This Is How I Travel

It’s been nearly three years, and I still find it difficult to verbalise why I fell so in love with Iceland in just four short days (the first time around). Photos usually serve as suitable assistants, but even then, many people still don’t understand my infatuation. I’ve even had one friend call me weird for simply wanting to visit Iceland, period. (I know…it’s weird that she thinks I’m weird).

But I digress. What was it that I loved about Iceland?

The Icelandic have the best sense of humour.

The people are fascinating, and not in a ‘look at their wrinkles of hardship, their pure and honest eyes, and their weathered, yet faithful, faces’. Hardly. I’m not that patronising. There are several things about the Icelandic that I just find cool. Nearly everyone in Reykjavik, and many people outside the city, speak almost perfect English. They are admirably (and enviously) dedicated to their traditions, yet they are one of the most progressive societies in the world. They’re nice, but not overly friendly, which I find far more believable and genuine, leading me to believe that they’re happy to help me, without wanting to rinse me for all my tourist dollars (either that, or they’re excellent actors…all of them). They seem happy. They have a wickedly intelligent and quirky sense of humour (don’t believe me? Follow @thisisiceland on twitter). I want to be Icelandic, but I know I never could be; no one can, and that’s what I love.

They make hats like this in Iceland, aka, they’re hilarious.

See? Cheeky and mocking…my favourite sense of humour. These signs were in our hotel room at the Icelandair Marina Reykjavik.

In addition to the people, Iceland has some pretty epic scenery. From glaciers to geysirs, beaches to waterfalls, hot springs to those Northern Lights (you know those things), Iceland is so pretty, it hurts. Trust me on this. My current photos only show a fraction of the gorgeousness of Iceland, and each time I come home, I just can’t wait to get out and explore more of the country on my next visit.

Reynisfjara, South Iceland

Needless to say, I was rather excited to go back to Iceland recently for the second time. This time, we were getting out into the country by doing a four-day self-drive with Icelandic Farm Holidays, sending us out on the Ring Road and into the south of Iceland. I was so impressed, awestruck, and enamoured by the south that I want to go back and see it in the summer!

Driving the virtually empty Ring Road in South Iceland

Oh, and one more thing: Iceland is home to the Phallological Museum, aka the world’s largest collection of mammal penises from a single country. Yeah, we went there.

Yup. Mammal willies in jars. Stay tuned for more, friends.

So, in conclusion, I <3 Iceland. A lot.