Emily, Hayden and Dalton's assistant head to Iceland for a winter getaway. Janurary 2009

I can’t think of a better place in the world for a winter getaway than the land of fire and ice.  I know what you are thinking, who the hell would want to go to Iceland in the middle of winter?  To be fair it was a little cold at times but for the most part the temperature stayed above freezing.  It does tend to get dark rather early though and you only end up with around 6 hours of daylight each day.  But the incredibly clean air, crystal clear fresh water lakes, friendly people, stunning snowcapped mountains and winter wonderland type scenery more than make up for it.

Iceland is basically a huge volcanic island smothered with endless lava fields and glaciers and apparently in the summer, rolling green hills.  In 2007, it was ranked as the most developed country in the world by the United Nations, it was also the forth most productive country per capita.  Unfortunately, the day before we arrived the entire government had collapsed, amidst pressure and public protest from the local Icelandic people for an immediate change in government.  The president and several of his cohorts were politely forced to resign as a result of their inadequacies and inability to run a country whose economy had rapidly been disappearing down the toilet.  If only that could have happened here in the US a few years ago…

On our first day in Iceland we picked up a small rental car from the airport. We dropped off our bags at the hotel and headed into the countryside for a scenic drive along the golden circle, a tourist route about an hour and a half away from the capital that showcased some of Iceland’s most famous sights.  It was a fantastic drive through the snow covered country side with geysers, huge waterfalls, long haired horses with dreadlocks and lots of snow; did I mention that there was a lot of snow?

Later that night we drove our trusty little Hyundai Getz out into the mountains, about one hour south of the Reykjavik.  With great anticipation we sat there on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere, freezing our butts off, under the assumption that the Aurora would miraculously appear from nowhere, light up the night sky and wow us with its beauty.  By the time 2am had come and gone we had spent close to two hours staring at an empty sky without so much as a shooting star.  We decided to call it a night and head back to the hotel after what was to be one of several disappointing nights searching for the northern lights. 

Most days it seemed as if we had the entire Island to ourselves as the “little car that could” dragged its butt through the foot deep, snow filled ruts, on the deserted country and coastal roads.   With steaming geysers, the incredible Blue Lagoon hot spring and picture perfect, ice cold snow feed lakes to skinny dip in, we had plenty to keep ourselves entertained.  Each day we would spend the relatively scarce daylight hour’s sightseeing, immersed in the stunning beauty of our surroundings and each night we would find another secluded spot in the countryside and wait patiently, cameras in hand and fingers crossed.  

After three nights of cloudy skies and incredibly changeable weather we were starting to wonder if the Aurora was just a figment of the Icelandic imagination. Something the locals used to lure tourist to their country, so that they could fleece them dry with their $10 Big Mac meals and $8 draft beers.  What had we done?  We had forgone the infamous Reykjavik nightlife, who’s clubs were filled to the brim with six foot tall blondes that would do anything to escape the boredom of living on an island with a population less than the city of Batman in Turkey (yes there is actually a city called Batman and it has just over 300,000 inhabitants).  Instead of partying till the wee hours of the morning we spent three nights sitting in a freezing car, staring at an uncooperative sky, fighting off the onset of hypothermia. 

 

 

Saturday was to be our last night in Iceland and although we had pretty much given up on the idea of ever seeing the northern lights we decided to give it one last try.  This time though we made sure to have a backup plan.  We decided to take our cameras and a bottle of cheap Icelandic vodka down to the Reykjavik harbor, staying as close to the city as possible.  Worst case scenario if we didn’t get to see the Aurora at least we would be drunk and only a short drive away from the local bars and clubs.   

We left our hotel at around 10pm and drove along the waterfront to the harbor.  It was a beautiful clear night for a change, with hardly a cloud in the sky and it looked like the weather was going to hold. As we moved further away from the light pollution of the city, the stars began to light up the freezing cold night sky.  I felt the excitement slowly building as we got closer and closer to the lighthouse at the end of the harbor.  If the northern lights did exist, this would be the night we would see them and for me I couldn’t think of a more fitting end to our trip.  Just as the road came to a dead end at the harbor Emily spotted a hint of green above the horizon and as we parked and got out of the car the sky started to glow. 

It began as what looked like a faint ribbon of green cloud slowly moving from left to right across the night sky.  As the minutes went by the swirling green waves continued to intensify and light up the horizon.  I set up my camera on its tripod and jumped up and down on the frozen beach excited to finally be seeing the ever illusive Aurora Borealis. The sub zero night temperatures numbed my checks and I slowly started to lose feeling in my fingers but this time I didn’t care. I don’t know if it was the adrenaline of finally seeing what I had come all that way for or the cheap vodka coursing through my veins but I was impervious to the freezing cold night air.  I set my camera to a 30 second shutter to capture as much of the light as it could and sat there snapping away like a Japanese tourist in New Zealand who was seeing a baby sheep for the first time. 

With so much of a build up and all the anticipation it was an incredible feeling to finally be seeing such a beautiful natural sight.  It only lasted around an hour but it was more than enough time to soak it all in and get some nice shots before heading into town to celebrate the end of a very successful visit to Iceland.   

 

Check out the Recent Articles in the menu bar for full length unedited versions of our articles.

