Iceland is a wonderful exotic location. I am in love with oddities: places where the distant past butts into the present; or the dynamic have made something very uncommon. Iceland has its foundations in its Scandinavian roots from the time when Danish and Viking explorers found the island far West of Europe. Their language and culture has more in common those who arrived 1000 years ago than they share with our homogenized Anglo-centric world. I live in a community near Victoria BC. Our region with its 350,000+ people has a population greater than that of the entire country of Iceland. As a kid, I was fascinated by how the Earth's crust beneath Iceland is thinner than elsewhere in the world, giving rise to more geologic, geothermal and magnetic activity. It is craggy, shaped by the harsh North Atlantic Seas and crisp Winters. A place like this feels like it has more opportunities for wonder: less tread upon by man and; more shadows where magic can spring from.

When my now-new wife and I talked about a honeymoon, the easy answer was Iceland. It had fascinated us both. About a year or so before we started dating, Erin waxed on about Iceland. I said that maybe she'll get lucky and the man of her dreams would take her there. That turned out to be me.

We were going to leave for Iceland in October. That seems a little aggressive after coming off of a year of Planning our wedding and surviving life. Instead, we're going to do it next year. The current plan features:

• Iceland Air: we're taking cheap uncomfortable seats plus a couple sleeping pills, so that we can sleep while we fly (why not, we're not the pilots). Arrive in the morning, stiff, sore but thoroughly slept.
• Weight loss: Fat men plus airline seats do not mix. I am planning on getting close to my ideal weight in the next six months, so that I can fit into the rigors of the trip. I'm working on weight loss
• Go when we can see Northern Lights. The Aurora is a must have, so we're going to spend two weeks in the wilderness seeking it out.
• Camper van. We'll sleep in the camper for the most part.
• Cook in the camper. I like a challenge and I like to cook. And, Erin likes my cooking,

Let's talk about what we're planning. Stay tuned.