Ice Ice Baby, Iceland that is

Iceland has always been a big bucket list item for me and with it so close to Scotland and cheap non-stop flights from Glasgow I decided it was a must while I'm living on this side of the pond.  When the group of fellow Americans and I got together to see if our bucket lists overlap it was obvious that Iceland was on several peoples lists.  So it was decided that we would see if we couldn't get a group together to explore this amazing ever expanding island.

Jon, Julia and I all agreed that we wanted to go and that we had the vacation days to make it happen.  So we started looking into the trip and very quickly booked it!  Jon was only able to be on the trip for the first half and Julia and I spent 10 days exploring Iceland.  

Iceland was a trip of many firsts for me.  First time inside a volcano.  First time on a glacier.  First time in a helicopter.  

This was a trip of a lifetime and the 2000+ pictures I returned home with are proof of that.  I have managed to narrow it down to just over 1400 photos, but it is a trip of a lifetime that the memories won't fade quickly from.

The church in Reykjavik

Julia and I getting ready to go down into the belly of the beast

View from the bottom of the volcano chamber looking
up to the entrance we just descended through

Me in the belly of the beast

One of many waterfalls

All geared up and ready to hike around on the glacier

Jon and Julia climbing the glacier

Ready for the zodiac ride across iceberg lagoon

One of many icebergs that have calved off the main glacier 

Jon and I doing a little kung fu?

Puffin with dinner

Beautiful sunset

There she blows!

On top of the unpronounceable volcano that erupted in 2010

To view the complete album, all 910 photos :|

Bennachie

Julia and I decided that we needed to get out and stretch our legs and start preparing for the hiking that we would be doing in Iceland, so we went out to conquer Bennachie.  In total it is about 6.5 miles round trip.  When we arrived the weather was a bit cool but beautiful and sunny.  But we have quickly learned that here in Bonny Scotland the weather can turn on you in an instant and that you should always be prepared.  This was just the case on our hike.  We reached the first of three peaks and could see the dark rain saturated clouds approaching, and quickly.  So we grabbed our water proofs out of our packs and suited up.  Kady even got to wear her rain coat that day.

Kady enjoying the view

Kady and I at Bennechie

The weather turning on our beautiful day

Kady looking good in her rain coat

To view the rest of the album

Northern Ireland and Giant's Causeway

Julia and I had been talking earlier this year of all the places that we each have on our travel bucket list. Well we quickly discovered that we both want to see many of the same places.  One place in particular that two geologists would want to see is the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.  Julia did a bit of research and we realized that we could get to Belfast via a non-stop 1 hour and 15 min flight for dirt cheap.  So we booked it!  We took off on a Friday mid morning flight and arrived in Belfast.  Both having worked hard at our jobs the few weeks prior (Julia had been in Bangkok and Angola) we arrived at our hotel the Europa and crashed!

After our much needed naps we headed out to explore Belfast.  When we first left the hotel it was overcast, which is typical of the British Isles, but after dinner we returned to exploring Belfast in very beautiful evening light.

Saturday we headed to the northern coast in search of the Giant's Causeway and the beauty that is Northern Ireland.  The Giant's Causeway is a rock formation of columnar basalt. For more info: Giant's_Causeway and Columnar basalt.  We also went to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.

Sunday was spent exploring the newly opened Titanic Museum as it was the 100th Anniversary of the sinking.  The museum was quick spectacular and being the Titanic enthusiast that I am I thoroughly enjoyed every minute and exhibit.  It was also very surreal to walk over the ground where the Titanic and her sister ships were built.

Belfast is much more beautiful than either of us expected

Great evening stroll

Me on top of the Giant's Causeway

Playing with my fish eye lens

Columnar basalt

Stairs to the top?

Beautiful Northern Ireland

Crossing the rope bridge.. it was a bit wobbly

The newly completed Titanic Museum in Belfast

Titanic sign

To view the complete album

London

My second training course this year was a classroom course based in London.  Since I was going to be there for a week anyway why not go down the weekend before and see more sights.  Andrea and Julia decided that they wanted to see London as well so the three of us booked flights and accommodation and set out for a great weekend.

Julia and I got down to London Friday afternoon, grabbed some sushi and then headed out to meet up with a few of my geology friends that I had met just a few weeks prior in Turkey.  We ended up going out to an Irish bar, one that I realized I had been to on St. Patrick's Day in 2007, where there was a great band doing covers.. we danced the night away.  Saturday was spent exploring the Natural Science Museum (which is free), walking through Hyde Park and meeting up with my geology friends again for dinner and more clubbing.  On Sunday we played mini golf on the roof of one of the major department stores in London and then headed over to the Canada Day celebration before Julia and Andrea had to head back to the airport.  I finished off my weekend going to the Garbage concert, one of my favorite bands that I had found out was going to be playing in London the same weekend I had planned on being there.  It was meant to be and the concert was one of the best performances I've seen in a long time.

Monday morning came too quickly and it was back to the reason I was in London, my training course, which ended up being one of the better classes I've attended (that isn't field based that is).


Here are a few photos of the trip.

The Natural Science Museum

Andrea and Julia enjoying ice cream in Hyde Park

Andrea and I on the mini golf rooftop course

The Garbage concert

For complete album: London

Sheryl's Visit

I was fortunate this year to have one of my best friends from Montana come visit me in Scotland.  Although it was only for 5 days we did a lot, caught up and laughed tons.  I'm always grateful when people can come visit me.  Sheryl and I have had a few international adventures together and I know we will have many more in the future.  I'm glad she could come see where I've been living and to dip her toes in the COLD North Sea.

Kady and I at the beach in Stonehaven

One of many hats tried during our stop at the hat shop

Puffins!!!

To see the rest of the album: Sheryl's Visit