Solstice

This is about the darkest it ever got during my time in Iceland. It was surreal at first to simply not have night, in the sense of the word that I am used to back in Canada.
Anyway, two of my friends on the field school and I decided to go on a hike one night, and I do mean night. I had already been up a mountain trail for a few hours that same evening, but we had turned back to meet up with the rest of the group for some food.
Then the three of us hiked back up the path, starting at 11pm. By the time we got to the top of the mountain where I took this photo, it was probably around 1:30am, on the night of the Summer Solstice for 2007 no less. It was a tough climb, for me especially. My friends saved my butt a few times when I got stuck. As it was, I made it out with a bruised hip and some severe dehydration, but my sense of humour and adventure remained unscathed. I'm so glad we went.
This was taken in the East Fjords, a part of Iceland that is very different from the rest of the country as it has this amazing forest. It reminded me of Ontario in a lot of ways. Our guesthouse in this part of the country was settled in the forest, with a small waterfall and stream running right behind and the path we took up to this mountain which starts right out from the parking lot beside the building.

Needless to say, it was a long day, and we made it back safely sometime before 3am if I recall. It was still light outside. Craziness.

Wolfsjäl