In Search of Inspiration – The Journey of the Writing Pilgrim #6

In January 2011 I sent the Writing Pilgrim out on a worldwide journey in search of ideas and inspiration for stories, novels and blogs. I would have liked to make the journey myself but I'm not a rich man and I have a wife and four cats that need me, a blog to maintain and novels and short stories to write so my hands are a bit tied. The Writing Pilgrim is a free spirit, travelling on the crest of a creative wave and looking to experience the world in a lifelong journey he has long wanted to take. Whatever insights he can share I hope you'll look forward to as much as me.

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© Hordur Vilhjalmsson

Land of Viking Sagas

Greetings Dave. You'll be pleased to know I've fetched up somewhere a little warmer than the Arctic this time round. My American friends in their yellow submarine (well it wasn't really yellow but I couldn't resist that quip!) decided they could only tolerate me for so long before deciding to give me my marching orders. This wasn't your walk the plank territory as you might get with Jack Sparrow but more a case of handing me a rubber dinghy and sending me out into the open sea. They obviously knew I wasn't far from land as I was told to head east and I'd be just fine.

It's hard to tell what the direction is when you don't have a compass and I had a momentary lapse of memory in trying to recall where the sun rises and sets. I was sure it wasn't Sicily or India but beyond that I couldn't think. When land did appear I wasn't sure what to expect. The temperature was pleasantly warm but what struck me was the sight of thick bands of clouds rising from somewhere on the island. Closer inspection revealed that this was a volcano and those exhalations were ash clouds. I immediately recalled you telling me something of current affairs and a volcano whose ash cloud had caused havoc to planes in Europe. With that I nodded and knew I had landed in Iceland.

First permanently settled by Norwegian Vikings around 874AD Iceland has remained faithful to its Norse tradition. I was worried there would still be Vikings wandering up and down the island but the locals were anything but. The main language is Icelandic which retains the essence of the Old Norse language but I was delighted to find the locals also spoke English as well as Danish and it seems its part of their curriculum which sure sounds tough having to grasp three languages in your youth. I know how pathetic your language skills are, Dave, so there's no way you would have survived if you had been born on this fascinating island.

Iceland has its settlements dotted along the coastline and extremities of the island while the central lands remain uninhabited. You should see this place for yourself, Dave, it's truly amazing. Vegetation is at a minimum, there are volcanoes such as Eldgjá and Herðubreið, geysers such as the oldest one on record i.e. Geysir, magnificent glaciers and even Europe's largest waterfall. The terrain is pretty harsh considering these natural wonders and though the Icelandic people have turned the island into a prosperous one there are many dangers. Those recent volcano eruptions at Eyjafjallajökull (2010) and Grímsvötn (2011) forced some people out of their homes. Imagine living in such a place where natural disasters could be just a stone's throw away. That said you used to live within walking distance of Barnsley FC's stadium didn't you?

The Icelandic people are a delightful bunch, very friendly and proud of their heritage. I don't shy from my knowledge of some of their famous exports such as the footballer Eidur Gudjohnssen, that singer Bjork and that wonderful group Sigur Ros. I know it's wrong of me to mention them but, yes Dave, here I am in their homeland and it's a pleasure to be here. I do like what the Icelandic people do with their surnames. A tradition common amongst the Vikings dictates that a father's children will take his name as part of their surname e.g. Olaf could have a son called Eric and his surname would be Olafsson or son of Olaf just as a daughter say your wife Donna would have the surname of Olafdottir or daughter of Olaf. Simple right?

Fishing is an important industry here and I'm pleased to find the Icelanders have remained faithful to their heritage. Continuing to live on this island is akin to the tough characters their ancestors possessed during their many raids through Europe. Icelandic sagas are still popular here and I can't resist picking up a small book for my travels. While undoubtedly fiction in many places these sagas still evoke the spirit of the Viking age of colonisation and I know you won't forget that these amazing men were the first to reach America, nearly 400 years before Mr Columbus did! How do you like them apples Chris? I'd like to stay a bit longer but the desire to push onto another country is outweighing my need to bring my journey to a halt.

So what does Iceland have to offer to Elenchera? Well, this harsh terrain is certainly befitting of the likes of Gremilda and perhaps Fedwino whose people are similar to the Vikings. You should utilise these magnificent volcanoes, geysers, glaciers and waterfalls throughout your world. They're too beautiful not to be included. I'll leave the rest up to you of course. If you feel the need for a bit of Iceland for yourself then listen to your Sigur Ros albums or read the sagas again!

I'm penning these last words at the airport in Reykjavik and where my journey will take me next I really don't know. I'm inclined to return to Europe this time I think but certainly won't be harbouring any thoughts of coming back to the UK just yet. There are simply too many countries out there to see and experience.

Farewell for now.

W. Pilgrim