Icelandic Nod

Night view

There seems to be no rhyme or reason anymore to these frequent sleepless nights. I’m generally rockin’ the healthy living path – getting regular exercise, NOT overindulging in the adult bevs, NOT eating too much or too late. So then...WTF and shit

There's actually a cool thing about being banned from Nod whilst here in Iceland – one wall of our hotel room is a floor to ceiling window looking out onto the lava fields and a mountain. In the distance a constant flow of steam rises from the geothermal plant, Svartsengi (Icelandic for Black Meadow).

Day view

As I laid there, stone awake, I watched a stream of images parading over this ragged, primordial, gorgeous landscape. Wild boars, wolves, dragons, mountain ranges, faces and scepter wielding queens formed, grew, contorted and then shred in the wild wind.

BRILLIANT!

OK, sleep would’ve been nice too.

Yesterday it rained – all day. Isn’t that a mega bummer – rain on a vaca? Not at all! Remember, this is our Max Chill holiday. We were still able to swim and float in the lagoon AND we got to hole up in our splendiferous room reading. ALL day! Peaceful…motherfucking awesomely peaceful.

By the by, this lava field that we’re enjoying the hell out of is called Illahraun and is considered to be a young’un.

An aside: Illahraun translates as Evil Lava. MONDO cool! I think that’s gonna be my new name – Ruby Illahraun.

*Ahem* That Evil Lava spewing volcanic eruption was in the year 1226. Huh, this field has looked like this for less than 800 years. Waddya know. 

The moss growing over those jagged rocks is beautiful and calming – it’s also a primo example of Primary Succession – that’s when pioneers, with colonization on their minds, move in. Lichens are the trailblazers. Then comes the mosses. As lichens and moss break down the rock, creating root welcoming soil, other, bigger plants can move in.

Will there be a forest here one day? Wouldn't that be wild to see! This, OF COURSE, gets back to why I need time travel. I rilly, rilly wanna see that particular 100+ acre wood. TARDIS – want one NOW...please.

Today Jen and I will head home to Valhalla. The flight’s not til late this afternoon. We’ll get another float in, a hike through the lava fields and a little lunchtime people watching before boarding our Keflavík bound bus. Between the shortness of the flight and the time difference, we’ll be home practically before we’ve left.

Neat trick, eh? This NATURALLY brings up the whole I need Star Trekkian transporter beam tech NOW thing again. I should be able to just beam here without all the hassle and time spent in airports. Ya know?