Adrenalin Rush in Iceland

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Adrenalin Rush in Iceland

In my capacity as the UK Director of Operations for One World Tours Limited, I would like to take this opportunity to share a wonderful experience that I had in Iceland recently.

I have been very fortunate in my life and the hard work that I have put in over the years has lead to me being able to experience some wonderful things that the planet and it’s various cultures have had to offer over the years. I never take any of this for granted and each experience opens up something new that is as exciting as if I had never done some of the other fantastic things in life.

Iceland is a most spectacular country to visit for the pure diversity of its natural landscapes and geological interests so you can imagine my delight to experience some of these in a vehicle known in Iceland as the super jeep. I was greeted at my hotel in Reykjavik by the roar of what can only be described as a monster truck pulling up outside. I had to climb up into this beautiful machine, if you are a female you will need appropriate clothes, and was whisked away out of the city. The wheels must have been at least 3 ft tall so you can imagine how high up the main body was.

I was pleasantly surprised that you can drive pretty much where you want to go in Iceland and the rebel in me enjoyed this fact greatly. I was shown bore holes that had been freshly made that are left for a few months to become stable, ensuring that and debris has blown itself away prior to the pressure to be controlled for future use to generate electricity. To reach this bore hole that appeared to be growling from the depths of the earth, the driver drove his way through the thick snow with what I can only describe as a metal pole with a small triangular flag, something like what you see on ski slopes, showing the way. They were only of any help when they were visible of course so when the steam from the bore hole was blown in front of the car enveloping us we were completely blind. I had great faith that the driver new what he was doing but must admit that the uncertainty made the adrenalin start to flow.

One of the destinations for the day was to be the south west coast of Iceland. I had a little idea what it would be like but I could never have imagined just how beautiful it really was.

It was just becoming light, around 10.30 am in mid December, and we approached a small cliff having driven off road for a good few miles. I felt a little concerned that the driver had stopped too close to the edge of the hill. Before I had the chance to get out the driver drove over the edge leaving my stomach on the roof of the car. I was totally unprepared for this and at home in England have been known to offer some profanities when my partner deliberately drives too fast over a humped backed bridge. Luckily I had packed extra underwear for the journey! Noting my dilemma the driver, rather wickedly drove up an even steeper part of the bank and pretended that the jeep could not handle the job, whilst in a position much like an astronaut waiting for take off, he slowly slid the super jeep backwards down the hill with I’m sure a mmmwahahaha sound coming from his throat.

Any fear that I may have had soon disappeared when I saw the sight in front of me. No really in a strange way it was a thrill and seemed right for the setting. The “sand” was very fine black volcanic lava and the “cliff face” which was also black looked like hexagonal upward facing tubular shapes. The sea was really wild due to the very high winds the night before. It was very unpredictable and did not appear to be following the patterns of ebbing and flowing that I am used to seeing in Clacton-on-sea!

The tyre marks of the super jeep cast long prints of which ours were the only ones added to the atmosphere the place and made it seem as though we were the only people on the planet. I am not really a people person so being in Iceland and having most of the sights to myself was a fantastic experience in itself.

As we drove further along the beach we saw some whale bones and skull, it’s whiteness in stark contrast to the blackness of the “sand”. After taking a few photos we exited the beach in search of our next destination. I totally loved the joy of travelling in the super jeep and it is an experience I will never forget.

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Ten Exciting Things To Do When Visiting Iceland

Ten Exciting Things To Do When Visiting Iceland

Should you happen to contemplate vacationing in Europe, you could give Iceland a try where nature that means more than beaches and resorts. Best of all, majority of the tourist spots the country can offer will require no entrance fees unlike in most other countries. Summer would be the best time to go there.

1.) Bláa Lónið

This is a famous health center with pool known as Blue Lagoon located in southwest Iceland. This happens to be a spa located in the center of lava filled with stunningly blue waters. One will find this place one of the warm spots in the country as opposed to the impression of a primarily snow-filled place that the country’s name implies.

2.) Gullfoss

One can try going east of the capital Reykjavik to be able to get to the Golden Falls. The breathtaking waterfall is fed by river known as Hvítá. This goes down a two-fold cascade to create one of the best waterfalls you could visit.

