Troll Trekk: "I went Wandering..."

I will never apologize for the amount of Lord of the Rings references I use in my everyday speech. With that disclaimer, due to my limited transportation, I have put on my Hobbit feet and walked. I have explored the surrounding areas of Ísafjörður with approximately 23 miles under my belt in the past two days and the stiffness in back to hold as proof.

Your feet can take you anywhere. One step, two step, hard step, trip, and suddenly you are in a wonderland far from where you started. I share this in repetition because I had hours to meditate on the wonders of walking while I was *cue drum roll* yes, walking.

When I was on a cliff side surrounding the fjords, I was in awe of the place I had come to all by the vehicle of my feet. I felt freedom. I believe that many of us have strapped ourselves to the ease of mobility that the car/train/bus/plane provides us with (and I am guilty as charged). We get trapped by the idea of “distance” and lose the freedom to just go and in a domino effect, stifling our other freedoms.

There was a rush of relief that when I realized why I had been obsessing over this notion that I could walk anywhere (humanly possible of course, I’m not The Savior and cannot walk on water); it was because I had been re-gifted this freedom that I had stashed away and forgot about.

If I had not gone walking these past two days, I would have missed out on what I came here for: to see Iceland, to experience Iceland. On both days before I left for my daily treks, I was browsing the catalogue of my excuses not to go: “It’s too far to walk to the trail without a car”, “What if I get lost and spend valuable daylight walking back and forth” etc. Before I even bought the plane ticket committing to this entire trip I was checking out books from my Excuse Library of why I shouldn’t go. In every way, I am glad I put all of them back on the shelf.

Engidalur looking back on Ísafjörður

The bulk of the world’s population lives in misery and frustration, clinging to every excuse not to change in ways that could better our situation. I have come to the conclusion that we are the locks on our own freedom and we are also the only key.

Icelandic Ponies

Putting aside the existential lecture (but continuing with the awesomeness of my walking adventures), all day today Mr. Johnny Cash was singing to me “I went out walking, under and atomic sky…” and the walking and the sky did not cease to please. Accompanying my sky sights I saw more ponies, some sheep, by the book lush farmland, *cough* waterfalls and a view of the surrounding fjords. Breathe it all in! Wooo!

Rainbow over Ísafjörður

For two hours last night I sat on the water and watched the Northern Lights ebb and flow with tide. The light was not intense enough for my camera to capture a notable photograph but, for those that have been asking, here is one shot to whet your appetite. Fear not! I have a feeling there are many more Northern Lights photo opportunities still in store for me!