without telling me about it. She tried it again, once I got back on but I was ready this time and the rest was fine as we were ending and were very close to the stables.
The horses are so beautiful. I was on a private ride through the lava fields. So I was very fortunate I did not fall on a rock or a pile of poop either! It was one of those falls where everything happened in slow motion and I remember thinking about how slow it was while I was falling.
Luckily, as I know how to fall, I just walked away with a bruise on my foot, probably from the stirrup. Not enough to keep me away from my longest travel day yet down to the south coast today.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Iceland Calling
After almost 23 hrs of travel, I made it to Iceland. Got lost finding my way to the apartment and am thinking that my Icelandic course didn't prepare me well enough...
The first day is usually spent getting my bearings, finding places to eat, buying food and adapting to the new time zone. It is just past 1pm and I am finding it warm. I knew the weather wasn't going to be as cold as what I'm used to in Canada but I didn't expect it to feel as warm even though it is 7 C. I'm glad I am wearing my raincoat and not anything made of down.
I slept 13 hrs and the first thing I ate today when I got up at noon was a chocolate covered lemony vanilla ice cream popsicle! It was awesome! My apartment is fabulous. Very modern and lux and full of original art. The owners are both designers and have great taste.
I don't usually bring a computer with me on a trip but it is really convenient to keep in touch especially with D looking for jobs and also to check weather, booking excursions and flight news. I use Skype to call home. This new computer of mine and bluetooth headset has paid for itself already with respect to that and for killing time during my 6 hr layover at Boston Logan.
So far the cost of things aren't unreasonable. I'm not thinking of the currency devaluation or conversion, I'm looking at the cost of items in their dollars vs what I'm used to at home. It is more but not so much that it makes me stop or gasp or swear : ). It is definitely cheaper than what I see at our ski resort in BC. So it looks like I will come in under what I budgeted for spending. I think I'm buying some more of those popsicles!
Oh yeah, check out this week's Carnival of Personal Finance - Women in History Edition -- for some great quotes and articles, hosted by SimplyForties.
The first day is usually spent getting my bearings, finding places to eat, buying food and adapting to the new time zone. It is just past 1pm and I am finding it warm. I knew the weather wasn't going to be as cold as what I'm used to in Canada but I didn't expect it to feel as warm even though it is 7 C. I'm glad I am wearing my raincoat and not anything made of down.
I slept 13 hrs and the first thing I ate today when I got up at noon was a chocolate covered lemony vanilla ice cream popsicle! It was awesome! My apartment is fabulous. Very modern and lux and full of original art. The owners are both designers and have great taste.
I don't usually bring a computer with me on a trip but it is really convenient to keep in touch especially with D looking for jobs and also to check weather, booking excursions and flight news. I use Skype to call home. This new computer of mine and bluetooth headset has paid for itself already with respect to that and for killing time during my 6 hr layover at Boston Logan.
So far the cost of things aren't unreasonable. I'm not thinking of the currency devaluation or conversion, I'm looking at the cost of items in their dollars vs what I'm used to at home. It is more but not so much that it makes me stop or gasp or swear : ). It is definitely cheaper than what I see at our ski resort in BC. So it looks like I will come in under what I budgeted for spending. I think I'm buying some more of those popsicles!
Oh yeah, check out this week's Carnival of Personal Finance - Women in History Edition -- for some great quotes and articles, hosted by SimplyForties.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)