Truly majestic.

Ring Ring (Marimba iPhone tone). 6:00 AM. WTF? Why? We are harshly awakened from our last morning dreams. The 12-bed room is packed. The Germans next to us are in a hurry. Unfortunately, they also wake up everyone else, except us. That is clearly too much commotion for us in the morning and we stay lying down for now.

Well-fed and strengthened, we start the last day. At 9:00 AM today, we have whole wheat noodles with pesto. We haven't had such a feast in the past few days (except for the fantastic tomato soup at the Alftavatn Restaurant yesterday).

One must have camping friends without a gas stove and hut. Sven (Anne immediately thinks of the reindeer from Frozen) and Kevin are the noble donors who in return receive their meals cooked from us.

The wind is howling up here on the ... mountain at 1010 meters. The decision to stay in the hut was worth every one of its thousand Icelandic krona. We leave the cozy warm hut at ten o'clock and venture into the roaring noise. Today is definitely the roughest day by far.

Note to those interested in hiking: gloves are a must-have that probably shouldn't be missing no matter where you go. After all, you only learn through experience or something like that?!

Well, for next time, it's in our mind and also on the packing list just to be safe.

We take on the first ascent of the day. For the first time, we realize that it could also be the last for today, for this trip. We both feel emotional, sad, happy to be able to experience this, fascinated that we would like to continue the journey and hike even further, that we don't want to say today: "how nice it is to stay in bed tomorrow morning, be really cozy and reward ourselves with the warmth and fascination of the Blue Lagoon." We are grateful for the weather, which we have been extremely lucky with - we haven't even gotten wet once, for these dreamlike views and this wonder of nature, which has carried us through the exhausting hours. For the lesson in the perception of time: the clocks in Iceland tick differently, and so we learn that one kilometer here requires a different time than at home.

Grateful for the time together, far away from civilization.

We both know: it is not the last hike of this kind. We have gotten a taste for it. We are proud to have completed the entire 78 kilometers (the phone shows a lot more) along with all our luggage, sleeping gear, food, and drinks for almost all the days, according to the travel route. To grow from it. To learn about ourselves and others. To see how we harmonize and even our walking pace fits together extremely well throughout the entire time. Deep down, we don't really want to go back to the real world, where everyday life and tasks await. The last five days were so different, so special, so outside of what we have seen so far, a bit like being in and from a different world. Connected with nature. And with ourselves. With each other.

Writing these lines makes me sentimental and sitting on the bus back to Reykjavik, I look back on the days with emotion and nostalgia. Carli, we are ready. We can hardly wait for the next trail together. After one trip is before the next trip (or, as they say so nicely) and so the memories and experiences remain forever. And anticipation for the next chapter of the travel book arises, which we feel has only just begun.

We hike through the colorful mountains. Have the most spectacular views, can hardly believe our luck, and take endless photos to somehow preserve and take this journey with us.

We walk the last hour separately from each other. Jule wants to go up another mountain for the view, Anne wants to go to the hot springs that await us at our destination Landmannalaugar. The view from the top is amazing and worth it (without a backpack it's a breeze and a whole new sense of life). But as soon as we reach the top, the weather starts to change. It's getting windier and it starts to rain (not Norwegian rain. Just a little wet. But immediately uncomfortable and cold). After 15 minutes, too many people, and even more photos and videos at the top, I also start the last 3 kilometers down into the valley. The Laugavegur (that's what the hiking trail is called) and Iceland bid us farewell. I can't explain it any other way than with the rain. In our thoughts, we all reminisce about the memories of the past few days. More and more day guests are on the trails, civilization returns, and each of us realizes, in our own way, how special these other days and places were.

We meet again in the hot spring, feel the fascination of nature once again, and warm ourselves up. It's time to go, we walk to the bus in the rain. We drive 5 hours back to Reykjavik. This adventure is coming to an end. But it feels like the world is open to us.

I wholeheartedly thank Anne for the detailed, well-thought-out, and loving travel planning. And for taking me on her journey and her dream. I am filled with gratitude to share this adventure with you!♥️