In December 2012, I visited Iceland for 10 days. I was joined by a friend from undergrad who was living and working in Europe at the time. We started in Reykjavík, rented a car, and decided to drive around the entire country. However, the roads were entirely covered in ice. After a few days, the roads were closed and impossible to access. We saw random caves on a black sand beach, stayed in a town (Vík) with a population of 300, and saw more geological diversity than I knew was possible. I’m convinced Iceland is the closest thing Earth has to being like another planet: it’s possible to see volcanic ash, Europe’s largest glacier, and green moss all at the same time.
Iceland’s progressive culture and interest in design motivated me to later visit other Nordic countries.