In 2010 I got to know Petru from Romania, who cycled alone, on a cycling trip to Sweden and spent a few harmonious days in the saddle with him. I cycled and danced alternately, perfectly combining my favorite hobbies. After we lost each other after my dance workshop in Gothenburg, we happened to meet again on the ferry ten days later. For the first time I expressed my lifelong dream: to cycle around the world as a fundraising project against child poverty. Petru was there immediately, so we planned a joint trial tour through Japan. The terrible events in Fukushima made this trip impossible, and after almost two weeks we found ourselves in Iceland, the land of trolls and elves.

The Golden Route under gray volcanic ash...

From Reykjavik, after two days of sightseeing, we cycled half of the obligatory tourist route, the Golden Route. Cycling over Pingvallavatn and the historically significant Pingvellir we were able to marvel at the impressive active geyser Strokkur, which shoots hot water into the sky every few minutes, and the Gullfoss, the largest waterfall in Iceland. We were told that the slope to the south of Langjökull Glacier was easy to ski, but we had to cross ice-cold rivers! So we struggled for days through sandy, rocky lunar landscapes and the terrible dark gray ash of the just erupted volcano, Eyjafjallajökull. When Petru was still in a good mood under extreme hardship, hunger and physical exhaustion in the cold, storms and continuous rain, I was sure that he was the right partner for the circumnavigation of the world.

Wonderful landscapes, helpful Icelanders and cute puffins.

The many large and small waterfalls, the hilly, moss-covered landscape with natural hot tubs that we used for swimming, and the wonderful encounters with hospitable, helpful Icelanders made the trip an absolute highlight. Our route took us through the north-western wilderness to Latrabjerg, where we could admire the beautiful puffins in addition to thousands of birds on the west coast.

Fight against the wind and in cycling shoes on the glacier.

We fought our way against the wind to the port of Brjanslækur along the lonely beaches of the south coast, which are up to ten kilometers long, where we occasionally met groups on Icelandic horses. The ferry brought us to the historically and artistically valuable island of Flatey with its colorful houses, the largest of the 2,600 islands in Breiðafjörður, in which there are still 1,000 bare rock islands. After six hours we crossed to the Snaefellsness peninsula, where we climbed the glacier the following morning from Olafsvik without equipment and with bike shoes!

Fabulous volcanic landscapes and flying fish.

On the way back to the south, interesting highlights awaited again: After visiting the singing cave Sänghellir and the fascinating basalt columns of Gerþuberg, climbing the Eldborgar volcano, a hike to Glymur, the highest waterfall in Iceland and a visit to the largest thermal springs in Europe in Reykholt, we were still witnesses of a tornado that drained an entire lake! A dangerous spectacle. Several kilometers further on, fish fell from the sky that day. After our bikes were safely stowed back in the bike boxes in the plane's belly, we arrived grateful for such a great and interesting bike trip, strengthened by new impressions and with many addresses of dear people that we would all like to see again ...

Look forward to an eventful lecture!