Whale Watching

Day 10 May 21 

Experience 11: Animal Planet will you hire me?

The pace of our trip has been as rapidly fluctuating as the weather. Since landing outside of Reykjavik our group has buzzed with higher energy than the geothermal plant. I have never been both so energized and exhausted at the same time. On the morning of May 21, we were facing our last day in the harborside hostel and given the choice between two hikes. The first group would accompany Dr. Ranson on a hike aiming to reach the valley top, while the second hike would accompany Dr. Suresh on a coastal hike with the goal of spotting whales and exploring the edges of the fjords. Sensing that my body needed one elevation for the day and hoping to see my first wild whale, I quickly joined team Suresh. Three others shared my opinion and together with Suresh we formed the Whale Crew. Whale Crew departed from the hostel the same time as the masses and chanted our new whale song as we left them for the coast. Our hike and the adventure that followed ended up being one of my favorite days (glacier day continually looms as the best day). Within minutes of walking we spotted grey seals playing next to the shoreline. A collective freak out commenced and our squeals alerted the seals that overly eager Americans were present. The seals ceased their merriment and bopped like buoys watching us watching them. We continued walking - there were whales to find. Holding our pair of binoculars, I took it upon myself to frequently stop and majestically scan the horizon. The job was a serious one. I strained my eyes as if I was looking for the New World instead of a whale tail. Eventually we grew too restless for the road and jumped down into the boulder- lined shore. This began a series of "sea monster" finds by our fearless leader Suresh. We found multiple fish heads with gruesome dispositions and dreamed up what could possibly have eaten such a gnarly set of fish bodies. What else besides seals swam in that fjord!?

We journeyed on, leaping over slippery rocks, eyes set on the horizon, until we arrived at the Golden Beach. The beach indeed had golden sand, a very out of place feature amongst the volcanic shoreline. The beach wrapped around the fjord, it's shimmering sand presenting a stark contrast against the ancient dark rock. Like basically everything in Iceland, the beach contained a mystical element. Large flat rocks jutted out from the golden sand and wore 50 shades of bright green algae and seaweed. The openness and beauty of the area turned the rest of our walk into a straight FROLIC. We eventually settled down into a ravine for lunch (necessary to block the crisp coastal wind). After recharging, Whale Crew decided it was time to head back into town. We had already passed the last town and did not want to worry the Other Crew with our prolonged absence. On our walk back, my desperation for a whale sighting heightened and I found myself fervently hoping each scan of the horizon would result in a puff of water and a majestic whale leaping towards us. As we soon approached our town border, it seemed my wishes were not strong enough to wield a whale. We paused for a selfie in front of the town sign when I searched the water for a last time... AND THERE IT WAS 

YES

THATS RIGHT

a dolphin! Which is still pretty amazing readers. 

It's like a mini whale right? Cue another group scream.

Sensing our desperation for wildlife, the dolphin jovially followed us back into town. Once back harborside, Suresh took Nat Geo worthy photos of the happy little poroiouse while the remainder of the Whale Crew went to celebrate. Our meandering along the coast reminded me to seek the beauty in the simplistic. Not everyday has to be on a glacier or mountaintop to still be valuable. I find that when I go off the map and create my own path with good people by my side, the universe might just send in a dolphin. 

Dr. Suresh carrying the technology 

Day 11 May 22 

Experience 12: FIFA TIME

On the 11th day of our journey we left the fjords to depart for the opposite end of the country. We would soon be replacing winding cliff side roads for straight paved pathways and pastoral land. Leaving behind each hostel thus far has been difficult, but I found a fleeting sadness in leaving the rare sunshine and puffin habitats that characterize the fjords. However, every breeze in Iceland enticingly whispers of far off lands waiting to be explored. We listened to them. Early that morning we loaded up the Golden Goose and departed for Sólheimar Eco-Village. This community, nestled between agriculture lands and removed from any major development, aims at intentional living. It began as Iceland's first community for mentally disabled children. As the children grew, more people began to develop the community focusing on partnerships towards equal opportunity. We stayed in a guesthouse designed as a retreat for those suffering from cancer. Everything in this center was extremely beautiful and calming - we felt well nurtured in this new homestead. Needing to stretch our legs after a full day of bus travel, our group eagerly explored a soccer field bordering our residence. With a fiery sunset fueling our energy, we began a game of pickup that reverted me back into a competitive athlete. Our game drew attention as one of the community volunteers, a German girl named Anna, asked to join the team. Together we all played until collective endurance was exasperated (and I scored one last goal). Anna and members of the geologic group slowly departed while Phoebe laid in the grass and I continued to practice poor juggling skills. 

Day 12 May 23

Experience 13: Loving the rain and the sights 

Our 12th day was packed with geologic activity. The soccer game left my body feeling as though I was hit by a glacier, but one English tea later and I was ready to explore new territory. Our first destination was called Pingvilla, where the junction of the tectonic plates is more clearly visible than anywhere else in the world. Imagine walking between two plates - one side the North American plate the other the Eurasian plate. CRAZY STUFF. Changing weather swirled around us and I donned my rain pants to increase the group's fashionable appearance. After strolling in the void between two continents, we reloaded the Goose and drove towards Gullfoss as rain began to conceal the landscape. Gullfoss is the sight of a waterfall said to be more impressive in beauty and power than Niagara Falls. Despite the cold rain, the waterfall was extremely beautiful. In desperate need of replenishment, we had quite a lovely lunch in the welcome center. I almost melted with British joy to have a toastie accompanied by tea (all hail the Queen?). Afterwards we visited a geyser that seems to explode with the waters of hell every 5 minutes (watch out Old Faithful you have been challenged). Following the geyser we once again VISITED A HOT SPRING. Shout out to Iceland and its culture of warm pools and leisure swimming. After these numerous stops, we decided to dine out at a local restaurant. The excitement of the day combined with my British references and exploding geysers gave me a tidal wave of energy on the bus ride back to Sólheimar. Before I really knew what was happening, Adele's Hello began to play while I simultaneously gave a live performance on the bus aisle. This single performance erupted into a series of sing a longs that transformed a sleepy post dinner ride into quality music video (hoping the videos on Dr. Suresh's phone will not be posted.)

A few members of whale crew