It's safe to say that this week was an exponential improvement over last. My situation improved A LOT. It hasn't been perfect, but certainly far better. I was able to have a ton of new, exciting experiences, and I learned a lot about myself and my perspective.
This week actually started with a day where I did nothing but sleep, eat, and watch Netflix. Honestly it was amazing, and very needed. Mentally, I was having a bit of a hard day, just because the last week had been so stressful and I was still trying to figure out my next steps.
On Thursday I spent the whole morning taking down tents at the campsite I'm staying/working at. Many were somewhat full of water, so it was very fun...
Anyway, after that was done I proceeded to eat lunch and then pass out for a three hour nap, which was absolutely divine. I woke up feeling 10x better, and immediately went for a sunset hike. I didn't really know what to expect, because I wasn't on a real trail, but I just decided to start walking and get to the highest point I possibly could. After about 30 mins, I made it to the top of a ridge, and my jaw just about hit the ground. Spread out in front of me were glacial river veins like nothing I'd ever seen in my life. The golden light ignited the water, the wind threatened to blow me away (it did almost take the drone), and I was stoked beyond measure. As this was happening, the beat dropped in the song Falls by Odesza. If you haven't heard it, I highly recommend you give it a listen. It made this moment even more powerful.
The next day was a long day of work, shopping for food, etc, and mentally, it was pretty rough. I was feeling very stressed trying to figure out my plans for the next few months. In my heart, I just really was feeling the pressure to fully live in the moment, but didn't feel like I could until all my plans were set. More on that later...
Also, my actual host, Gully (pronounced Goolee) came that night! He had sent me and the other worker to the campsite while he stayed in Reykjavik for a few days. Meeting him was interesting. He is a very unique Icelander, and a very unique human overall. But he has lots of positive energy, and I certainly needed that. He was joined by two guys from the Czech Republic, Stepan and Paul who are friends of the other worker I was staying with, Kristina.
The best part of the day was my quick trip down to the river, where I wanted to get some drone shots that the wind had prevented last time I was there. I put it up in the sky, looked down, and saw something truly other-worldy.
These veins flow directly from the glaciers, and I'm not exactly sure what makes them form these patterns, but it looks completely unreal.
Then came Saturday. And Saturday was a day I will never, ever forget. Early that morning, we hopped to the 4x4s and drove into the mountains for Retir, the Icelandic sheep collecting tradition. Basically, we split up into groups, and started hiking deep into the mountains, our only instruction being: "Catch the sheep and bring them down towards the river." Great. There I was, an 18 year old kid from Denver suburbia about to send it on a mission to gather sheep from the Icelandic highlands with almost no instruction.
I was SO excited. I just started going straight up the nearest mountain. I wove through the dense forest, scrambled up tons of scree (loose rock that makes you slide backwards with every step, it's the worst), and hiking through meadows of autumn colored paradise with many bushes of wild blueberries to eat.
But the sheep. Where on earth were they? After probably 40 mins of hiking, I finally spotted some. A small group, standing on the next ridge looking at me blankly. I'm pretty sure that's just how sheep look honestly. You stare them in the face and it's like the lights are on but no one's home. As it turns out, they are really fast runners, which is great, except when the only direction they're willing to run is the opposite direction of where they're supposed to. I yelled, clapped my hands, moved all over the place to try to get them moving down, but no. For those sheep, the only option was up.
Defeated, I pressed onward and upward, stopping for photos and drone flights every once in a while because every hill or ridge line I crested had another insane view. Then, more sheep. I found about three groups in total, and captured a grand total of zero. Nice. totally outplayed by fluffy white animals with the IQ points of a doughnut. Look, I know sheep are supposedly pretty smart but every interaction I've had with them in this country has led me to believe that without domestication these creatures would have lost the natural selection game centuries ago.
Anyway, I pretty much gave up on the sheep, and decided I was just gonna enjoy where I was. When I think about it, I seriously wonder if any human had ever walked in that area, or seen the views I saw. It felt so untouched, so wild. I was totally alone, save for the overwhelming presence of my creator. I've always found my closest connection with God when I'm alone in the wilderness, and up there, the connection was stronger than ever.
I ran around up there for so long, flying the drone, snapping photos with my camera, and enjoying the views. On one particular drone flight, I got the shot I wanted, and decided to fly a little further just to get an idea of what was ahead. As my Mavic Air, "Paul" buzzed over landscape, I saw something unfold on the screen that had me completely in awe. About 500 yards ahead of me, the meadow I was running through dropped off sharply, into one of the most stunning canyons I have ever seen.
The walls were steep, dark granite, dotted with green and orange moss. At the bottom, a bright blue river flowed mightily. And the source of that river was a huge waterfall, cascading down the crevasse at the mouth of the canyon. It was probably a kilometer away, but it still looked huge, and I could hear it's roar. I flew the Paul all over that canyon, and as soon as the battery was out, I brought him down and took out my regular camera. I hiked all around the edge of that cliff for probably an hour. It was seriously one of the coolest things I've ever seen in my life.
But, alas, it was time to begin the trek back to the valley floor. There was no way to go back the way I came, so I began seeking a new route. Eventually, I found a less deep canyon, and just decided to follow the river all the way out, as I assumed it would lead all the way down. Halfway down, I stopped and refilled my water bottle from a small waterfall. In Iceland, almost all the water is completely safe to drink. It's completely filtered by nature, and it tastes AMAZING.