3.) Geysir and Strokkur

As mentioned earlier, Iceland is also home to several geothermal spots, and two of them are Geysir and Strokkur, which happens to be a few kilometers on the west of the Golden Falls. Between the two, it would be safer to go to Geysir since it hardly erupts, and Strokkur would do so every few minutes. But what a sight it would be and a picture worth taking only if you keep a safe distance.

4.) Skagafjordur

It is one of the cities in Iceland which offers several fun activities to tourists. One of the parks you will find here is the Historical Nature Park Island Drangey then you can go on to visit the Glaumbær, which happens to be a folk museum. And you will need to wonder no more what an icelandic horse looks like because this place is where they are bred. And yes, it’s also time to take the challenge of river rafting.

5.) Kerið

Here lies the sight of a lake within a volcano. Many times, what you will find in countries are both active and inactive volcanoes which would spew lava from time to time. This time, you get a lake instead of lava right inside the crater of a volcano.

6.) Þingvellir National Park

UNESCO has made this national park one of the world’s heritage sites for good reasons. This happens to be the place where you will find the movement of European and North American shelf plates while serving as the longest running parliamentary field there is. Again, this, too, is just about 35 miles off the capita’s east.

7.) Mývatn

On this spot, you will get to visit the desert Smajfall which gives out sulfuric steam coming from the ground. Here, you will also see Dimmuborgir which is also known as Gates of Hell or The Black City. But the name Mývatn actually refers to the lake which looks nothing like other lakes due to presence of special volcanic craters around it.

8.) Dettifoss

If you just came off the Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, you might want to check this place out afterwards. A powerful waterfall awaits you at Dettifoss. This happens to be one of the best all over Europe.

9.) Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights

Textbooks have talked about the midnight sun. It was even discussed in school. Iceland is the place to be to get to view this sight where the sun does not set at midnight, and you will not be able to find this occurrence in other countries.

10.) Vestmannaeyjar

When translated, the name means Westman Islands. It is actually a volcanic island with a wonderful collection of bird species and the biggest puffin colony you could find in Europe. That’s definitely something not to miss.

Explore Vacation Homes in the Lands of Fjords

Explore Vacation Homes in the Lands of Fjords

Scandinavia is a realm where ancient sagas spring to life, stave churches cling to hills on forlorn shorelines, and the legacy of the Vikings still lingers. If you are considering a vacation in Scandinavia and have some basic questions, you have come to the right place. Here is a summary of questions that often come up when planning a trip to one of the Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, or Iceland.
What are the “Nordic countries”? In such a state of linguistic and geographical confusion, the French came to help us all and invented the term “Pays Nordiques”, which has become a common term in bringing Scandinavia, Iceland and Finland altogether.Getting there and getting away. You can reach any of these countries by air or train from Russia or by ferry from Polland, Germany or three any other Baltic states. The airport in Copenhagen in the most probable the biggest airport in Northern Europe. Helsinki, Oslo and Copenhagen have Europe’s best public transport systems with the metro, trams, buses and ferries all accessible with a single ticket. It’s a company city, too, so walking is a pleasure. Plus there are extensive cycle trails with bikes for rent from coin machines.Where to stay? Scandinavia offers a range of accommodation to suit each taste and pocket, from youth hostels to holiday flats to hotels in each category. If you are not able to do the research by yourself you can turn for help to some professional marketing or travel agency. Many of the listing web sites can provide you with the same information for a lower cost. The easiest way is to do a market research via Internet, just go and search for vacation homes in any Scandinavian area – one good place for that is www.adorentals.com featuring thousands of geotagged vacation rentals and detail pricing information in any chosen location. When choosing a vacation villa online from a website, you can rest assured that you will be dealt with in an honest and professional manner. All villas have been verified by the site owners as being registered with the state and hold a Hotels license and do indeed exist and are owned by who they say they are. All villas have a competent Management Company that provide any assistance that may be required by you throughout your stay.

Natural landscapes of Scandinavia offer a wealth of options for an unforgettable holiday: long sandy beaches on the coasts & lake shores, enchanting lowland plains, extended ranges of hills and the unforgettable shorelines. Whether you pick out leisurely exploration, a spa or wellness break, or a sports activity on land, on water or in the air, you’ll be astonished at what Scandinavian countries and their people have to offer.

