ANOTHER WRONG TURN
Trip Start
May 20, 2000
1
5
16
Trip End
Aug 19, 2000
Landmannalaugur,
Iceland
Thursday, June 15, 2000
For the most part, things are good - except that "The Hip-Hop Queen of Iceland" (Sóley) has a new boyfriend, while "The Drag Queen of Iceland" hit on me recently at the club.
To continue the trend of people with nicknames, I called "The World´s Strongest Man", Magnus Ver Magnusson, yesterday. I challenged him to an eating contest. He had this to say: "Sometimes I can eat a lot, and sometimes I can´t." He rejected my offer because he watches what he eats. I considered taunting him and calling him "The World´s Strongest Chicken", but it´s a small country and I´m worried about running into him later.
What are the people in Iceland like? ...Compared to the States, they heavily enjoy four main activities: drinking, working, having money, and keeping up with fashion. Almost everyone in Reykjavik works 40+ hours a week and goes out on the weekends, dressed in expensive black.
Now, for the important question - What´s the ice cream like in Iceland? Am I able to maintain my all-ice cream diet? ...The ice cream here is quality, despite the fact that one brand has the un-appetizing name of Mjúkís (pronounced, basically, "mucus").
I hitchhiked to the middle of the island on Tuesday. I was trying to visit Landmannalaugur, a hot spring.
A truck-driver hauling lava rocks dropped me near Mt. Hekla, the world´s largest active volcano. I asked him if I could drive his bull-dozer, but he wouldn´t let me.
Mt. Hekla had recently erupted, so the mountain was the darkest of darks, making for a bright contrast against the snow on top. The eruption had also killed around, meaning I was the only living thing for miles.
Cars came by at a rate of two an hour. I was shocked when the first three sped by without picking me up. I don´t know what their motives were for leaving me in such desolation. I´m surprised they bothered to avoid hitting me. I could almost picture them stopping the car, waiting for me to run up excitedly, then picking up a handful of rocks and throwing them at me, only to drive off laughing.
But never fear! I made it to the final camp before Landmannalaugur. Unfotunately, the roads to Landmannalaugur were flooded and cars couldn´t drive them.
"Press On!" I said, and I set off on foot for the 36-kilometer walk to the hot spring. The park ranger gave me some advice and a map before I left. In a way, I think he admired my stupidity because he offered me a job.
For three hours I hiked. Because none of you could be there, I´ll provide an extensive list of the nature I saw: mountains, boulders, rockpiles, stones, slabs, slate, rocks, pebbles, small grains of rock, and rubble, and some grass. Finally, I saw two birds. Then, I saw some cars.
I consulted my map, because I wasn´t supposed to see any cars on my route to Landmannalaugur. As it turns out, I´d made a dreadfully wrong turn somewhere.
Did I turn around and head back for Landmannalaugur!? "Press..."
No way! I hitchhiked back to Reykjavik. I suppose it was a good thing I made that wrong turn, because I calculated the speed I´d been walking at and it would´ve taken me 15 hours to reach Landmannalaugur!
My 17th driver (a new record for me) and final one of the day was the funniest:
The driver, Erickur, said, "Where are you working in Reykjavik?"
"Club 22."
"Oh, that´s the gay one, right?"
(grumble)"Yes."
"So, why´d you come to Iceland?"
"I heard the girls were the prettiest in the world here."
"Ahh. I see you found out you didn´t like them!"
(Ha, ha, ha. Everyone makes fun of my job.)
later, Justin
