Touched by kindness

by Amy Collett (Australia)

Making a local connection Iceland

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Today was day 15 of my attempt to cycle Iceland’s Ring Road solo. It was also the day where I hit my lowest low of the entire trip. I was on the road by 9 am and there was another insanely big headwind. It took me 3 hours to go 18 kilometres to the only town I would see today, Djupivogur. I stopped there for lunch and tried to mentally prepare myself for the rest of the day. I knew it would be a hard afternoon with a top temperature of 4 degrees, 50 kilometre an hour winds and rain. I took off cycling alongside mountains which were covered in thick mist and it felt very eerie due to the lack of people on the road. I was having serious issues in the wind which was blowing me all over the place and then it started pouring. I didn’t have time to put my rain gear on. I didn’t even have any warning of the rain, it just looked like mist. I cycled on soaking wet for hours barely making any headway. I was shivering, my shoes were filled with water and I was completely soaked. By 7 pm I estimated I still had 20 kilometres to the next campsite. At this pace that would take hours! I ploughed on through what would’ve been the most amazing views. The road wrapped around the side of the volcanic mountains with a drop off to black sand beaches. If it wasn’t pouring it would have been stunning. I got to a point where I was feeling so low and worried about how cold I was and how long I had been wet for. The headwind was making it worse and making me even colder. I was seriously worrying about hypothermia. My teeth were chattering and my face was taking on a blueish tinge so I decided to hitch a lift. I stood by the side of the road for an hour while no cars went by. Finally the biggest RV I have ever seen stopped. When I asked for a lift to the next town and told them I was soaking and freezing they said, “Sorry you're too wet. The next town is only 46 kilometres away”. As they drove off I started crying. I had lost all hope, I was beyond cold and I honestly didn’t know what to do. I began walking with my bike as I bawled my eyes out feeling more miserable and alone than I had in years. Even walking, the wind was so strong I was getting blown over. Up ahead I spotted a farmhouse and in desperation decided to go there. I knocked on the door looking like a drowned rat. An older man answered and seemed very surprised to see me. I asked if I could get out of the rain for a second and put some dry clothes on before continuing. The man spoke no English and walked away returning with his daughter on the phone. I explained my situation to her then she explained to her dad. He said yes sure and pointed me in the direction of the bathroom. It felt so good to get out of my wet clothes. When I came out he handed me back the phone and his daughter Helga said her dad had booked me a room at the hostel 20 kilometres away and would drive me there as he didn’t want me riding in this weather. I was so overcome with emotion it took me everything I had not to start crying again. He threw my bike in the back of his truck and drove me to the two farm town of Stafafell, with me smiling at him while he spoke Icelandic and I spoke English and neither of us having a clue what the other was saying. The owner of the hostel welcomed me in English and I asked her to translate to the farmer just how much I appreciated him. He went to shake my hand to say goodbye and I gave him a big hug instead.I crawled into bed completely demoralised by todays ride but touched by the farmers kindness.