ICELAND: Future of Hope

Well I am recovering from long haul flights and delays...12hrs at Heathrow and 12 hours in KL.
My body does not like these long flights and as soon as I touched down on Aussie soil it succumbed to flu like symptoms.

Now that I am back in Australia I am not sure how this blog will develop but I will just let it evolve and we will see what happens.

No pictures this week but just a little note on Iceland.  I have fallen madly in love with the place,  it is  inspirational and achingly beautiful, although in the midst of one of the worst times in history I  feel it has a very bright future.

Whilst it has been hot topic and ridiculed in news around the world all highlighting the collapse of its banking system and bankruptcy, I have found that its citizens demonstrate a tenacity that I am sure will see them though this difficult period.  The landscape will always take centre stage, no matter what, Icelanders seem to have a deep rooted connection and respect to their land...and are still awe inspired themselves.  Everyone seems to enjoy life, family, friends, value their traditions, do not take themselves too seriously and know and understand the significance of hard times. I believe they will learn from their mistakes, knuckle down together and create a place that will sustain them well into the future without destroying their environment.  

I have found it quite extraordinary staying in a country that has only 300,000 people, this is at least 5 times smaller than the population of Perth.  It is a place where everyone is on first name basis, where all are related back 6-7 generations, too small for an army and even the prime minister's number is listed in the phone book.  I returned to Australia last week  to be confronted by news of pensioners being bashed in their homes, the murder of a 12 year school boy by another 13 year old class mate and the death of two Perth pedestrians in a hit and run car accident. In Saudarkrokur where I stayed there was no news such as this, many houses and cars are left unlocked, even keys are left in the ignition! At times it is like being in a timewarp, caught in the fifties and then again not, at times, it is so open and liberal that you wonder when the rest of the western world will catch up. 

There is a great documentary being developed at the moment, (ICELAND: Future of Hope) on the country since the economic crash, highlighting the positive side of the place and its people, a story that deserves to be aired.  "Director, Henry Bateman and Producer, Heather Millard gave up their lives in England and moved to Iceland in June 2009 to embark on making a documentary about the positive and inspirational developments in sustainable businesses, lifestyle and ideas to come out of Iceland since the economy crash."  If you have a few minutes take a look at this link http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/444880133/help-spread-a-positive-message-about-iceland and if you feel so inclined make a small donation.