Sunday, November 15, 2015
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Iceland Encompassed: Glaciers, Lava Fields and Waterfalls - October 2015
Guest Blogger: Brenda Wilkerson
Certified Storm Spotter, Devout Memphis Grizzlies Fan & Avid Blogger www.dontstopbelieving.me
Iceland is a country I'd always wanted to see, but it wasn't
high on my priority list until this summer when a friend told me she was going
with her sister. Suddenly, I really wanted to go. I offhandedly mentioned it to
Bethany, one of my best and most well-traveled friends. Three days later, she
had found and booked a cheap fall fare for herself and her husband, and
basically said, "Are you coming or what?" So at the end of October,
Bethany, Isaac, and I took off for a week in the land of ice and fire.
Our six-day driving tour package, “Best of the South and West,” included all of our overnight lodging and a rental car with unlimited mileage and GPS. We had a list of suggested activities each day, but weren't on a schedule and could do whatever we wanted as long as we ended up at our next hostel stop. To me, it was the perfect balance of freedom and guidance. We appreciated the written itinerary with descriptions, since many of the long Icelandic place names sound similar.
We spent only the first day and night of our trip in the capital of Reykjavik, then headed out to experience nature. In six days, we traveled almost a thousand miles and saw an incredible range of topography and climates. I've always lived in the flat American South, so repeatedly going from sunny, green valleys to snowy mountaintops and back within an hour or two was mind-blowing to me ... as was the sparse population. I'd stand in a majestic valley, or on top of a cliff, and try to comprehend that I was one of very few humans for many miles around. One night, Bethany read from a brochure that we were in a region of Iceland with a population of 500. Without thinking, I replied, "Oh, you mean 500,000?" No. Five. Hundred. People.
Everything we saw in Iceland amazed me and often seemed too
beautiful to be real. It's hard to narrow it down, but here are the five places
I enjoyed most and would consider must-sees:
1. Búðir Church and Lava Field. After getting a little lost
on the Snaefellsness Peninsula, we found this famous black chapel at Búðir
almost by accident. The church was built in 1848 and is one of the oldest
wooden churches in Iceland. It sits in the middle of a lava field, now mostly
covered with tall grasses, that runs down to the sea. The black rocks and
mountain view at the beach strongly reminded me of Hawaii. ("Yeah, exactly
like Hawaii," Bethany agreed as she put on a second pair of gloves.)
2. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss. Iceland is full of
awe-inspiring waterfalls, but these subtler falls were my favorite. Hraunfossar
is a group of small waterfalls resulting from water flow over a lava field and
into the glacial Hvítá River. Nearby Barnafoss (which means "children's
waterfall") is the subject of an Icelandic folktale in which two boys fell
off a natural bridge and drowned. You definitely wouldn't want to fall in or go
rafting here - the current is no joke. It's beautiful to look at, though, with
such blue water.
3. Þingvellir National Park. Þingvellir (Thingvellir in
English) is one of Iceland's most important sites, historically and
geographically. As the chosen location for governmental and social gatherings,
it was basically the capital of Iceland from 930 AD until the 1600s. The
national park is a continental drift site, with several rifts between the North
American and Eurasian tectonic plates. I'd expected to see a real crack in the
earth, maybe with steam coming out of it or something. But the fault we saw,
while impressive, looked more like a big ravine. We saw the most breathtaking
fall colors of the trip at Þingvellir!
4. Reynisfjara. Near the town of Vik, Reynisfjara is one of
the most unique beaches in the world. It's a rocky black sand beach with tall
basalt stacks that edge right up to the shoreline. Puffins nest in the cliffs
in summer, but we didn't see any in October. We arrived at the start of a
snowstorm and were buffeted the whole time by snow and gale-force winds. That
put a damper on my picture-taking, but made the experience even more memorable.
We took refuge in the shallow cave and looked out at the Reynisdrangar columns,
which according to folklore are three petrified trolls. The surf at Reynisfjara
is so powerful and dangerous that even I didn't try to get close. I'd love to
visit this beach again someday under better conditions!
5. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Beach. Jökulsárlón is a deep lagoon, formed by the glacier Breiðamerkurjökull, that flows right into the ocean. It was the easternmost point of our trip, and definitely worth the drive. We checked out the "bay" of ice floes next to the Ring Road (and saw a seal pop its head above water!), then wandered around the velvety black sand beach, climbing on pieces of glacier. I'd never known so many kinds of ice could coexist - blue and black ice, glassy ice, frosted ice, Sonic ice. Blocks of ice floated out to sea and sat on the sand. I felt like I was on another planet.
In addition to Iceland's amazing landscape, I really took to several aspects of its culture. Stay tuned for my next post about the geothermal hot tubs including the famous Blue Lagoon.
