Westfjords to Stykkishólmur

IWaking up to the birds and ocean waves on the Westfjords' shore was awe-inspiring.  One mistake I did make for this trip was when I decided on which sleeping bag I was going to bring (the -15 or 45 degree) I definitely chose the wrong one. I now know it is worth carrying the thicker sleeping bag. Thank God I acquired a wool blanket from the very nice Australian gals I met. 

I drove from the Westfjords to Flókalunur where I caught the ferry over to Stykkishólmur, about a 3 hour cruise between the peninsulas. 

Upon exiting the port, I picked up my first hitchhiker (sorry mom)! I welcomed Simon, a nurse from Germany, into my car and we cruised on over to Snæfellsjökull (we called it sniffles the whole time because I couldn't even come close to the correct pronunciation). There we drove as far as we could into the glacial area of Snæfellsjökull National Park until it was impossible to see or go any further due to ice and fog. We did get out and hike into the glacier as far as we could.  Jules Verne used this National Park as the setting for Journey to the Centre of the Universe when the volcano beneath it exploded and caved in to create a huge crater now filled with an ice cap reaching 1446 meters. 

(View from the outside of Sniffles)

We visited the Önverðarnes peninsula and climbed its cliffs...

&& drove through the ancient lava fields all the way back to Stykkishólmur where we camped for the night. 

Iceland Day 2 - Up the West Coast

I was planning on driving the Ring Road, Highway 1, around the whole country of Iceland but decided I'd improvise a bit and go off the beaten track. 

Waking up early from my backpackers, I bid farewell to my new friends and headed out to drive the 7 hours to the westernmost tip of not only Iceland, but of Europe- Làtrabjarg. This is not part of the Ring Road but when I heard what the Westfjords had to offer, I couldn't resist. 

It is really hard not to stop every 5 minutes to take a picture here in Iceland... Especially when you have something new like this around every bend... 

Weaving and winding around the fjords was breathtaking, each offering something new to gape over. 

One way bridges, dirt roads to clay roads to gravel roads lined the Southwest Peninsulas for miles on end, all overlooking the bluest water you've ever seen..  It was extremely hard to keep my eyes on the road but I managed to arrive in Látrabjarg, alive, about 3 hours before nightfall.  And by nightfall I mean 11pm... Yes, it does not get dark until 11pm during this time of year! 

So a little bit of history about Látrabjarg... The Látrabjarg Peninsula is known for its bird cliffs, a summer home to gulls, razorbills, guillemots, cormorants, kizziwakes, fulmars, and puffins.. YES PUFFINS. These cliffs extend for 12km along the coast with heights up to 400m!

I did not expect to see any puffins because this is the season they begin to migrate from the Fjords.  I trekked up the stony path to what felt like the end of the Earth, and was flabbergasted by what I saw...

 

Endless cliffs filled with hundreds upon hundreds of birds!  I could have died happy here (don't worry I didn't get tooooo close to the edge ;) ), but from the corner of my eye I saw something orange and white popping up and down along the cliff's edge... 

 

A PUFFIN!  This guy was mad chillin on the ledge with a couple of his mates. There are a lot of things I get emotional over but I have to admit this has to be in the top 5 for most amazing experiences. I stuck around and flirted with him a bit before I continued the path to the very top of the cliffs. 

I'm just gonna let you take that one in like I did... 😻 no words. 

I finished the trek and headed back down to set up camp on the beach.  Oh, in case you were wondering where all the people are... Pretty sure I saw a total of 10 cars when I entered deep into the Fjords. This place is pretty secluded when you get out of the major towns... Zero complaints... Just my tent and me on the beach for the night! 

...and blankets, lots of warm stuff to bundle up in.... It was 30 degrees! 🙀

Next stop, taking the ferry from Brjándlækur to Stykkishólmur and on to Snæfellsjökull Glacier!

Iceland Day 1 - Southwest Iceland

After 15 hours of flying and layovers, I have arrived in Iceland!  I flew into Keflavik with a 4 hour time difference, having only 2 hours of sleep and zero time to waste. I snagged up my petite rental hatchback from the airport and was off on my first exploration. 

First thing I had to accept when planning my Iceland trip: I would not be able to pronounce anything... So don't be discouraged, I sound like an idiot too. 

I drove along the North Atlantic coast from Grindavik to Strandarkirkja where roads were lined with cliffs for as far as I could see. 

I detoured towards Krysuvik where I stopped to admire the stunning turquoise water of Lake Grænavatn, an old explosion crater surrounded by mountains and lava fields. 

 

Continuing, I saw steam rising just around the bend from Seltun Hot Springs, my first geothermal vents in Iceland (and definitely not my last)! 

Pretty... Stinky!  I explored a bit more throughout the Kleifarvatn territory, climbing cliffs and checking out the scenery before heading to the capital, Reykavik. 

