A Northern Adventure

So this last year and a half I spent a lot of time looking into a trip to South America, this trip which I had researched and started to plan looked like about 6 months visiting 10 countries and unfortunately I had to postpone it. So I was looking for something for Summer this year. I have about a month off and I looked around for what was cheap and might also allow me to see a friend or two. 
I looked into prices in South Africa, Japan, New Zealand  but settled on something that I assumed would be cheaper... Iceland.  Iceland didn't seem like enough though, so I looked around the map and realized I could hop skip and jump to Ireland for probably not a lot more.  I ended up being able to stop over in England to see a friend... and thus the design of the trip was pretty perfect. 

I don't know that it will actually be cheaper. I mean, I can't imagine costs in South Africa to be too exorbitant, but at the same time I am sure the tours and sense of safety I would desire, would probably racket up the cost. Ireland and Iceland have very little crime so the sense of security should be pretty easy to deal with. I can book hostels and splurge a little on some basic tours to ensure I see what I want... and in the long run I think I will be happy with this trip. I don't expect to have to jump into my savings account, but if I do eh... 

So I have been researching for a couple of months and I feel pretty up to date on the history of Ireland, Irish culture etc.  But Iceland is kind of a mystery in some ways... partially its the language which throws me off, partially its the fact I didn't try very hard to find out any history and part of it is my attitude towards Iceland which is roughly   "they have a smaller population than the city I live in, how complex can it be?" 

So I am hoping to be blown away... 

Mentally I am pretty ready.. I have an early flight tomorrow to Boston and then a flight from there to Keflavik where I am hoping to get on the last shuttle towards my hostel in Reykjavik... It will be a long day of travel but I will be changing like 5 hours of time zones so midnight there is like 7 PM here...  I hope I can get to sleep the first night. 

Physically I have been preparing by going walking every day with a few days off. I have been walking a few miles every time I walk and it felt really great. My right leg gets really tight right behind the knee but I have learned a few stretches and I know that resting for a day really helps. To be honest I am more worried about the pain in my groin area. I have a recurring non serious medical condition that sometimes just causes a dull ache, but it leaves me not wanting to do a lot of walking. I hope it goes away. THE MORE YOU KNOW  right? 

In Iceland I think I will be sticking to the South and West of the country. I don't think I will make it very far inland, because the terrain isn't really accessible, in fact much of the island isn't exactly hospitable. As far as actual attractions I am not sure what I will see or do so far. I know I want to take a whale watching tour and will probably do the golden triangle and check out the blue lagoon. Other than that, I am not sure... most of that can be accomplished in a day or two. History, culture, a good walk, and lots of pictures... oh and maybe love?

 My main goal in England is to see the friend I visited a few years ago.  She lives in York, but since I have already seen York I might try to squeeze in a day on either side to check out some other cities... I fly into Manchester on the 22nd, and I think I will be flying out of Leeds on the 26 or 27... depending on if I want to spend a day there or not. Those cities are all in the middle north of the country. 

I am likely flying into Ireland through Dublin, and I know I am flying out through there. As for what comes in-between I don't really know yet. I know I would like to spend time in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. I know that I would like to visit many of the places on the map  to the right.
I am contemplating taking a multi-day tour that would take me all over the island. If not, I may do a few of the tours that are day trips from Dublin to places that aren't on this map.  Ireland has a fairly large and complex history for such a small and not densely populated place (it is smaller than Minnesota but has about 1 million people more).  I am interested in checking out historical sites, learning about the culture, listening to some music and taking a good walk, good pictures... and that's about it. Unless I fall in love. That would be nice.


Stuff:

1 small bag
2 pairs of pants
1 sweat shirt
1 long sleeve shirt
1 rain jacket (WILL BE NEEDED)
1 pair of sunglasses
1 hat
1 swim suit and towel
-socks to be thrown away
-t shirts to be thrown away
-briefs to be thrown away
money belt 
stuffed animal
flip flops
ipad 
iphone
digital alarm clock
1 book to be given away
journal, pens, colored pencils, sharpener
camera (if needed)
some cash, cards, passport, plane ticket-y stuff
toiletries


Looks like a lot, I will throw it away if I don't need it.