Visit Iceland

Visit Iceland

Iceland is not just nearer than you believe, but far different than you ever imagined.

Where else can you find such marvels of Mother Nature as a tremendous icecap and several glaciers, spouting geysers & steaming solfataras, volcanoes (hopefully inactive), raging rivers & magnificent waterfalls, a multitude of birds, cavorting whales just offshore & many extra surprises.

Summers are amazingly warm & winters not as cold as you might expect. Regardless of when you visit, be aware that the warmth shown by Icelanders, their hope to share their culture and the efforts made to make your visit as pleasant as possible will, like the outstanding landscape, never be forgotten.

Iceland provides a awesome variety of tours, some cover large areas of the country, others small areas at a time.There are traditional tours also as tours quite different from what could be experienced someplace else.There are nature tours with striking landscapes, new lava fields, roaring waterfalls and imperial glacial ice-caps.

Additionally, there are organized day tours, and weekend and vacation tours all year around with Icelandic touring clubs in which the emphasis ison hiking. Travelling into the uninhabited interior of Iceland is limited to the months of July and August, exclude for some especially organized winter tours

Winter tours in Iceland are hard to forget: there is skiing for each novices & the experienced, glacier tours on snowmobile or snowcats, and ice-fishing.

The Great River of Thjorsa in Iceland

The Great River of Thjorsa in Iceland

The benefit of receiving great rainfall and having big glaciers is that Iceland has a very rich quantity of some very big rivers. The biggest river of Iceland is Thjorsa which is 237 kilometers long and has an average discharge of 380 cubic meters per second. Whereas, River Olfusaa has the greatest flow of water with 440 cubic meters per second. The second biggest river is Jokulsa a Fjollum and it is 206 kilometers in length. Some other rivers of Iceland are Skjalfandafljot, Jokulsa a Bru, Lagarfljot, Skeiaara etc. Let’s talk about the biggest river Thjorsa this time.

The ancient book of settlement has got some very interesting explanation regarding the value of this river. “A man named Thorarinn, the son of Thorkell from Alvidra, the son of Hallbjorn Hordukappi, sailed to the estuaries of this river and didn’t even remove the carved bull’s head from the prow of his ship”. This is the longest river and the second biggest discharger of Iceland. The interesting fact is that it acts as a natural border between the districts of Rangarvellir and Arnessysla. Its northernmost tributary is called the spring fed river.

The source of this river is located around 70 kilometers towards south of the end of the Eyjafiord bay in the northern direction. The main course of this river is situated in the southwest direction which is following the main tectonic fissure of the country. The discharge area of this river is huge and it covers around 7530 square kilometers. Most of its discharge is simply the water coming from glaciers named Vatnajokull and Hafsjokull. The biggest flood recorded in this river took place in 1948-49 and the speed of the flow was as fast as 3000 cubic meters per second. Sometime in many years, this river has the tendency to almost vanish away in the lower regions of its way, especially when the ice formed in winter season melts up and creates natural dams.

This river is the carrier of great amount of sludge and exasperate from the areas of erosion based in central highlands. The amount carried by this river is somewhere around 4.5 million tons per year. Some waterfalls are also created by this river before it goes down and vanishes in ocean. Its largest tributary is Tungnaa and it is said that it is even bigger than the river Thjorsaa at its convergence. In ancient times all the rivers of Iceland were great barriers for those who used to cross them with ferries. All the fords of this river are above its biggest island named Arnes. There are many ferry stations on its way and the farmers living close to them give their assistance to the travelers against money.

The first bridge was constructed on this river in 1895 and it was renovated or we can say, rebuilt again in 1949. Another bridge was built on this river in 1973 with the link of construction of a hydro-electric power station on the tributary Tungnaa. Dams and power stations built on this river and its tributaries contribute more than 27 percent to Iceland’s total electricity production.

This river has been the forgotten lifeline of the country of Iceland and its people. With the passing time, they have realized the importance of the river and various resources available in it.

Natural and Man-made Beauties for Reykjavik, Iceland

Natural and Man-made Beauties for Reykjavik, Iceland

Being the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik has always been the centre of attraction in the small but beautiful country situated just below Arctic Circle. No doubt, Reykjavik has handled its reputation well not only by natural beauty but also by its man-made marvels. Following are some natural and man-made beauties situated in Reykjavik.

