Lost in Iceland + new pictures added
From Bermuda, I flew to New York and, after a few hours layover, on to Reykjavik. I flew on Icelandair so my first impression of Iceland was from the Icelandic flight attendants. They were pleasant and helpful and represented their country well. (I also got my first taste of Iceland's apparent habit of running out of common products but that's a story for later.) Throughout Iceland, wherever we went, we were met by friendly, helpful, intelligent people. Reykjavik time is seven hours ahead of the time at my home so I was glad to arrive a day before my companions. I used the day to adjust to local time. The following day I met my group at the airport and, after a short rest, we went to the appointed golf course for our first round in Iceland. This was at a beautiful spot near the capital but it was also the first of several times I was lost.
I had prepared for this trip by reading various websites, with particular attention to the weather. I responded to those who thought I must be crazy to try to play golf in Iceland by citing information that led me to expect temperatures in the 60 degree (Fahrenheit) range. Instead I found temperatures in the 50s with a cold wind. I was not dressed properly and I found myself shivering at every hole. In addition, while the route was obvious to regular users of the facilities, we had a hard time finding our way around the course. I felt disappointed and lost.
We went from the course to the 66 degree North store and bought parkas and sweaters. After a good dinner, we all felt better and we were able to dress warmly for our remaining rounds. We still had a hard time finding our way around the golf courses but we were warm. The trip was not everything I hoped for but it was interesting and, in a way, exciting. And that's the most important lesson I took from my vacation in Iceland.
We need to be as adventurous as we can be. Living a sedate life without trying new things is safe but ultimately unsatisfying. Once again, it took me many years to learn this simple lesson. I almost forgot the lesson in my initial disappointment with golf in Iceland but once my personal temperature improved I recovered the lesson: Look for new people and places, do your best to enjoy every moment, wherever you are, and accept new experiences as valuable. Even if we're temporarily uncomfortable, we can find pleasure in our discomfort. (At least it makes for interesting stories.)
[The new scrapbook pictures are only a few of the many pictures our group took but I think they capture the flavor of the trip. Iceland golf shows me in my parka on one of the beautiful golf courses. Midnight golf shows us playing golf at midnight; the opportunity to play golf at midnight was the initial spark for the trip. Midnight Sun is a picture of the light of the midnight sun on the ocean when the sun was moving behind a mountain. Reykjavik shows our entire group with one of the many statues that are found all over the city. The Blue Lagoon is a wonderful artificial lake produced by runoff from a nearby geothermal power plant. I'll write more about Reykjavik and the Blue Lagoon next time.]
7-26-04
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