I found my backpackers with ease (thank God for GPS! I definitely recommend getting a car with GPS installed if you rent, especially if you plan on going off the beaten path or if you're directionally challenged like me).  I stayed at Hlemmur Square in a 14 person dorm on the third floor in the heart of the city.  From the reviews I could tell it was going to be a comfortable stay but I did not expect for it to be as nice as it was! In my travels, 6+ dorms are usually cramped or busy busy but Hlemmur Square was extremely spacious and super clean (happiness). 

I met two lads in my dorm, Däniel from Austria and Andy from Germany who had met the week prior and had been traveling the Ring Road with 2 Aussie gals.  Hungout with the lot of them all night and they shared their stories with me, informing me of their favorite places and where I should definitely go! 

Looking forward to Day 2 ---> to the Westfjords!

Ready. Set. Iceland.

It's been a while since this lady has gotten her blog on... Graduating college, moving, and getting a full time job may have something to do with it. And by full time job I mean I got to come face to face with some pretty fascinating underwater creatures through scuba while teaching people how to not die while we are down there! Yea! 

Where am I now...? Well, I decided it was time for an international trip to somewhere new... I wanted to take a break from the palm trees and tropics to venture out into some colder, more rugged terrain.... Hey, why not Iceland? No, I will not be diving... The thought of dry suits and freezing ice water is an instant shiver down my spine, kinda like eating sardines on a perfectly good pizza.  This trip is strictly my swagtastic rental hatchback, tent, backpack, boots, and I... And potentially some awesome peeps who dare to tag along for the ride.

So what's the plan? Not exactly sure yet, but jump onboard by following the blog and let's see where life takes the Sunchild this time!

ORLANDO, FLORIDA---> RALEIGH---> JOHN F KENNEDY---> KEFLAVIK, ICELAND

Sydney, Australia!!

Leaving New Zealand was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do... I bid farewell to so many loved ones but took with me so many irreplaceable memories.

I arrived in Sydney, Australia to clear, blue skies and the fastest paced city I'd seen in 8 months.  After checking into my backpackers I went out to explore the city.  I took my very first subway ride and managed to only trip one man during business rush hour and was fortunate to hop on all the correct trains to reach the ferry terminal!

The ferry ride between islands offered a marvelous view of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge...

My first stop was the Sydney Zoo where I made some furry friends...

...After discovering the Tasmanian Devil is actually quite lazy and wasn't down for a spin, I cruised on over to explore Manly Beach...

What a beautiful place! I hiked up the coastline until a storm snuck in and I decided to head back to the mainland to check in for the night.

I only spent 2 days in Sydney but I was fortunate to explore a good portion of the town and surrounding beaches as well as experience a busy city lifestyle (happy I made it out alive) && made many wonderful friends along the way!

Next stop... Cairns!

My Heart Country

From the depths of Poor Knights Island...

...over the falls of Whangarei...

...to the heights of the Bay of Islands...

...across the scape of Tongiriro...

...down the rapids of the Kaituna River...

...and through the Redwoods of Rotorua...

New Zealand has been the greatest adventure of my life thus far.  My heart will forever be in New Zealand with my Kiwi Families and within the trees and oceans that grasped my soul.

I cannot begin to thank everyone for making my journey through Aotearoa special nor can I fully explain how the country changed me.  My mind is clearer, my soul more pure, and my heart stepping to a whole new beat because of my experiences. && I cannot wait for more adventures to come!

Where Did The Time Go??

Oh where oh where has time gone?! They weren't lying when they said time flies.  It has been a hot minute since I last posted... Things got a little crazy in New Zealand... a good kind of crazy! I am going to attempt to catch everyone up on what happened during my last months on the other side of the world!

I left off with my adventure down the 309 rd.  The following couple of days I was so blessed to visit Hot Water Beach-- a beach in the Coromandel where you can dig your own pool in the sand and hot springs flow up from underground! 

You have to get there at low tide before the Antarctic water rushes in over the springs. 

Here I met a lovely girl called Sarah from Scotland who I became instant friends with! When the tide rushed in and devoured our holes, we decided to venture to Cathedral Cove together where Narnia Prince Caspian was filmed! 

 && what a magical place it was! The trek down to the cove was lush and the sun blessed us with its presence the whole way. 

The view was incredible as we ventured towards the limestone coves. 

One can definitely see why they chose such a place for a movie!

The end was ever so rewarding as we reached the beach. 

The Antarctic water did not stop Sarah and I from jumping in (and the fact that Prince Caspian once swam there may have had some inspiration too ;] ;] )

It was a splendid day and even better because I got to experience it with a fellow backpacker! 

The Karangahake Gorge--

On my over to Mount Maunganui on the east coast of the North Island, I stopped at the Karangahake Gorge, a winding canyon surrounded by rushing streams and home to old mining tunnels. 

Continuing to Mount Maunganui, I arrived to sunshine and calm, blue waters. 

Mount Maunganui is an extinct volcanic cone that rises up over the town Tauranga. In my 3 days at the Mount, I was able to climb it 4 times and experience some of the most incredible views--

Mount was one of my favorite places I visited in New Zealand and I think it was due to the fact that it reminded me so much of my home, St. Augustine.  I could definitely see myself living there one day! 

...to be continued