Arbaer Open-air museum: this open-air folk museum is the biggest open-air museum in Iceland. It showcases the history of Reykjavik and Iceland right from its first day to its latest day. It comprises more than 27 buildings.

The old town of Reykjavik: this part of the city is the perfect place for spending your evening in the most romantic way. It looks best while the sun is setting as the tin houses in this area seem like glowing. There are many world-class restaurants and night-clubs in this area.

The Municipal Art Museum: this museum is the perfect place to witness a wide array of modern and ancient Icelandic as well as foreign art. This museum also includes Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum, the Kjarval collection, the Erro collection, the architectural museum and the Reykjavik municipal museum. This building is also used to organize exhibitions, concerts, lectures and many other cultural and festive shows.

The Church of Hallgrimur: this church is known as the most controversial building of Iceland. It was named after renowned Icelandic poet Hallgrimur Petursson. Its height is 72 meters and its steeple rises over all other buildings. It has enough space to accommodate more than 1000 people while prayer. It is also installed with the statue of Viking who is said to have discovered America Leifur Eiriksson.

Sundlaugar Reykjavikur: just outside Reykjavik, this place is famous as it is a volcanically heated swimming pool. It is a most important part of the lives of the Icelandic people. It is suitable to come in any and every season.

Mount Esja: this mountain is located just outside Reykjavik and is very popular for its views of Reykjavik from its top. The climbing is very easy as Mount Esja is not that steep and that’s why trekking can be done very easily.

Lake Tjornin: this lake is situated in the centre of Reykjavik. It is famous as a paradise for the bird-lovers as it is full of arctic birds. Mainly in spring season, this place is full of Arctic Terns and other species of birds returning for the summer.

Videy Island: Videy island is situated in north of Reykjavik just around five minutes boat trips from mainland. It is a wild island full of birds and flowers. This island remained untouched till 1940 and only here you can find Videyjarstofa. It is the oldest building of Iceland made of stone which was built for high sheriffs in 1752. Situated there is also a church from that same era, displaying some unique sculpture by Sir Richard Serra.

The perlan: how can this place be left out when talking about famous places of Reykjavik. This is Reykjavik’s most popular attraction. It is a modern-design multi-utility building which is serving as an observatory, restaurant, and conference centre and tourist attraction. You can see breath-taking views of Reykjavik from a revolving restaurant which is situated on four tanks which contains hot water to be used by citizens. Other than this restaurant, there is a great café house also.

Hike Iceland – My Commune With a Glacier

Hike Iceland – My Commune With a Glacier

To me there is nothing better than getting outdoors and going for a nice long trek. I love the adventure, the physical challenge and exploring new places. I also have a certain proclivity towards glaciers. I think that they are amazing, though I have never actually seen one up close. Last month I got the chance to do just that.

I didn’t go to Iceland just for hiking, I was there on business. But over the weekend, I decided to get book a tour. There are several hiking and trekking tour companies in Iceland so it wasn’t hard. With the help of the front desk clerk at the hotel I was staying at, I got in touch with a company that offers tours right from Reykjavik; turns out that you don’t necessarily have to travel far to get out in nature or to commune with a glacier.

Anyways, I made my choice of tour operators and told them what I wanted to do. They suggested a tour that fit my time frame and desire to explore a glacier, in this case Sólheimajökull glacier. I think this translates as ‘sun home glacier,’ at least I think that is what it translates to with my rough knowledge of Icelandic. This particular glacier is located about two hours away from the capital city.

The tour company picked me up from my hotel in the morning and off we went. I was amazed at how quickly we were in the country – Reykjavik is not a very big capital city and most of Iceland is uninhabited. When we arrived at the glacier, I instantly fell in love. The weather was picture perfect and the contrasting colors of blue sky and the white glacier were outstanding.

We took a few minutes to go over a safety brief, put on our extra clothes and crampons and then we were off. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and told us all kinds of facts about Iceland, glaciers and such. But, what I liked best was when everyone stopped talking. Rarely in our busy lives do we get to experience absolute silence and that was one of the early pleasures of this glacier tour – we all stopped walking and talking and there it was, total silence. I turned my face to the sun and just soaked up this moment.

