the sweetest

One of the girls on my travel made this hilariously wonderful video of our time in Iceland. It is full of great moments, from Karen singing on the bus to a shot of cod liver in the morning (it was vile, my reaction is obvious), to hiking across lava fields to a massive crater. Thought you all might enjoy this, it’s quite accurate. 

Back to schoolwork!
Bless bless,
Hannah 

Most of our time in Iceland was like living in a Tolkien novel. Weaving through the ravine that is Ásbyrgi was surreal. Large plateaus on either side of us walking through brush and shrubbery. Hiked up the side of one to get a better view, requiring us to scale a wet rock face with the assistance of a rock. Safety first. 

While we were not able to visit Dettifoss during our time in Iceland, we did manage trips to both Goðafoss and Gullfoss. We hiked around the top of Goðafoss, peeked over the edge, jumped around rocks, normal safe stuff. Gullfoss included icy rocks and pebbles, no rainbow, but a pretty great view of a massive waterfall. 

A quick trip to the Whale Museum is Husavík was in order. We stopped to purchase snacks and did the two minute tour of the town. It was oddly reminiscent of some coastal town in Washington or Oregon. The boats, smell, and atmosphere were fairly Pacific Northwest with the typical Icelandic flair. The museum was filled with enormous whale skeletons and interactive displays. Fun fact: Orca whales have distinct dialects in their language depending on their clan and geographic location. 

Grimsey was worth its weight in gold. We took a three hour ferry ride up to the tiny island in the Arctic Circle. Unfortunately, sea sickness is extremely common and most of our class was ill. I managed to pass out for most of the journey and avoided any upset stomach. 
Once we reached Grimsey we crossed into the Arctic Circle, took the required photos, and then set off to go for a quick swim! Ten of us decided to hike down a ridge down to the waterfront and do a quick Arctic skinny dip,  haha. Definitely a way to get your adrenaline pumping. Plus everything feels extremely warm once you dry off and re-dress. Afterwards we packed into a tiny shop where I purchased my beloved puffin-adorned Icelandic sweater (photos will come soon enough for that). 
We boarded the ferry home, this time with relatively few hiccups.

Geysir at sunrise was an interesting experience. Though its eruptions are few and far between, we did manage to catch a few shows from Strokkur. The park was filled with mud pots, geysers, and hot springs. Epic way to start the day. 

Bless bless,
Hannah 

Hverfjall. Dimmuborgir. Welcome to the entrance to Hell.

Although it has an ominous name, our hike up the side of Hverfjall was spectacular. We crossed the snow covered lava fields of Dimmuborgir, explored little caves, and wove through bizarre rock formations. Finally, everything flattened out and the rocks fell behind us as Hverfjall approached. 

The sides were absurdly steep, but with the snow we were able to hike it much like an uncomfortable staircase. At the lip, you stood on the edge of a massive bowl and could look out onto the vast Mývatn area. It was beautiful. We circled the crater, hiked down the other side, and embarked on a 2 km walk to hot springs to unwind. 

This Iceland adventure started off in the most radical way possible. We arrived at the airport only to rush off to the Blue Lagoon and then an early night to prepare for our first hike of the trip. 
The hike at Grábrók was intended to be short and a quick introduction. However, we were met with winds up to 72 mph, at the top of a crater. The wind was blowing people over and making it nearly impossible to walk. (Here’s a short video of the place- not mine) Things got interesting, which only served to set the standard for the rest of our hikes. 

On our next day, I legitimately thought I was going to die. It was windy, blowing ice crystals into your eyes, deep snow, and sheets of pure ice. Oh, and boiling water and a very “thin crust of the Earth”, so you had to watch your step. Víti ended up cooperating and we all made it out alive, despite some tears being shed. One hell of a character-building experience. 

And for a few blissful days we stayed at the Vogafjos Guesthouse, located next to a giant crater that light up with sunrise. We ate breakfast and dinner next to their cows, and meandered around the region to hunt for underground hot springs and watch the Aurora Borealis. Cozy cabins with sulfur showers and ceder wood, it was enough to feel at home for just a few days. 

Alright everyone, 

I’ve been super out of contact with this lately. Focusing on school and trying to avoid the internet for as long as possible. However, I have numerous things to share. I still have a million photos from Myanmar and Thailand to post, but those will have to wait until I have my other computer fixed (ugh). 
For now though, I have a few glorious photos from Iceland to post! The past 10 days I spent exploring Iceland with a few students and a professor from my university. It was absolutely splendid. The picture is from our hike up Skogaá.

Despite having laryngitis and a sickening cough for most of the trip, I hardly noticed because of the incredible things we were doing. We hiked craters in gale force winds, crossed crater lips on sheets of ice, explored snow covered lava fields, watched the Northern Lights and the moon rise in silence, skinny dipped in the Arctic Circle, ate a sheep’s head, meandered around Reykjavik, sang awful karaoke, drank expensive Icelandic beer, and relaxed after hikes in hot springs.

All in all, one of the most fulfilling travels I’ve done while at Franklin. Instead of visiting museums, taking city tours, and listening to lectures we were engaged with the environment on a very real level and related everything academic to actual experiences.
Still adjusting to life back in Lugano.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!
Ciao,
Hannah