I is for Iceland

Iceland was one of the last large uninhabited islands. It is rumored that its name was conceived in order to deter people from visiting. Instead they were told to venture a little further to the more promising, "Greenland". However, despite its name, Iceland is yet another place I have been dying to go. That is why for today, I is for Iceland.

The exact date or person who first discovered Iceland is unknown. There are several different stories each with proof backing them up. Sometime around 870 though, Norse settlers made their claim and began inhabiting the island. Anyone who has looked through any pictures of Iceland would know why.

Image Courtesy of  The Guardian.

While Iceland itself does have a pretty unique history, in this case, the sheer beauty of the place is what attracts me. No where else in the world would you get such a huge cross of arctic beauty with the green of an island. This has a lot to do with how much volcanic activity is present. The danger of active volcanoes is obvious. The effect they can have was seen several years ago when an Icelandic volcano effectively shut down airports all across Europe. The plus side to this are the geothermic hot springs which are arguably some of the best in the world.

Another attraction for me is not necessarily unique to this area. Seeing the Aurora Borealis with my own eyes is pretty high on my bucket list. What better way to see this than to be sitting in a natural hot spring in what I feel is one of the more underrated island travel destinations.

Image courtesy of National Geographic

Have you been to Iceland? Feel free to share your experiences. If not, what are some things you would want to see?

Kauai Trip in Pictures

We have all heard the old adage "Time flies when you are having fun." Well time also flies when you are busy. It seems in hardly a blink of an eye, it has been a week since I got back from Hawaii. I've had a lot of catching up to do with both work and sleep and no time to write, much less post. What is the best way to help this? A trip review in pictures!

 

 

 

Afternoon sun at Hanalei Bay

 

The above and below pictures are of the Hanalei taro fields. 

  

 

Waimea Canyon. Also know as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific".

 Don't let looks deceive you, while it looks like no waves are breaking, I assure you they were. 

Just another sunrise. They can be pretty awesome. 

Morning surf at Donkeys Beach (This was one of my all time favorite surf sessions).

 

Mt Waialeale. It averages about 450 inches of rain a year so to see it without clouds is rather rare.

Sunrise at Waikoko.

It was quite an amazing trip. The weather turned out perfect. The surf was pumping. I couldn't ask for much more, well other than more time there. Kaua'i, aloha a hui ho.