Later, we got to explore some crevasses and beautiful blue-white ice sculptures. When you touch this kind of ice, you are amazed by how smooth it is – like polished glass. We got to walk through long ridges that were like narrow ice hallways.

What struck me about this glacier was that it seemed to have a positive affect on everyone’s mood. It is kind of like the glacier is pumping out negative ions and it helps you feel content and grounded in that moment. I also think that the glacier, by the fact that it has been around for so long, imparts a certain sense of history and almost embodies a wise personality. Maybe it was just me, I tend to anthropomorphize everything.

One the way back to the city, our guide also stopped by two beautiful waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. Being from the western US, I am not used to seeing so much water and I was struck by the raw power and beauty of these falls. Raw power and beauty is a good analogy for Iceland in general.

All-in-all I was very satisfied with my Iceland hiking tour experience. This particular tour wasn’t very strenuous, so if you want something more physical, you can choose a different tour. I think that one day I would like to come back here and do one of their multi-day tours.

Put an Iceland Jeep Tour on your Vacation To-do List

Put an Iceland Jeep Tour on your Vacation To-do List

I recently got back from a trip to Iceland. My wife and I went for 10 days and while there we decided to do what most tourists do – take a tour. But instead of taking the boring bus tour to all the normal locations, like Gullfoss, Geysir and Thingvellir, we decided to see what few do, Iceland’s outback. Believe me it was worth it.

Iceland is like no place else. It is a sparsely populated island out in the North Atlantic not too far below the Arctic Circle. During the winter, Icelanders only get about 5 hours of daylight but, in the Summer, when we were there, the sun didn’t set till like 3 am. The landscapes are amazing and diverse. You can explore lava fields, deserts, mountains, glaciers, waterfalls and lakes. And it is so clean and pure; that’s what struck me about Iceland, how clean the environment is.

Anyways, my wife and I found a tour company and booked a day trip to visit the waterfalls, don’t ask me to write the names down. The tour company was located right in Reykjavik, where we were staying, and they picked us up at our hotel. Our driver was a very pleasant woman who spoke English (most Icelanders do). She was not only our driver but our tour guide and we learned a lot about Icelandic history, culture, geology, geography; you name it. The tour company has these really cool Land Rover Defenders that have been specially modified to cross rivers, drive on glaciers – pretty much to go anywhere. They call them super jeeps, an apt description.

The first stop was a beautiful waterfall about one hour from the capital, I thought it would be a longer drive but Iceland is a small country after all. We crossed a small stream and drove right up to the most gorgeous waterfall I have seen in a long time. What’s cool too is that you can actually walk right behind it. There’s a story that the Vikings used to hide their plunder here.

On our way to the next waterfall, we saw the most beautiful landscapes including glaciers, streams, farms, ocean views and, of course, more waterfalls. There’s sheep everywhere too, apparently they run wild until the Fall when they are herded up by the farmers and sent to slaughter.

Our tour ended in a small coastal town called Vik. We drove right on a black sand beach to look for seals. Then we stopped for a snack and some cocktails. We got to sample some Icelandic delicacies as well as something called Brenivin, a very potent schnapps.

I must say that this trip was a delight. We headed back to our hotel, a little buzzed from the Brenivin, but with full tummies and happy hearts. Our tour guide, who was not only gracious and informative, was also an excellent off-road driver. Not once did I find myself uncomfortable during our numerous on-trail excursions.

A Simple Guide to Traveling in Iceland

A Simple Guide to Traveling in Iceland

Iceland is a very small country, with slightly over three hundred thousand people living in it. But being small doesn’t stop thousands of tourists from flocking to this beautiful country for sight seeing purposes. That is because the country is naturally endowed with many natural attractions, such as beautiful lakes, beaches, and hiking trails. One can expect to see breath-taking scenes of wide open fields, with horses grazing or galloping around, and beautiful bodies of water such as lakes, valleys and waterfalls.

The name itself may come across as kind of strange, because the country itself isn’t cold all year round. In fact, only about ten percent of the country is icy. The rest of the country is in somewhat mild weather, and it’s the perfect weather for tourists seeking a cooling vacation.

The greatest attraction about Iceland is that the country is left mostly unpolluted by human. As such, large parts of the country still contains many natural attractions. The country itself is well known for its low crime rate, which makes it safe for travelers to visit these beautiful sites with little worry. More active travelers may attempt to take on something more ambitious, like hiking or mountain biking.

