I think you could spend a whole week in Zion National Park and only scratch the surface of its majesty. For a great glimpse - if you have just one day - take the trail to Angels Landing.
Iceland: Lessons Learned
In January, DL and I somewhat randomly went to Iceland (Thanks WOW Air!). I catalogue most of the adventure in my previous blog post. We met some fantastic people, had great success, and managed to make quite a few mistakes along the way. Here's what we learned:
- Food and Gas really are expensive! All the websites we had read said as much, but it was still a bit of a shock to discover that dinner for two at KFC will run you $30 and that gas averages somewhere around $7.50 per gallon. Regarding food, we had missed that the Bonus stores that dot the island are actually small groceries, apparently something like Aldi or Lidl. Hit up one of these shortly after arriving in country and avoid the expensive gas station diners! Regarding gas costs, driving 1000km in a decade-old Jeep Cherokee will bring that gas total up into the hundreds of dollars quickly. Unless you know you're going to be offroading, get a more reasonable econobox rental for your self-guided tour needs.
- Packing must be done carefully! WOW Air charges you for checked baggage and, now, for carry-on luggage. In order to save money, you have to be strategic about what you bring. DL and I shared a checked bag so we could reduce those costs. However, we didn't think carefully about the order in which we packed everything. Upon arrival, it took some time to get our rain gear out, and by then we'd strewn everything across the trunk of the jeep. Think about your itinerary, and work backwards in your packing so what you need first is quickly accessible.
- The weather can actually be horrible. All the photos of Iceland online fooled me into thinking, "wow, what a magical paradise where there's never bad weather." False. It rained for all but two hours of our trip, temperatures just above freezing, with wind somewhere between constant breeze and strong gusts. I was unprepared for such conditions. We had raincoats and waterproof boots, yes, but our cameras were not protected (nor completely unscathed when all was said and done) in the driving rain.
- Just do it. The trip was well worth it. We bought our tickets, and a good amount of our supplies, less than two weeks before departure, having only started talking about the trip a couple weeks before that. It's possible with a bit of planning, savings, and good friends, to find yourself on a quick adventure to a faraway place in less time than you might think!
Skogafoss on a moody day
DL and I traveled to Iceland from January 22nd - January 25, 2017, on a round-trip direct flight from BWI to Keflavik Int'l. WOW Air flights are cheapest in the winter months and there seems to be a fair bit of volatility in the pricing - check back periodically, as prices might drop. I recommend using Google Flights to play around with possible dates to find the best options for your budget and schedule.
Photographs from our trip can be viewed at this link.
Iceland: The People
On January 22nd, I traveled to Iceland for a 3-day road trip with my friend DL. The following are snapshots, brief glimpses of the fascinating people we met along the way.
// BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. Concourse E. After a mildly chaotic boarding process, we all find our seats. Next to me, in seat 24A, is a middle-aged man, wearing glasses and professional clothes. He is dark skinned and looks to be from somewhere on the Indian subcontinent.
"What brings you on this flight?" I ask.
"I am headed home to London. My son and I just came to America to see the inauguration. We love politics!" Turns out the man had placed a friendly wager with his son as to who the winner of the American election would be. "I wanted Hillary. My son wanted Trump. Now he's 500 pounds richer!" Not content to watch the proceedings from the comfort of the British Isles, they flew in to observe it all firsthand. The immigration officials had found this difficult to accept. "They looked at us in disbelief. We had to argue for quite some time. 'Why don't you just watch in your own country,' they said to us. My son and I simply wanted to experience the inauguration, a fascinating thing! Eventually, thankfully, they let us through."
Welcoming 2017
In three hours, it will be a new year.
Frankly, two weeks ago, I feared I was going to crawl across the finish line, just barely making it through December. I had allowed myself to be weighed down with frustrations that could have been alleviated with, perhaps, a few simple phone calls. And indeed, thanks to the generous kindness of many friends this past week, I find myself refreshed and ready for a new year. It is incredible what a listening ear, some time outside, and some prayer together can do to rejuvenate one's spirit.
2017 is coming. Let this be a chance to restart those forgotten dreams. To hit the reset button on troubled storylines. To restore hurting relationships. You have the power to change, to love, to heal, to grow.
Jesus is making all things new, and He can do so even in the darkest places of our lives. He knocks - will we open the door?
May 2017 bring you joy and healing and abundance!
Jeff