Salt Flats Highlight Road Trip to Bolivia

BY HAYDEN CARLYON • OCTOBER • 2008

Bolivia is a country full of surprises, both good and bad. After seriously considering crossing it off our list of countries to visit during our 10,000-mile drive from Austin, Texas, to travel buddy Alex Matos' hometown of Puerto Alegre, Brazil, it ended up offering one of the biggest surprises of the trip and most beautiful sight I have ever seen - the Uyuni salt flats.

For most of the year the Bolivian salt flats are a never ending, white, desert like plain in the clouds, a 12,000 square km wasteland, nestled high in the literally breathtaking, Andean Plateau.  When it rains and they are covered with just a few inches of water it turns into a massive, reflective, shallow water lake. With a recent run of bad weather, most of the salt flat had been coated with more than 6 inches of rain, turning it into a flawless mirror that reflected the sky from all angles. The horizon where the salt flats and the sky met had merged into one and I couldn't make out where the earth ended and the sky began...continued.

On the road south of the border.

BY HAYDEN CARLYON • For the Otago Daily Times, New Zealand • September 9th 2008

There is something to be said about being out on the highway headed south, knowing you will never cover the same piece of road again.  That every mile takes you further into an uncharted territory that never gets boring and never fails to surprise. 

Since moving to America in 2004 I have often found myself on one of the many concrete highways that criss-cross the country. On several occasions, usually when I am on my way to work, I have had an overwhelming desire to just keep on driving.   With no particular destination in mind, nowhere to go, just me my car and the open road....continued

Across Africa in a Honda

Local trio chronicling ambitious journey

BY DALTON DAWKINS • For the Coloradoan • August 24, 2008

Three Fort Collins residents are hoping to do what no one is believed to have accomplished-cross the length of Africa in a two-wheel drive 1994 Honda Civic.

Emily Burke, Hayden Carlyon and I will attempt starting Oct. 15 a 20,000 mile journey from Portugal in Europe to Cape Town, South Africa, during which we will photograph, document and film the entire journey. Our hope is to share our experiences and ultimately inspire others to pursue their dreams and take on their own personal challenges.... continued

 

The basic idea is to ship a regular 2wd sedan from Texas to Portugal then drive south down the entire length of the West Coast of Africa, to Cape Town.  Obviously there is a lot more to it than that, but that’s the plan.  20,000 miles, 20 countries, around five months on the road and all of this in a little, white, hail damaged, 1994 Honda Civic with a snorkel.. 

Double click to zoom in.

Over landing across Africa is not a new concept, it is something that people have been doing for decades, but doing it in a 2wd is something new, something different. But why make what is already difficult almost impossible?  

That’s where the second part of our motivation for doing the trip comes in.  By making our journey an even bigger challenge and documenting it along the way, with film and photography, we hope to not only entertain but also inspire.  To push the boundaries of what we know to be possible and to share our adventure with thousands of people, from all around the world. 

For the three of us it is purely about the adventure of being on the road in a strange place and not know what to expect next. Sharing our experiences as we drive across Africa and immerse ourselves in different cultures and a way of life that seems so far removed from the reality that most of us live in. To share something truly positive.

The 20,000 mile, 5 month road trip from Austin Texas to Argentina that we completed this year made us realize how important sharing the experience is.  Since March 2008, thousands of people have viewed the blog from our epic road trip across Central and South America and the response has been fantastic.  The word "inspirational" best describes the reaction of our readers from all around the world. 

Our journey across Africa also promises to be a truly inspiring adventure, so stay tuned because who knows what could be around the next corner.

For team Biographies go to the About US page.

Hayden Carlyon:

31 year old Traveler, Photographer, Writer from New Zealand.

Even after all the travel that I have done I still get excited about the little things.  The stamps in the passport, the local supermarkets, the smells, sounds and sights of a new country, the simple stuff and that’s probably why travel is still such a big part of my life. I am really looking forward to the next chapter, Africa. It definitely is a massive step up for me but I cant wait to be out there on the road again..

 

Emily Burke:

26 year old wildlife Biology Student, Amateur Photographer, and Wildlife Volunteer from Austin, Texas

Life is an adventure and where ever I go I try to hold to that. Traveling has always been a constant in the back of my mind. To experience new things every where you go, to meet new people, and to just be living life in the moment. I can’t wait for this once in a life time opportunity to drive through Africa and experience a whole new way of travel.

 

Dalton Dawkins:

30 year old Electrical Engineer, Inventor, Artist from Fairhope, Alabama

Adventure is my middle name...
Every year I realize that life is too short and the number of weekends in an ordinary life are dwindling fast.
So I have decided that in order to break this mold that I must do the things that I believe to be impossible and challenging, and redefine myself.

 

 

The car:

Our beautiful Honda civic has spent more time at the mechanics shop than it has on the road over the past few months. We basically decided to replace everything important except for the engine and the transmission.

So far we have replaced all hoses and wires, the cv axels, steering box, serpentine belts, the radiator, timing belt, water pump, tires, the head gasket and we rebuilt the entire engine, replacing its piston rings and bearings. Over the coming weeks she will be fitted with a roof rack to carry additional supplies, a snorkel for small river crossings, a skid plate to protect the oil pan and a few other bits and pieces to make the journey more comfortable.

She may not be the prettiest car on the road but the key is to blend in not stand out.