In Iceland, the primary mode of transport is still the personal automobile. Almost everyone owns a car in Iceland. And drivers as young as seventeen years of age can own and drive a car on the roads of this tiny country. For a foreign visitor, perhaps it’s best to arrange for a rented car when visiting Iceland. This will help save lots of time, especially when traveling between various destinations and hotels. The roads are simple enough to navigate, and go round the entire island. Given the relatively small land surface of the country, it’s not easy to get lost. Hence, it is indeed a good idea to drive while in Iceland.

Speaking of hotels, accommodation is very well catered for in Iceland. The hotels in Iceland are generally categorized into five categories. You can find Hotels in Reykjavik, Hotels in the East, Hotels in the West, Hotels in the North, and Hotels in the South. Which hotel you want to stay in depends very much on the destinations you want to visit and your budget. For the greatest convenience, you may want to book a hotel in Reykjavik.

Reykjavik is Iceland’s capital, and it’s also where you can find the most number of hotels. There are different types of hotels that will suit your budget. If you are on a tight budget, you may wish to consider staying in a cabin hotel. A cabin hotel matches the natural environment of Iceland’s largely unpolluted environment. It will give you a more comfortable feeling overall.

If you wish to head further out to see other parts of the country, you may consider staying in one of the hotels located on North, South, East and West parts of the island. Despite the natural surroundings, hotels in Iceland comes equipped with modern facilities such as Internet access, parking facilities, and even conference facilities. So rest assured that you are not heading into the woods where you are cut off from the rest of this world!

Day Tours in Iceland, Viking Style

Day Tours in Iceland, Viking Style

First, if you are planning a trip to Europe, and haven’t thought of visiting Iceland, you really should consider it. Yes, there are a lot of great destinations; Europe, and the world for that matter, are full of them. Many people want to visit Rome, or London, or Paris; all great places, no question. But, what you may or may not realize is that those places are so crowded during peak seasons, it’s insane. You have to wait in lines, wait in traffic – get ready for a lot of waiting. I am not saying those places are worth waiting for.

Iceland is a relative new-comer to the global travel scene and, by comparison, is much less crowded but no less beautiful. In fact, many Europeans, especially the French, Germans and the Brits consider Iceland kind of like a European national park of sorts. If unspoiled nature and spectacular landscapes is your bag, look to Iceland.

But I digress. Many people, when visiting a new country or place, opt for a bus tour to see the highlights. They are an affordable and efficient way to see the sites. You can see what all the other tourists have seen so when you meet a person at a party and tell them you visited some new country, you can tell them, “Ya, I saw the (insert monument, historical landmark here).”

But, Iceland is a natural paradise and one of the best ways to really experience it is to get off the beaten path. The buses can’t do that. So, I am suggesting an adventure jeep tour. They can take you places, in the same level of comfort that the tour buses can’t reach. I am talking crossing stream, driving on glaciers, sandy beaches, or taking you up close and personal with a volcano. That’s what Iceland offers. One a clear day in Iceland you can see as far as your eyes permit in brilliant colors. You will see an amazing diversity of flora and fauna. You will get to experience nature as it should be: clean and unspoiled. You can even drink water from a stream, something I, sadly, wouldn’t recommend almost anywhere else in the world.

Convinced? Here’s what you should know about Iceland besides all the pretty stuff. Iceland is expensive and not for the faint of heart. Get ready for it. Food, fuel, lodging and alcohol are amongst the most expensive in Europe. My advice is to stay in a hostel, make your own lunches and buy your liquor from the state run stores called, “VinBud,” (pronounced: veen-booth) which translates literally to, “Wine Store.” Iceland has notoriously capricious weather. It could be raining one minute, sunny the next and snowing the next after that. And, it is rarely warm. On a good Summer day the temperature could hit 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but it is more likely to be in the 50s. Be prepared. Other then that, it’s all good.

Bus tours are fine, especially if you are in a city like Rome, or any other metropolitan area. But, Iceland is different and to really see and experience what it has to offer it is my opinion that you need to skip the bus tour and head off-road in a super jeep. You took a vacation to get away from it all, so do it right, do it like a Viking.