I want to just fly over to Reykjavik and go on a road trip around the island for two weeks in August, right before starting med school. It would be, by a huge margin, the wildest trip I’ve ever undertaken. That is why I hesitate.

Still, this is the time to do it. My camera has given me strong motivation to journey to that jarringly scenic country. I’ve never been so fit, so free of obligation, and so full of adventurous energy, and all three will disappear when I begin med school.

Iceland lends itself nicely to this kind of impromptu trip. It’s a tiny island with lots of support for English speakers and a reasonable tourism infrastructure. It’s packed with natural attractions like waterfalls, geysers, volcanoes, glaciers, and cliffs. In comfortable driving distance from Reykjavik are the Blue Lagoon, Þingvellir National Park, the big-ass waterfall Gulfoss, and the geyser Geysir. A 400 km drive would take me from Reykjavik past Dyrhólaey, a sheer cliff overlooking a beach of black volcanic sand; Vatnajökull National Park, part of Iceland’s largest glacier; and Jökulsárlón, a lake full of floating blue glaciers. To the north are more cliffs, the lake Myvatn, fjords galore, geothermic activity, and more.

Besides that, the people there (even though they’re few and far in between) are extremely friendly, even to the visitors who trundle around their island. They are proud of their rich and intriguing history, and cultural attractions are everywhere too. Icelandic is also the most awesome language ever. Like the word Eyjafjallajökull makes me giggle a little every time.

To be fair, it’ll be expensive. That many days of car rentals and hostels and European-priced petrol is going to cost close to $200 USD/day, and flights from New York run around $900 during the August peak season. Still, I have no doubt that it’ll be worth it.

And I can’t go now, when will I ever get the chance? I don’t know.

The wanderlust has been so intense, but I don’t think I’m prepared. Also, as much as I want to go alone, I don’t think I can. So… maybe I’ll go next year instead. Hopefully I’ll find a travel buddy by then. I just don’t know if med school will spawn some unexpected summer obligations.

I’ll just plan a few less ambitious alternatives for this summer instead. My current ideas are to go camping in the Redwood Forests, tidepooling in Bodega Bay, paddling at night near Point Reyes, and hiking up Mount Tallac near Lake Tahoe. Hmm…