Certified Storm Spotter, Devout Memphis Grizzlies Fan & Avid Blogger www.dontstopbelieving.me
Iceland is a country I'd always wanted to see, but it wasn't
high on my priority list until this summer when a friend told me she was going
with her sister. Suddenly, I really wanted to go. I offhandedly mentioned it to
Bethany, one of my best and most well-traveled friends. Three days later, she
had found and booked a cheap fall fare for herself and her husband, and
basically said, "Are you coming or what?" So at the end of October,
Bethany, Isaac, and I took off for a week in the land of ice and fire.Our six-day driving tour package, “Best of the South and West,” included all of our overnight lodging and a rental car with unlimited mileage and GPS. We had a list of suggested activities each day, but weren't on a schedule and could do whatever we wanted as long as we ended up at our next hostel stop. To me, it was the perfect balance of freedom and guidance. We appreciated the written itinerary with descriptions, since many of the long Icelandic place names sound similar.
We spent only the first day and night of our trip in the capital of Reykjavik, then headed out to experience nature. In six days, we traveled almost a thousand miles and saw an incredible range of topography and climates. I've always lived in the flat American South, so repeatedly going from sunny, green valleys to snowy mountaintops and back within an hour or two was mind-blowing to me ... as was the sparse population. I'd stand in a majestic valley, or on top of a cliff, and try to comprehend that I was one of very few humans for many miles around. One night, Bethany read from a brochure that we were in a region of Iceland with a population of 500. Without thinking, I replied, "Oh, you mean 500,000?" No. Five. Hundred. People.
Everything we saw in Iceland amazed me and often seemed too
beautiful to be real. It's hard to narrow it down, but here are the five places
I enjoyed most and would consider must-sees:
1. Búðir Church and Lava Field. After getting a little lost
on the Snaefellsness Peninsula, we found this famous black chapel at Búðir
almost by accident. The church was built in 1848 and is one of the oldest
wooden churches in Iceland. It sits in the middle of a lava field, now mostly
covered with tall grasses, that runs down to the sea. The black rocks and
mountain view at the beach strongly reminded me of Hawaii. ("Yeah, exactly
like Hawaii," Bethany agreed as she put on a second pair of gloves.)
2. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss. Iceland is full of
awe-inspiring waterfalls, but these subtler falls were my favorite. Hraunfossar
is a group of small waterfalls resulting from water flow over a lava field and
into the glacial Hvítá River. Nearby Barnafoss (which means "children's
waterfall") is the subject of an Icelandic folktale in which two boys fell
off a natural bridge and drowned. You definitely wouldn't want to fall in or go
rafting here - the current is no joke. It's beautiful to look at, though, with
such blue water.
3. Þingvellir National Park. Þingvellir (Thingvellir in
English) is one of Iceland's most important sites, historically and
geographically. As the chosen location for governmental and social gatherings,
it was basically the capital of Iceland from 930 AD until the 1600s. The
national park is a continental drift site, with several rifts between the North
American and Eurasian tectonic plates. I'd expected to see a real crack in the
earth, maybe with steam coming out of it or something. But the fault we saw,
while impressive, looked more like a big ravine. We saw the most breathtaking
fall colors of the trip at Þingvellir!
4. Reynisfjara. Near the town of Vik, Reynisfjara is one of
the most unique beaches in the world. It's a rocky black sand beach with tall
basalt stacks that edge right up to the shoreline. Puffins nest in the cliffs
in summer, but we didn't see any in October. We arrived at the start of a
snowstorm and were buffeted the whole time by snow and gale-force winds. That
put a damper on my picture-taking, but made the experience even more memorable.
We took refuge in the shallow cave and looked out at the Reynisdrangar columns,
which according to folklore are three petrified trolls. The surf at Reynisfjara
is so powerful and dangerous that even I didn't try to get close. I'd love to
visit this beach again someday under better conditions!5. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Beach. Jökulsárlón is a deep lagoon, formed by the glacier Breiðamerkurjökull, that flows right into the ocean. It was the easternmost point of our trip, and definitely worth the drive. We checked out the "bay" of ice floes next to the Ring Road (and saw a seal pop its head above water!), then wandered around the velvety black sand beach, climbing on pieces of glacier. I'd never known so many kinds of ice could coexist - blue and black ice, glassy ice, frosted ice, Sonic ice. Blocks of ice floated out to sea and sat on the sand. I felt like I was on another planet.
In addition to Iceland's amazing landscape, I really took to several aspects of its culture. Stay tuned for my next post about the geothermal hot tubs including the famous Blue Lagoon.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Valley of a Thousand Hills, Zululand: Flashback - February 2013
"Ahhhh. Oh. Hmmm," she groaned, studying the
chicken bone formation laid between us. "You will have a happy life. You
will marry. You will have one son." She then peered up from the bones to
gauge my reaction. I'm sure my expression was that of half terror half relief. I nodded silently.
Seemingly pleased with my wide-eyed bewilderment with the local ritual, she then shouted,
"now go!" I stumbled to my feet, brushed off my shorts, and quickly
made my way out of the window-less hut and back into the sun.