I made it down to the valley floor, met up with Kristina, and we hopped on the back of the ATV, and went off to find the others. Let me tell you, I had never driven an ATV before, and having my first time involve mobbing through riverbeds and forest trails in the Icelandic mountains set the bar EXTREMELY high. We found Stepan and Paul, unsuccessfully chased more sheep, and went back to find the Icelanders who knew what they were doing. Unfortunately, due to poor communication, we made out with only 15 sheep after seven hours. Honestly, 100% worth it. But the day wasn't over. It was time to herd them back. I probably walked 10 km with those animals, making sure none went astray. I had to be super focused, because as the evening wore on, they got more and more tired and wanted to run away to sleep. But at long last, we made it back to the farm, I went home, ate a large meal, and passed out for a very long time. So yeah. Saturday was 12/10.
I didn't get out of bed until like 10:30 on Sunday. And when I did, it was time for more adventures. Another Czech friend named Ivana arrived the night before, and I hopped in the car with all four Czechs and we headed north. We stopped at a beach, several waterfalls, and the biggest forest in Iceland, where there was, wait for it...another waterfall. There's a lot of those in this country in case you hadn't noticed. Also ate dinner at Subway. It felt really good to eat something familiar!
On the drive back, we ended up stuck in some of the worst conditions I've ever experienced. Fog so thick that the road was barely discernible, and headlights only made it worse. We were stuck in it going over a mountain pass for probably an hour. We encountered one car that had gone completely off the road. Thankfully the driver was safe and getting help. What happened next will go down as one of the funniest moments of my life. We were all tense from the drive, and ready to get out. The fog FINALLY began to clear, and the road became more visible. At the exact moment this happened, I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash came on the radio. We almost had to pull over because every single person in that car was in tears from laughing so hard. It was beautiful.
We finished off the night with a soak in a hidden hot spring, completely boxed in by more fog, telling stories and enjoying each other's company. It was a good day.
Monday. I was so tired, but begrudgingly agreed to more sheep herding. But this time communication was even worse, and I ended up on the wrong side of the mountain, so I went back home to relax for the day, and that was very needed. I made some lamb steaks for dinner, and they were amazing.
And lastly, came Tuesday. it was a slow morning, followed by an adventure to another glacier lagoon. When we arrived, there was a layer of misty fog sitting on top of all the ice. Seeing all the ice floating around at the base of magnificent glaciers is truly a sight to behold as it is, but this extra layer added an even more surreal feel. I had a ton of fun running around taking photos. The evening was a chance to relax and prepare for Wednesday's departure.
So yeah, this week was absolutely phenomenal in comparison to the week before. But, I do want to touch on some of the mental struggles I dealt with. Earlier in this blog, I mentioned my desire to live presently but feeling like I couldn't because my plans weren't yet solidified. At the time, those emotions and feelings were totally valid. I was unable to live presently because I had my energy focused on the future. But, just because those feelings were valid doesn't mean they were healthy. The reality is, I am not the one in control. I can do my best to make plans, but those plans will inevitably shift and change. So my job is to put in what effort I can, and leave the rest in God's hands. He's gotten me this far, and I trust that he'll continue to bring me exactly where I'm supposed to go, exactly when I'm supposed to get there.
Another realization I had came on Saturday, the day of the crazy sheep herding. For the second half of the day, I was in a weird mood, really missing home, and thinking about how good it's gonna feel to tell all the stories, to hug my family, to pet my dog, etc. It was kinda making me feel down. As I processed all of this, I realized a huge fault in my mindset. For much of these past weeks, I've been thinking of these three months as a challenge to be overcome, and at the end, my reward is going home.
This way of thinking was not something I chose intentionally, it's just the direction my brain went, and it took me this long to see that, realize it was unhealthy, and make a change.
The truth is, stories must be written before they can be told. Yes, telling them to all my family and friends when I return home is going to be incredibly fun and entertaining. But right now, my job is to write those stories, to make those memories. These three months are not a challenge to be overcome, they are an opportunity for exploration, for learning, for growth, and for the creation of tales I will tell for the rest of my existence. There will be challenges to overcome along the way, but even those challenges will be part of my story.
For you this week: Consider your perspective. Are you looking at certain parts of your life as challenges, when they are actually opportunities? What can you do to re frame those things in a way that allows you to grow through them?
As always, chase your passions, stay stoked, love first, love relentlessly, and remember that fulfillment lies on the far side of discomfort.
Thanks for following my story. Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Always love talking with you guys.
And for real, listen to Falls by Odesza, it's amazing.
That's the link. No excuses.
- Zwiegs
Just finished reading week 3. Your communication skills DO NOT disappoint. So glad you worked through, processed through, pushed through, prayed through the tough places and once again found immeasurable fulfillment on the far side of every discomfort. Love your selfie at the very end. Couldn't resist giving you a kiss on the cheek. (And there's not a thing you could do to stop me! 😁)
Can't wait to hug you for real in a couple months, but you have a whole lot of living and loving ahead of you in the meantime.
Godspeed, Zach. This old dad loves you. 👍💪🖐