Island! (Iceland)

Hallooooo from Iceland!

Well knock me sideways and call me a striped polecat. Iceland is absolutely STUNNING. Who knew??? Sweeping vistas, turquoise waters, frantically vibrant greenery, and absolutely fascinating rock formations. Killer!

I'm here with my volunteer friends from Mozambique, and it feels as if we parted only yesterday. How strange and amazing, that a group so vastly different can be such fast friends. It's just fabulous.

So far we've packed our days. There's just so much to see here! We drove north to visit Alma's relatives, nicer people and better cooks I couldn't imagine. I think I've gained five pounds already, and I don't mind at all, the national dish is lamb!!! Then we went river rafting, where the guides spent their time shoving us into the water, which, once you got used to it, was actually bearable. And it was gorgeous to see all the geology from the river. You'll be tootling along and all the sudden there's a bright orange boulder on the river bank and you're like????????? Or places where the water has polished the basalt to mirror smoothness, making you think that someone has put tarmac in the river. After rafting we relaxed in their hot tubs and then spent the night drinking and playing card games.

The next day we went to a natural hot springs sort of a la brightonbush, with rocks laid around the edge and metal poles and stairs to get in and out, but the bottom was gravel and rocks, and you had to be careful because the boiling hot water from underground would spurt up without warning! We then returned to the capital, Reykjavik, where we unpacked in our little rented apartment. The place is awesome! I think it was originally a store, it has huge picture windows in the front, and now the living room is in the direct view of everyone passing by. It's fun, really, we pose like mannequins and try to get people to laugh. We're planning a crazy mannequin fashion show for Saturday. Should be pretty awesome!!

I am missing you all very much, but I know you're all busy and having way too much fun. I'll email some pictures or post them on passbook as soon as I get them. I'll be in Denmark for two weeks living on a farm in Dostrup, which looks to be really really really cool, they've got horses and like to cook and I'll be picking apples probably... More updates later! We're going to the Blue Lagoon today, and then seeing some geysers. WOOOOT!!!

love you all so much.

-a