Looking at sturdy snow boots standing next to a pair of thongs in the middle of another Adelaide heat wave and knowing you’ll be wearing thongs one day and the next you’ll be waddling around in the snow boots in Iceland is a strange feeling.

An unpleasant companion to this feeling is the sudden pang of comprehension that you’re ACTUALLY GOING TO ICELAND FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME BY YOURSELF OH WOW. There’s trepidation in that it’s the first time I’m travelling by myself and to a very remote country.

There’s also second-guessing “They said I didn’t need a Visa, right? What if I do actually need a Visa and it’s just stated in really small print? Let me go check and maybe double-check.” (an actual conversation repeated many times during my preparations), a sense of urgency as the To-Do list is littered with more tasks (book flights, confirm accommodation, register plans with DFAT Smart Traveller website, arrange for accessing money, print two copies of all important documents, and pack, which became difficult when I got caught up in the details of packing whatever category of items and walked aimlessly around the house instead). It’s a race to get everything done that needs to be done and then also somehow put into place everything I want to do.

I have made plans for the Reykjavík city walking tour I want to take, had a look at the ice caves, glacier, and volcano tours, the trusty Golden Circle, and gotten all dazed at possibly seeing the Northern Lights dance across the skies. Fingers crossed!

Anna Van Rensburg, a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance/Economics) student , Semester 1 2016 exchange at University of Iceland, Iceland