Gætya finkky meídra ísland, takk?

Today is my last day in iceland. I hate these kinds of days. Anywhere. The day before i leave, when I see people going about their day living their lives. What I hate most is seeing weather reports for the days after your departure... That really gets me. I guess I've just... Really not liked one of Bose necessities of life, saying goodbye.

I'm sitting outside a cafe, sipping some decent coffee, freshly showered and in clean clothes and new shoes, looking over the Icelandic parliament building and city hall. There is no security in either of these places; they are completely open to the public. Luckily my cafe just turned up the bossa nova jazz, thus drowning out the music from the next cafe over, a bunch of generic air-conditioner noise that's constantly played in any given apple store.

Yesterday I met up with bragi, local couch surfer and community organizer extraordinare, and we went geoccaching on the Reykjanes peninsula. 5 of 6 caches successfully found. Later on we organized a small couch surfer meet up and a few factions of the local surfers came out. It was an evening full of life and fun conversation, and good connection. If there's two things I've learned since being in Iceland it's this: 1.) I can be a surviving lone wolf if I have to. 2.) I don't necessarily want that. I want connection, with people; this is the biggest thing I've discovered.

That and saying "gætya finkky einn _______, takk" will garner puzzled amusement bordering grief from the locals.

With that being said, instead of leaving, how about you reading this (yes, you!) come traveling with me on this strange, enchanting little island!! Dosent that sound nice? We can start a new life, It'll be great!

Thinking of it, last we spoke, I was just about to pick up a car and embark on a driving adventure... Ohh yes, and what an adventure it was. Here's a quick rundown of where I went In The car:

Snæfellsnes peninsula
Reykjavik
Skogarfoss
Vik
Jökulsárlón (Glacier lagoon)
Höfn

And then back to Reykjavik. On the night of revelry and baccus behavior. I lost the key to the car. I have NO idea how this could have happened! Come on! To me? Wth. After this realization, went to the rental company and upon learning they didn't have a spare, my heart sank. I was staring inthe face of some massive bill from a locksmith. They provided me with 5 keys of different cars but of the same model, in the hopes that one would work. Odin, frya and þor raised their "outlanddinger" (oursider, foreigner) cane of punishment high above their heads, ready to smite my inexperienced-in-ways-of-having-shitty-things-happen-to-me-on-this-trip ass black and blue, until seeing my self chastisement and mea-coulpas, desisted in the display of their wrath and gave me a working key. 4 keys didn't work. 1 did. Doors, AC power, engine. Success. In honor of the gods to whom this country is presided over, I drank many beers last night.

I've also started reading bukowski. It's depressing, and weird, but fun to read about such peoples exploits. Me reading bukowski might be a little lile you reading this blog? Hmm? Just a little? No? ... Probably for the better.

I've also enjoyed meeting all the French and German travelers...ive hung out with just as many Germans as icelanders and gotten to practice my vague approximation of what terrible German I pretend to know! Nice to learn languages! We need more of that in the states.

Just ran into the boyfriend of a couch surfer! Small place. Had BBQ at their place. This was the father of the little girl who could speak 3 languages at 6 years old; the little Viking who attacked me : )

You will get many pictures. Seriously. I have 3 SD cards worth of them.

Iceland... Next time, You will come with me.

Es muss sine!

Until America,

-e

Location:Vallarstræti,Reykjavík,Iceland