(6) Land of the everlasting sun: Iceland

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"How long are you staying?", "How much cash do you have on you?", "Where are you staying?", "We need an address?", "What is your employment?", "What are your intentions?", "How much money do you have in your bank account?" "Have a seat for further questioning", hammered the British customs agent at London Heathrow Airport.

My mind was dull but it was racing. It was an overnight flight (across the pond) from DC to London via an Iceland stopover. I was looking past the customs agent in anticipation to meet Cecilia, my ex-girlfriend whom I hadn't seen in several years.

I was taken into custody. Luggage searched. Fingerprinted and interrogated. I was offered tea by the lovely English. After a few hours and an interview, it was deduced by the agent that I would be politely denied entry into the UK on the suspicion that I was emigrating there.

They were so kind as to confiscate my passport and luggage until the time of departure and ship me back on the next plane to Iceland! A mid summers chaotic-dream. I was thinking nightmare at the time, actually.

Then a strange thing happened about forty minutes into the flight. I accepted beauty. Or rather I was struck into submission by beauty. Mother Nature. She brought tears to my eyes.

I looked out the window at the northern island regions of old Britain. I gazed down at several green isles of Scotland and the Shetlands. After a long day at customs this was my reward! It was 23.00 (11pm) and I was watching a sunny world blessed of the earth's tilt. Nearing midnight and what filmmakers refer to as the magic hour on seemingly thousands of tiny lands was everlasting.

I had made friends in customs holding and we all bonded together in our exile. Outlaws that we were. When we landed and were given entry into Iceland; we rented a car, drove into the capitol city and found a hostel. We relaxed for a little while and I bought my plane ticket to Paris. It was nearing 4 am and getting light again. I looked at my new friends and said, "It's a Saturday night in the start of summer, our timing couldn't be more perfect. Fuck it, lets go out"

We went out at 4 and the street and bar parties were going strong. I was still pumped enough after drinking a few hours that I walked a Lithuanian girl home and she dropped me back at my hostel at 8 or so. By that time skies were well lit.

Woke up quick; at about noon. Got into the car and drove up a mountain. Saw some horses. Saw some glaciers. Saw some lakes. Saw a geyser. We had time 'cuz it was never gonna get dark. There is an area where the tectonic plates of America and Europe meet and actually come out of the ground. The ancient Vikings met and formed the first parliament here. I felt a powerful energy. That same day we found a stream where boiling hot water meets cold and they run together to form a perfect natural jacuzzi river.

I'm pretty sure that morning when it started to get light we powered through an all-nighter and checked out the historical areas of the city of Reykjavik too. It all sort of meshed together anyway as I was very high on Vitamin D, C and whatever the sun fills you with!



Iceland = Island . An sun loving islander felt at home. What began as a journey into a dark abyss by being rejected from a planned destination became a wonderful unplanned potpourri of natural amazement and relaxation. The Vikings were giving me their encouragement and blessing to explore my most anticipated of regions...Europe.

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Photos

Tectonic Plates Meet
North American and European tectonic plates meeting above ground in Iceland where the first parliament was held