I´m writing you from the lovely capital of Iceland - Reykjavik. In all of it´s excessively expensive, racially homogeneous, and high rise condominium glory, we´ve exhausted the sights of the city within two days. What am I doing in Iceland? Good question.
When I was traveling in Europe four years ago, I met some really fun British med students who I traveled with for about two weeks to Germany and Switzerland. We´ve stayed in touch all these years, and they finally graduated and are now on their way to being *real* doctors. So this is sort of a senior trip I´ve been invited on.
We´re leaving the city today to go camping around the perimeter of the island. I´m writing this from a travel info center, so I must be quick. But here are a few observations:
Icelanders are beautiful, as evidenced by our trip to the hot springs last night. Everyone looks like Claudia Schiffer (from 10 years ago, maybe) and I don´t think it´s going to be good for my self esteem to spend too much time in the Blue Lagoon in the future.
I´m not lying about it being the most expensive place in the world. Last night I paid $32 for a 12-inch pizza with a few bits of eggplant scattered on the top.
The sun doesn´t set. At midnight it sort of drifted around the horizon, but never actually dipped below. Officially, the sun sets at 12:09 a.m., and rises at about 3 a.m., but I´m pretty convinced the Icelandic concept of sunrise and sunset is off.
We´re off to see the biggest waterfall in Europe, and the divide between the European and North American ridges today. Will write more from the interior!
p.s. We were trying to find a fireworks stand to celebrate the Fourth of July, but I think I´m going to have to celebrate with a $12 beer and some really annoying John Phillip Sousa humming.
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