Life sucks. Just not now.
Gabriele Arnoldi, Flúðír, October 2015
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| Yes, this is a blue iceberg |
It's been busy around here. Not only has the number of available guides decreased disproportionately to the number of guests still wanting to go on a tour with us, but also the first wave of friends and family has travelled the Atlantic ocean to visit Frankenspouse and me. I'm still out riding most of the day, the groups have gotten a little smaller while the number of layers of clothing required to stay warm has increased. Getting dressed in the morning is a job in itself, I'm wearing underwear (two layers, because of the bounciness, not because of the cold), thermal underwear, t-shirt, jumper (1-2), winter jacket and rain jacket. On my lower half, I'm wearing underwear, thermal underwear, breeches, rain pants and full-length leather chaps. All these make it kinda awkward to get on a horse, of course, but they do keep me warm and dry (-ish). I also de-prioritised fashion and bought some fabulous boots that look like NASA invented them and that are keeping my feet both warm and dry, while also fitting the stirrups. Such a luxury.
As to the visiting friends and family, we had an absolute blast showing people around. If you live here for a while, you are no longer caught off guard by the landscape's stunning beauty, so seeing it through the wide eyes of a first time visitor to Iceland is heart-warming. We did some magic stuff like hiking up to Reykjadalur to bathe in a hot river (where it hailed upon us, but that's just details) and boil some eggs in a natural hot spring, going whale watching, visiting Thingvellir national park (where among some serious historical sightseeing in breathtaking nature, you'll also find The Wall of A Game of Thrones and can go snorkeling between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates in Lake Thingvallavatn), visiting the Geysir and some kick-ass waterfalls, driving to Jökulsárlón to see blue fxxxing icebergs, building a snowman, eating hot dogs, going riding and soaking in the Secret Lagoon, while it's raining softly or not so softly in our faces. We managed to find some northern lights for everyone and while they were not the most spectacular ones ever witnessed, nobody had to go home without having seen them.
The first snow has come and gone and the days are getting noticeably shorter now, so when I get the herd from the field in the morning, I no longer see them. It's an eerie feeling to ride through the dark with silent shadows of horses moving by. During the first riding tour, we ride into the rising winter sun which stays low and casts everything in golden reddish light. If the sky is clear, that is, if not the landscape is hiding in veils of mist and gloomy shades of grey. The horses have fluffed up and look like teddy bears. It's getting easier to tell them apart, especially now that most of them are on winter vacation. By now I also know their individual characters better which means that both I and the horses are getting more out of working together than in the beginning.
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| The stable in late afternoon glow |
The other day, we took a staff ride to a nearby restaurant on horseback through the pitch-black night. We were 20 riders of mixed levels of experience, since not all of the hotel staff members ride on a regular basis. However, we were able to keep good speed, had fantastic food and a great ride home, occasional swigs of the "happy flask" included (it's tradition, don't judge). After 5 months of small talk, telling stories and keeping the group together, it was absolutely amazing to go riding just for the fun of it and not having to entertain guests at the same time.
Do I wonder if this job is the right thing for all eternity? Yes. It comes with perks and disadvantages, like every job, but I have moments when I absolutely cannot wait any longer to get on a horse and go out riding and tell stories about volcanoes and vikings and things like that. I also have incredibly annoying people with me sometimes.
Have I regretted my decision to come here and do what I'm doing? Not once.
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| Seljalandsfoss |
