Icelandic Museum of Rock’N’Roll

When you think of Iceland you probably imagine dramatic landscapes, powerful geysers, active volcanoes and ice blue glaciers.  What you may not realise is that Iceland also has an amazing and thriving music industry and has been hosting the 5 day Airwaves Festival in Reykjavik for the last 17 years.

Despite having a population of just over 300,000, this arctic country has produced a huge amount of musical talent, the most well known artists being the Sucarcubes, Björk, Sigur Rós, and Of Monsters and Men but as you walk round the displays at the Museum of Rock’N’Roll in Keflavik, you realise there has been musical acts coming out of Iceland for decades.

Rokksatn Islands or Rock'n'Roll Museum

Viking World

Before you even enter the impressive glass museum where the Viking longboat Íslendingur is housed, you will see the kneeling statue of Hrafna-Flóki and his raven, the first Norseman to travel to Iceland.  It is not known exactly when he settled in Iceland but it is likely that he sailed to Iceland on a boat similar to the Islendingur when he left western Norway stopping off at the Shetland Isles and the Faroe Islands where he picked up 3 ravens to help him navigate to Iceland, earning him the nickname Hrafna-Flóki, Hrafna meaning Raven. 

Hrafna-Flóki and his raven

Unearthing the Spirit of the Icelandic Horse

“And this is the tölt,” said Hrönn as Chloe elegantly glided past us in the arena, with Hrönn and Snorri’s youngest daughter, Signý sitting comfortably in the saddle as Chloe and Signý demonstrated the smoothness of the tölt gait, one of two gaits unique to Icelandic horses. 

Signý riding Chloe

This has to be the coolest foldable electric travel kettle

As someone who likes to travel as light as possible – hand luggage only kind of girl!  I generally wouldn’t even consider packing a travel kettle, despite my love of a good cup of tea.   

I go to great lengths to find foldable, packable, lightweight and collapsible items but I have never come across a folding collapsible electric kettle until I found this one.  I think it may be the coolest travel kettle on the market – and it’s green!

Collapsible Electric Travel Kettle Unfolded

Project Awesome does Yestival

I waddled across the field with Georgia’s ankles in my hands, her hands slapping the dewy grass as we wheelbarrowed and laughed our way to the turning marker, with over 50 other couples doing the same thing.

This was Project Awesome, a concept inspired by Danny Bent which began in London a few years ago and has now spread to Bristol and Edinburgh.  Project Awesome is free high-energy fitness with a twist.  The twist being that it’s loud, colourful and full of positivity; instead of sweat and tears, you get smiles and laughter, high-fives and hugs.  

What would you do if you read this message?

“Meet me under the clock in Liverpool Street Station at 6pm and bring your sleeping bag.”

This was the message that went out on Facebook last year and was acted upon by 19 strangers. 

The man who posted that message was Dave Cornthwaite, adventurer, author, motivational speaker and creator of Say Yes More, a campaign to encourage you to make life memorable by saying Yes to doing amazing things that you’ve always wanted to do but have never done because of time, financial, family or other commitments.  

Dave Cornthwaite

  

Yestival 2016

I’m off to Yestival in a couple of weeks, on my own but not alone.  If it’s anything like last year, and I suspect it will be, I will arrive with hundreds of strangers and leave with just as many friends.

Austin Vince giving a very memorable talk