Digital Nomad Journal #2: Fresh off the boat, HelpX and Iceland

I can't remember how we chose Iceland as a first destination for our nomadic ways. Perhaps it was watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, or dreaming of watching the Northern Lights. In any case, we just wanted to get away from life and work in The Netherlands and set off on our own way. My previous Digital Nomad Journal entry explained some of the decisions that led me down this path, but it was time to fully commit to it.

We headed back to the UK by ferry from Hook of Holland to Harwich with our car stuffed to the brim. We had actually planned to come back with two cars, but one blew its cylinder head gasket just a couple of weeks before and wrote itself off. Perhaps it was a sign all along.

Our plan was to use HelpX to try and find an interesting project somewhere, but we had been struggling to get responses. If you have not heard of it, or its competitor Workaway, they essentially work as a ‘cultural exchange' whereby the host has certain task which you do in exchange for food and accommodation. We had used it many times in the past as early as 2010 with success, but this time round we had been going through every listing in Iceland with no luck. I could not figure out what was different – our profiles were filled with more information about our travels but maybe

Armed with very little knowledge of what we were actually in for, and with nothing planned whatsover, we hopped onto our British Airways flight to Keflavik (Reykjavik's main international airport) mixed with emotions ranging from excitement, nerves and mentally going through many ‘what-if' situations.

As I had not arranged a HelpX in advance I had to book accommodation. But damn those hostel prices were amongst the highest I had seen anywhere – approximately £30-40 for a dorm bed, at it was not even peak time! I eventually booked a 2-night stay at the Radisson Blu Saga at on a cash + points basis, given most other accommodation were fully-booked on Booking.com or Hotels.com.

Perhaps I should have been more prepared, but moving house and planning your journey and life ahead wasn't exactly an easy thing to juggle!