Known locally as Føroyar, the Faroe Islands have just planted a seed in my heart. After travelling to so many places and for so many years, I often wonder if I can still find new places that make my mouth drop in awe. The Faroe Islands did exactly that for me today. Awake early I took the bus to Copenhagen Airport for my flight to this magical and majestic splotch of islands deep in the North Atlantic. The pilot gave us a tour as we flew in and when we touched down he said “and that’s how it’s done,” drawing a laugh from some of the passengers. Before today I had only ever met one person from the Faroe Islands, and that’s my friend Mariann whom I met in Airlie Beach. Mariann is a gorgeous, sexy blonde lass who works as a “chippy” but should be appearing on magazine covers. When I met her she said she was from Denmark but then said "I'm from a little place called the Faroe Islands." Torshavn is the capital of the Faroe Islands, and when I first met Mariann it impressed her straight away that I knew that. She would warn me that things are currently difficult due to a major strike going on here. However, I’ve had everything except the kitchen sink thrown at me on my travels and throughout life so an obstacle like that is nothing for me. Whilst I had always wanted to visit the Faroes, it was Mariann and my friendship with her that gave me to extra motivation to get here. Situated on the island of Vagar, the airport is more than an hour away from Klaksvik, which is where I’m staying. Finding a CouchSurfing host was impossible but one of them referred me to a lady named Eydna, and she offered to host me in her boat house next to the sea with a commanding view. After just a couple of hours here I’m just in absolute awe. It amazes me that no matter how many places I’ve seen, I continue to find places that seriously make me smile and make my heart beat faster.
The Faroe Islands are an external territory of Denmark and use Danish currency but aren’t part of the EU. Europe is confusing as there are countries that are part of the EU but not part of the Schengen area (e.g. Ireland) and vice-versa (e.g. Norway, Switzerland). There are also countries that are part of the Eurozone but aren’t part of the EU (e.g. Monaco, Andorra). The Faroese language is more like Icelandic, but the alphabet is like a mixture of the Danish and Icelandic alphabets. The Faroes issue their own banknotes which circulate alongside Danish currency but they don't issue their own coins. Like the rest of the Nordic countries, the Faroes have a history that goes way back. First settled in the 9th century, the Faroes were part of Norway for many centuries and were ceded to Denmark in 1814.
A dip in the cold North Atlantic sea would be my first true Faroese experience as Eydna encouraged me to take the plunge. She's a nurse, so she would know how to help me or someone else should the cold be too much for us. Football (soccer) and swimming are both national pastimes, and Eydna would take me to the local swimming pool. The swimming culture here in the Faroes is just like that in Iceland: you’re expected to shower and wash well before getting in, and it’s not just a pool, but three hot pools, a sauna, steam room, cold tub, and even a water slide. Being there today made me feel like a kid again, and all that steam was therapeutic. After our swimming session, Eydna would take me for a short drive to Árnafjørður. Wow! Majestic!
After the heat and pollution of India, the cool, crisp air of the Faroe Islands is the perfect antidote. The Faroe Islands are the "Land of Maybe" as many things, especially the weather, are difficult to predict. Will it be sunny today? Maybe. Will the strike affect the locals? Maybe. The strike means there's no fuel at many of the petrol stations but I'd imagine the Faroese are stoic and resourceful like in many remote places. At this time of year it doesn't truly get dark in the Faroes. I'll be taking full adventage of all the daylight, and I reckon the Faroes aren't just the "Land of Maybe" but the "Land of Adventure and Unparalleled Beauty." "Majestic" is a word I'll be using often to describe the Faroes.
It's been a long day but as a footnote, I want to be able to say "I love you" to Anikka in 100 different languages. In Faroese I said "Eg elski teg" to Anikka before resting my weary head as the wind blew outside. Now I can't wait to get up tomorrow and put my thumb out to explore these majestic islands.