I encountered the witch doctor in a small settlement called Valley of a Thousand Hills within Zululand. The Zulu Kingdom is a monarchy that was once independent but is now a province within South Africa.
While a guest in the Kingdom, I stayed in a traditional homestead with a Zulu family. The home belonged to a tender-hearted woman who hosted a bed and breakfast of sorts while caring for ten children. She took great pleasure in sharing the local customs and prepared several native dishes for her guests. The children at the homestead danced and sang, and enjoyed having a captive audience.
Outside the homestead, rounded cement huts dotted the landscape and barbed wire fences cut through the terrain. We walked up and over the rolling grassy hills as drum beats paced our steps. At the top of one of the hills, we came upon a group of people dancing. Dressed in animal pelts and adorned with feathers, a man was teaching a group of children a traditional Zulu dance ritual. The boys and girls ranged from young children to teenagers and were all intently focused on practicing the routine. While a leather-stretched drum set the beat, the children kicked their toes to the sky and tumbled on their backsides before bouncing up and marching on. They sang and shouted, and reveled in the applause from the passersby. As we walked on the laughter and music echoed through the hills.
The Zulu Kingdom is a hidden oasis steeped in rich culture, customs, history and rich food. The Zulu people are proud and warm-hearted. I enjoyed every second getting to know them and experiencing life from their unique place in the world.
I encountered the witch doctor in a small settlement called Valley of a Thousand Hills within Zululand. The Zulu Kingdom is a monarchy that was once independent but is now a province within South Africa.
While a guest in the Kingdom, I stayed in a traditional homestead with a Zulu family. The home belonged to a tender-hearted woman who hosted a bed and breakfast of sorts while caring for ten children. She took great pleasure in sharing the local customs and prepared several native dishes for her guests. The children at the homestead danced and sang, and enjoyed having a captive audience.
Outside the homestead, rounded cement huts dotted the landscape and barbed wire fences cut through the terrain. We walked up and over the rolling grassy hills as drum beats paced our steps. At the top of one of the hills, we came upon a group of people dancing. Dressed in animal pelts and adorned with feathers, a man was teaching a group of children a traditional Zulu dance ritual. The boys and girls ranged from young children to teenagers and were all intently focused on practicing the routine. While a leather-stretched drum set the beat, the children kicked their toes to the sky and tumbled on their backsides before bouncing up and marching on. They sang and shouted, and reveled in the applause from the passersby. As we walked on the laughter and music echoed through the hills.
The Zulu Kingdom is a hidden oasis steeped in rich culture, customs, history and rich food. The Zulu people are proud and warm-hearted. I enjoyed every second getting to know them and experiencing life from their unique place in the world.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
On Safari in South Africa & Swaziland: Flashback - February 2013
It was the first shower I'd taken in days. The air was hot
but the water was cold. Although there were no working lights, the sun shone
into the cement shower stall through a shoulder height cut-out: intrusive but
comforting at the same time. I was mid shampoo-lather-rinse-repeat when I saw
it intently staring at me from the opposing corner of the thirty by thirty inch
stall.
I was showering with a scorpion. I calmly stared back.
Slyly grabbing the hanging fabric swatch that I used as a towel, I ran like mad
out of the shower hut and into the campground.
That's the kind of fun you can expect when camping for
two weeks in Africa.
For what seemed like years, I had studied the world map and
felt a void as I stared at the African continent. I wanted to go, but I was
scared. I researched volunteer opportunities, but due to time constraints
settled on a low-budget camping tour. The tour began in Johannesburg, South Africa, then took us overland to Swaziland before jumping the border to Ponta Malongane, Mozambique, and back to Zululand before ending in Durban, South Africa. Highlights of the adventure included safaris in Kruger National Park and St. Lucia Estuary in South Africa and Hlane Royal National Park in Swaziland.
Animals are neat and all but I wasn't overly excited at the thought of spending my coveted vacation time trucking through grasslands with the hopes of spotting some creatures far off in the distance.
Animals are neat and all but I wasn't overly excited at the thought of spending my coveted vacation time trucking through grasslands with the hopes of spotting some creatures far off in the distance.
Within just the first few minutes on safari I realized
just how wrong I had been. Going on a safari is exhilarating. Action-packed, running from
one edge of the jeep to the other, trying to get as close to the animals as
possible without spooking them, all the while snapping hundreds of photos in an
effort to get the perfect animal action shot.
Aside from that pesky scorpion, on safari I encountered
giraffes, monkeys, zebras, African painted dogs and hyenas, and by boat, got
up close and personal with some massive hippos. We also were lucky enough to spot four of Africa's "Big Five Game:" lions, elephants, cape buffalo and rhinos; the only animal that eluded us was the leopard. While undeniably intimidating, Africa is a diverse, enchanting continent and well worth a visit.
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