My last two travel adventures yielded NO written documentation of the journey and I have come to regret it. I try not to regret things because you can’t change the past. This time I’ve decided to stick to writing everyday, not matter how late it is or how many alcoholic beverages I’ve consumed.
I arrived at 6:20am local time, 2:20am to my jet lagged body. It was strange; not only did I have to go through security at Pearson International I had to go through it again at Keflavik Airport in Iceland. Rules have changed since 9/11: any flight coming in from the States must be screened again.
Straight away, the drive from the airport is GORGEOUS. The lava fields are covered with low lying grasses and mosses and lavender-coloured flowers. I keep forgetting I’m just below the Arctic Circle. The roads are jet black. They get their colour from the volcanic rock. I’ve seen the red, iron-oxidized roads of Prince Edward Island and now the black roads of Iceland. I was fighting back tears as my 19-year-old dream of going to Iceland was coming to fruition right before my eyes. It was raining a lot and more was on the way…
I arrived at my “hotel”, Welcome Apartments. I’ve spent the last two vacations in hostels and I’m done. Hostels make me hostile. I feel too old for that now. I enjoy comfort and quiet so I may fully enjoy the reasons for travel – to take in the sights. Welcome Apartments are for travels wanting more of just those two things: comfort and quiet. I rented a bachelor apartment with my own bathroom and kitchenette. Having a fridge and a sink and a hot plate will make eating breakfast easier and more economical. The bathroom was quite peculiar:
The entire bathroom is like one, giant shower.
My not-so-blackout blackout blinds.
During the summer months Iceland had nearly 24-hours of daylight.
Blackout blinds are a necessity to get much-needed sleep!
My plan was to stay up and beat the jet lag but, alas, slumber won the game, but not before exploring a little and picking up some necessities at a place called Bonus, a local grocer. I found myself at a place called Te + Kaffi (yes, you guessed it: Tea + Coffee) and had a bite to eat. It was 9:00am but my body was very confused. I spoke to a French gentlemen during my time there and it turns out he is also a high school teacher of history and geography. We steered our conversation to nerdy geography things – half the reason we both found ourselves in Iceland!
After that, I strolled along Laugavegur (the main shopping and entertainment street in town) and walked into a record shop called Smekkleysa. I told the sales clerk I wanted to hear anything Icelandic. I left with a CD by Seabear. I have yet to listen to it properly but I’m sure I will love it. I really love music and shape my travels around it. I went to Ireland because of all those years of listening to U2 and yearning to see the places where the music I love was created. I think art and geography have a strong connection even though people often exclaim what a strange combination of teachables I have: dance and geography. To me, it makes sense.
I proceeded to my accommodation and fell into a 4-hour sleep (which explains why I’m up at 3:15am local time, writing this). Upon awaking, I went to the Backpackers Hostel on the main road to inquire about good places to eat. The clerk directed me to Vegamot, a hip and happening place to eat in Reykjavik, on a street called Vegamotastigur. It was very busy so I took that as a sign of its credibility. My choice restaurant in Toronto is constantly busy and is a favourite among Torontonians. I ordered a delicious hamburger with potato skins, complete with a cucumber and dill sauce. I saved my skins for late night eats, post pub.
After dinner I popped into a bookstore and a young woman called Ylva said she recognized me from Vegamot (she was also having dinner there at the same time). We struck up a conversation and realized one of her friends might very well know one of my good friends. Both Ylva and my friend studied at the same acting school – Guildford School of Acting in the UK. Such a small world! We are now following each other on Twitter and are planning to meet up for a drink during my time here. I make friends wherever I go! It is definitely one of my finest traits. J
I went on to meet a woman named Inga I met on Twitter. She owns a travel business called Tiny Iceland and hosts visitors to Iceland. She brought some American travelers (Jamie and Tommy) and we all enjoyed a night out at Lebowski Bar and Den Danske Kro (Danish pub). I tried Gull, a local beer, and let me tell you: SO GOOD. Delicious beer. I am convinced it is due to the amazing water in Iceland. The tap water is the best water I’ve ever tasted, tap or bottled. It might be the best water in the world. Google it! Another interesting fact about Iceland: beer was banned from 1915 to 1989! You wouldn't know it by the nightllife! Reykjavik is known for its nightlife; people party until all hours of the night, especially on Fridays and Saturdays.
Jamie and Tommy from Oregon!
At Den Danske Kro, a two-man band was playing. Apparently, this band is quite well-known in Iceland and they usually play bigger venues – I was a treat to see them in a small pub. The one dude’s name is MagniÁsgeirsson and he is a bit of a local celebrity. He and his band mate played a Leonard Cohen song and I freaked out (because he’s Canadian, not because I love Cohen. Yes, it’s true. I don’t LOVE Leonard Cohen, ok?? Get over it). I went up and requested anything else Canadian. They played Neil Young’s Heart of Gold and it made me smile from ear to ear. They also played Mr. Big’s To Be With You and when they did the whole bar sang at the top of their voices (little known fact about Iceland: Icelanders LOVE this song. Like, madly. I heard it every night out at the bar and each time every single person would sing it. It was confusing and awesome). And lastly, one of the other songs they played was Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song. Before they sang it, Magni said, “Here’s our song!” One of favourite bands of all time, Led Zeppelin, came to Iceland in the ‘70s and wrote Immigrant Song – a tune written in the perspective of the Vikings sailing from Norway and discovering Iceland. The Viking TRULY discovered Iceland – no one was there when they arrived! It’s not like when misinformed people say Columbus “discovered” America or when John Cabot “discovered” Newfoundland, Canada. No, they didn’t. People were already there.
It was a fantastic first day in Iceland. I cannot wait to see what more will happen.
Time for sleep now. It’s 3:30am and the sun is starting to rise. It was dusk at 11:00pm. Fantastic. Tomorrow: I’m off the Geysir, Gulfoss, and Thingvellir! Stay tuned for Iceland Day 2!
Thank you for reading, lovelies.
Sincerely,
Roopa
All photography by Roopa Cheema
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