Iceland
I have been so looking forward to sifting through our photos and videos from our time in Iceland. I love to write about our trips because it’s a way to keep the feeling close! There’s a distinct feeling from each trip that I always try to encapsulate - through music, photos, and writing.
We sort of knew what to expect before we reached Iceland, but were still blown away by the beauty and intensity of this country, its climate, and its nature. For almost two weeks, Will and I traveled the country in a rented camper van, which we will always suggest to anyone who is thinking about taking a trip to Iceland. Traveling in a camper van made the trip easy! It was especially helpful when we would run into nasty weather and needed to adjust our trip’s itinerary so that we were able to hit our destinations safely. Iceland’s weather changes on a dime, and at this time in late May they had strong wind storms - with wind speeds up to 60mph! We had to monitor the weather throughout our whole trip, as to not accidentally drive into these intense storms. We found that rain came and went very quickly throughout the island, which was great. All we had to do was wait 15 minutes or so and then it was usually sunny again. Through all of the different scenery and miles we travelled, it was essential to have 2-3 layers of clothes when braving the elements. Quite a bit different from May in Kentucky!
There are so many beautiful wonders in Iceland: the cold ocean water shines silver reflecting the wide white sky; ragged waves crash onto black sand beaches. Inland, endless expanses of black lava rock lead to mossy green highlands, backed by black mountains with snowy summits. The whole country really speaks to the raw power of God’s creation, which still lives, breathes, and changes. It also speaks to your own spirit - calling you out to explore and understand a land that really cannot be fully known or controlled.
Images from Iceland are beautiful, but do not fully depict the height and power of each waterfall, the size and haunting presence of each glacier, the endless crashing of wind and waves, or the saturated color and nature at every turn of the road.
We spent the our last day in the heart of the biggest city in Iceland, Reykjavik. Most of the day was spent sipping on lattes and Icelandic beers. We sat in a cozy corner of Kaffibrennslan - quite possibly the most artful and intimate coffee shop I had ever been to. We were thankful for a day to rest and just spend quality time with each other, recounting our trip, looking at photos, and talking about our futures.
It is difficult returning home after experiencing the freedom and otherworldly-ness that came from Iceland. Will and I have talked about this a lot, but it is important to appreciate the crazy large beautiful moments like the ones we experienced on this trip, but it truly is more important to find that profoundness in our everyday lives. Back in our hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, we may not have towering waterfalls, rainbows around every corner, huge mountains, or a coast, but we are still surrounded by a lush green land of forests, hills, and rivers that can inspire! The same profoundness and feeling of electric energy found in Iceland or other distant lands can also be found in our daily lives - especially in the relationships we build. I hold onto that as we return home and to our day-to-day.
As for painting, I am full of colorful ideas, but also craving newness. I am always chasing honesty and authenticity in my work, and I am hoping that this trip will inspire even more honest work - work from the heart.
Since we spent most of our time in the camper van, we spent lots of wandering hours listening to music that channels that sense of wanderlust and the spirit of adventure. I have linked our trip playlist below to share the magic!
Below are more images from our trip, and I also have saved so many more photos and videos in my highlights section on my instagram profile - linked here!
