JEDIDIAH ROBERSON

Don’t let them fool you when they tell you, “Iceland isn’t that cold.”

People who say that are liars.

Iceland is cold. Really cold. Its name is proper proof of that, but I chose to disregard that obvious tidbit.

I planned a trip to Iceland with 5 of my best friends. We wanted to spend a weekend together somewhere. Naturally we chose Iceland. Just a quick flight across the pond.

Here’s some advice: don’t go to Iceland for just a weekend.

Here’s some more advice: go to Iceland with 5 of your best friends. It will be unforgettable.

We left on a Thursday, and arrived on a Friday. It was early in the morning, and we were eager to experience what Iceland had to offer. Stuffed-in like sardines, we drove our little car from the airport to where we were staying. It was snowing, and really, really cold. We unloaded our bags, then reloaded our bodies into the car that was much too small for the six of us. Then, we hit the road.

It was still early in the morning. We drove out of the city until we hit the open road. We were headed northeast, towards Gullfoss.

In the Icelandic Winter, the sun is like a modest church lady. She only struts her stuff once in a while for a short amount of time. It was almost 10AM, and the sky was just starting to lighten.

Imagine driving along a straight country road, meandering through the Icelandic, snow-capped mountains just as the sun is beginning to present itself through the thick shroud of cloud cover. It’s indescribable, really. I wish I could put into words what we were experiencing in those moments, but I can’t.

It was sheer bliss, and wonder.

Everyone’s eyes were peeled to the winter wonderland we were driving through. The only words being spoken were “Oh My God,” and “Unreal.” We stopped a few times on our way around the golden circle that day. It was one of those days you dream about. 6 friends in a car exploring the beautiful unknown. There were no distractions. We just had each other’s company, and the splendor surrounding us.

We spent the weekend driving, singing, taking pictures, drinking whiskey, and eating American food in Iceland. Without the distractions of our individual lives tying us down, we picked up where we had left off. Our phones didn’t work, and our GPS rarely did. So, it made for an amazing adventure.

Our adventure was like an episode of hit TV show, Castle. Just a lot of twists and turns—something different around every corner. Classic Castle.

Our time in the country was short. If you go, make sure you stay for more than four days. There is simply too much to see.

Regardless, I will remember those four days for the rest of my life. Those four days of chasing waterfalls, getting lost, sleeping too little, and reminiscing with old friends will be hard to beat. For now, they are my favorite four days ever, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

I hope you enjoy the photos from this amazing adventure.

I've written a series of short stories about my time in Japan. I'll post one every week for the next few months. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

We’re at a magic show.

This isn’t your typical magic show, though. There is no stage. The magician doesn’t have an attractive assistant handing him his props. The typical theater is displaced by a tiny room with no windows.

We’re in a bar. My best friend’s parents told us we should come. The bar is on the 9th floor of a building in the middle of the city. It’s marked by a half-moon. The walls are covered in signatures. Japanese businessmen shuffle in after a busy day of work. Only one of them speaks English. He tells us about the signatures on the wall.

“The Japanese Prime Minister’s signature is right here,” he points out.

We order drinks. I have a Scotch. Neat.

The lights dim. Jazz starts playing out of two small speakers on the wall. The magician appears.

He asks me to pick a card. I pick up the 3 of clubs, and I write my name on it. I put it back in the deck. He shuffles the deck, then puts it back down on the bartop in front of me. He motions at the deck. I pick up a card. It isn’t mine. He looks thoughtfully as though he may have messed up the trick. Then he snaps his fingers. He smiles.

He opens a mini fridge beneath the bar. In the fridge is a water bottle with something inside of it. It’s a card. It’s the three of clubs. It has my name on it.

I freak out.