Photographed in Heiðmörk.
Kindly supported by Teva. 
{Advertisement}

Ever so often, we get questions about what clothes to bring to Iceland. Which jackets would be best to protect against heavy rain, what to wear during the harsh and cold winter, or storm season. But above all and most reoccurring: what kind of shoes we would suggest. Well, of course that depends on the season. And on what exactly you have in mind for your Iceland trip. Hiking? Sightseeing? Exploring Reykjavik and dive into the rich culture and food scene? All of it? In winter, hiking is barely possible so we sincerely recommend thick padded boots with massive profile. In spring, summer and autumn we would suggest to bring at least two pair of boots, three if possible. High rain boots, light and waterproof hiking boots with a good profile and, if you want to blend in with the locals, some fancier shoes for dinners and theater. Icelanders dress up whenever they can so you will very obviously be detected as a tourist if you visit a chic restaurant in hiking boots and outdoor jacket (not that anyone would care, though!) If you are backpacking or only traveling with hand luggage and three pairs of shoes are not possible then definitely go for the light, comfortable and waterproof outdoor boot!

Since we do get so many questions, we thought that today is a good day to recommend a hiking boot: the TEVA Arrowood Lux Mid - the perfect blend of sneaker and outdoor shoe. Great breathability, light weighted, water and slip-resistent. Especially when hiking for a long time it's super important to have a boot that does not weight much and leaves you blister-free. We are no fan of regular sneakers in rough nature and wilderness (we need a higher cut for more stability and safety). Even though it is super hyped on for example Instagram right now to wear non-grip, stylish and even white sneakers (really, though?) into the woods we can only say: please don't ever do that! Not only that you can throw away said shoes after only a few uses which is such a freaking waste, you also seriously risk your health. Social Media seems to suggest that you can climb the steepest cliff with nothing but hip flats but those 'Influencers' contribute to a risky trend. Taking the gondola to the peak and then pose up there with your white sneakers pretending they took you up the mountain without even getting a scratch is tricking people into believing that suitable footwear for massive hikes is not necessary. So dear 'Adventure Instagrammers' that do exactly as described: please stop it! Do you seriously want to be responsible for someone slipping? We once saw somebody fall in the mountains and we will never forget that. So let us all think a little before blindly make our pictures look 'cool' - it might be the cause of an accident. The mountains and the wilderness are amazing, we do believe life should be lived outside, like we will never get tired to mentioning. But if you want to encourage others to do the same then take it seriously and don't recommend being reckless and ignorant. Takk Takk! :)

To sum it all up: Take that hike (but wear the right shoes)! Opt for lightweight, comfortable shoes with a higher cut and a good profile that can beat whatever weather and conditions. Be it the mountains, the cliffs, the black beaches or the slippery slopes up to the waterfalls. 

On another note: the second half of storm season hit us with full force the past couple of weeks. It seems like we made it through the worst and the sky is slowly clearing up, again. The violent winds left us trapped in the house most of the time but this past weekend they calmed down for an afternoon giving us some hours to head outside and straight into Heiðmörk. It wasn't a massive hike but we had a stroll through the woods and enjoyed the fresh air. Currently, life is getting a little crazy with us finally having the permanent residency and being on the verge of emigrating from Germany. It's incredible how simple, quick, smooth and easy all the steps of immigrating to Iceland work out and how difficult, time consuming and resource waisting emigration is. Everything can be done online here in Reykjavik, in Germany you have to personally show up or fax (who on earth still uses a fax?) your documents. Anyways. Both of us found and bought an apartment outside of town so moving houses is in order, as well. In less then three months we won't reside in two countries, anymore. No rooms, no taxes, no insurances left in Germany. It's a mind blowing thought how fast it all went. From spending a summer here to getting an Icelandic ID number and having nothing left from our old home country than our nationality. (And our families, of course. <3) So while storm season is slowly calming down and transitioning into summer it feels like we are taking the same step in our personal lives. A few more really rough patches and then it's all done. In two years we could already apply for citizenship and decide if we want to switch from a German to an Icelandic passport. It feels like there is one final gigantic wave of bureaucracy about to hit us, one last massive breath to take before facing a lot of hurdles and then summer is here. The sky clears up, the ocean calms down and life changes it's pace, for good. We can't wait for the second half of 2018 when everything we knew will be changed, completely. New homes, new tax system, new everything. The past few weeks grew into a whirlwind of decisions and situations but we are coming to an end. Storm season is almost over and we are so damn ready for the ultimate summer. For the most exiting chapter, so far.

The script of 2015 to 2018 exceeded our wildest hopes and dreams, for sure. It taught us that we can go anywhere, do anything. Live now, in between and seek the grand moments. It's all possible.