"In Iceland, you can see the contours of the mountains wherever you go, and the swell of the hills, and always beyond that the horizon. And there's this strange thing: you're never sort of hidden, you always feel exposed in that landscape. But it makes it very beautiful as well."
- Hannah Kent
It was mid-afternoon when we slowly pulled into the parking at Hverfjall. We got out of our car and strolled across the lot until we found ourselves at the base of the volcano looking up at the hike that awaited us. Urip and Hana were ready to get started. Noora and my only mission was to find a restroom before we started our climb. If you have traveled in Europe, you might be aware that public restrooms always come at a cost. Glistening machines devour coins and currency granting access to the privy. The benefit of this is facilities that are well maintained and clean. We, however, were working strictly off our cards on this trip. Thank goodness we were met with a machine that allowed us to swipe the card to gain entrance. By the time we returned to the base of the volcano, Urip and Hana were bounding down the path returning from their trek. I turned to Noora and encouraged her to start the ascent. At first she agreed, but I could tell she was not really excited. We made it halfway up the path when Noora sat down on a rock and refused to go any further. I explained that she had already made it halfway up. She needed to go the rest of the way. Nothing I said changed her mind. She turned around on the rocky path. An older asian couple were right behind us and saw that Noora was seeking out her escape route. They quickly intervened by catching Noora's attention and pointing to top of the volcano. Noora was resolved that she was finished and shook her head and pointed the opposite direction. The gentleman appeared annoyed and shook his head in response and pointed back at the top. His wife then joined in by waving her hands towards the top and shooing Noora to move forward with them. The trail was narrow and there was no way for Noora to pass them going down. She got caught up in their gestures and swept up with their momentum as they proceeded to the ridge above. I quickly followed behind and was confident that I would connect with her at the summit. The incline was pretty steep and the rocky path did not make for easy traction. I credit my Merrel hiking boots with keeping me from sliding down the side of the volcano. I can't even begin to express in words how absolutely breathtaking the view was from that volcanic ridge. The green in Iceland during the summer months is intense. The sun catches varying hues from dark to light bordering on yellow. This in contrast to the earthy browns of the soil and grey stones that dot the landscape create the most extraordinary views. I don't understand how Urip and Hana returned so quickly from that panoramic scene. Why were they not as captivated by its intensity as I was? I finally found Noora, grabbed her from behind, and pulled her into a hug. We both stood there looking out in awe. I am so glad she was there to share that moment. I think she understood that we were seeing something profound. I will forever be grateful for that couple that nudged her up to the place where we both found ourselves. In fact we tried to thank them for their kindness. However, they were themselves focused on their moment at the summit. They shooed us away and continued on with their picture taking. Noora returned to the path on her own. I remained on the ridge for a while longer. I remember thinking I was standing at the crater of a volcano that had erupted thousands of years ago. The island that I was visiting was an island created from fire. This was in stark contrast to the glaciers that slowly flow to icy lagoons. In that moment I realized that the harshness of both extremes can live in harmony.. The convergence of the North American and Eurasian plate insured that the island would continue to see volcanic activity. The proximity to the arctic circle guarantees that the weather will be harsh in the winter chilly in the summer. I don't remember much about the trek down. I know I eventually made it to my people sitting in the car waiting to return to the apartment in Akureyri we were renting. The drive back was quiet. The girls slipped into a slumber in the backseat, Urip focused on the road and the prospect of a sheep popping out at any moment, myself contemplating the joy I felt on that hike. The longing to do more climbs, trails, and treks in search of vistas and views that would remind me of how alive I felt in that moment.
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