In Which We Drive Underwater and are Granted Three Wishes

Rule #1: no talking and no looking back

Leaving Reykjavik felt like the official start of our adventure. We had had several days in the capital to explore bookshops and pubs and ponds dotted with hungry ducks. But had we really seen Iceland yet?

The road from Reykjavik took us along altogether different scenes. Cool ocean shores, domes of lush green grass, and through quick patches of showers or shine. Our path even dove underwater, down through the Hvalfjörður tunnel. At each turn that the scenery opened up into something new and foreign in the best sense of the word.

Rule #2: the wishes must be made facing East

We’ve been told that most people traveling the Ring Road go from the east to west, counterclockwise. It feels cool to be doing the opposite. There’s no wrong way to go, but it feels more like an adventure when you change the rules and tread the path less worn.

Each new discovery and fresh sight feels like it belongs to you. The open rocky valleys and cloud topped mountains are for your gaze alone. We pulled over a lot to step out of the car and breath it all in.

Rule #3: you must not tell anyone your wishes

After just over 2 hours of driving we arrived in Stykkisholmur, a town that may have more fishing boats than cars. There’s a church and a little lighthouse dotting its tallest hills. Directly below the waves play against rocks, their tiny peaks slowly pull your gaze further to sea with the tide. I’d never felt as close to the Atlantic Ocean.

Everything in Stykkisholmur had character. The mishmash of old and new boats in the harbor, the creaky hotel elevator. There was a quiet stillness I found there. An alive silence that engages respectfully.

Rule #4: your wishes must be made with a true heart

Just outside of town there is a hike. Not steep or challenging, Helgafell is a small mountain south of Stykkisholmur. An impressive hill with history in pagan times, it’s said that those who climb to its top will be granted 3 wishes so long as they follow 4 simple rules along the way. The climb itself was easy, the hard part was wishing.

The act of wishing seems flawed in hindsight. The wishes made yesterday would almost always be replaced by the wishes of today if done over. So how does one wish wisely?

I suppose the act of wishing may be more of the point. I wont say what my wishes were or if they came true or not. But I can say that if I ever get to hike up Helgafell again, I’ll be wishing for more time.