placesetter since I’m not there yet – Courtesy of Icelandnaturally.com

For those of you not fluent in Icelandic – “I am going to Iceland on Friday!”  Am hoping this will be not only a fascinating cultural experience but also a photographer’s paradise.

Why now? Doesn’t Iceland get pretty snow-bound and cold?  Actually the weather is milder and more temperate than you think.  The “cold” season lasts from November to April with an average daily high slightly under 40 degrees F.  The coldest average temperature is around 27 degrees.  Heavy snowfall is not particularly a problem either.  Typically the snow is at its deepest around March with a median depth of 5.9″ and this is rarely exceeded, something Buffalo, New York natives should consider.

What Iceland does have is unique culture including some culinary delicacies I can’t wait to taste, remote, rustic, rugged terrain, hardy wildlife, hot lava springs, geysers, glaciers, waterfalls and volcanoes.  In fact the Bardabunga volcano has been making headlines this fall with its spectacular activity:

My itinerary does not take me near the volcano – am actually a little disappointed – but perhaps this is for the best.

Also  enticing is the fact that early December is the apex of a 12 or so year cycle of the natural phenomenon of solar flares (a violent explosion in the Sun’s atmosphere with an energy equivalent to tens of millions of hydrogen bombs) which provide the charged energy  to create auroras when this energy hits the Earth’s atmosphere.  If all stars are aligned this could be an awesome experience – however we need to have clear dark nights and as of now the forecast is not cooperating:

If this forecast is true then perhaps my posts on this trip will be filed under the category, “When Things Don’t Go As Planned” (WTDGAP) but I am undeterred.  Every journey has its own special magic and unknown adventures to be experienced – can’t wait for this one to begin!

As in the past, I will try to post some photos on Instagram/Twitter  (@cgurmann) and Facebook – there is a 5 hour time difference and internet access is a little challenging – so patience please – will definitely have much to talk about in future posts.

In the meantime here is some Icelandic folk music to get you in the mood (very Viking-ish):

Stay tuned!

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