The future of Women’s football

“The US team are smug and arrogant” – I have to say, I had a similar thought when I first saw the images circulating but then I thought, “what the hell would England be like if we had won”? We still bang on about 1966 for christ sake. We smashed up shops when the men got through to the semi-final in 2018.

The US defended its title! That’s a massive achievement and in no way should anyone have the right to bring a negative vibe on that. Rather than bringing a team that has worked so hard to get where they are down, celebrate them! They are some of the worlds biggest names in women’s football, a game that we are trying to elevate, and we tear them down for celebrating their wins? Fuck that.

I’ve loved football for as long as I can remember and my dream was to play in the US. I was lucky enough to play for some decent teams, but after a few knocks (and breaks), I had to call it a day and hang up my boots.

The comments I‘m reading about women’s football following the world cup are shocking and most come from ignorant people that have nothing to back up their pointless jibes.

“The standard is dire and the coverage it gets from the media is excessive” – you mean as excessive as the men?

I’ve watched as this game has progressed from capacities of 100 to nearly 60,000+! It’s gone from highlights on YouTube to live coverage on national TV. That is insane.

Fighting against the ignorant minds that say “women can’t play football”. Says who? The women’s game is every bit as important as the men’s game, if not more. These girls have to fight for contracts, fight for sponsorship. It wasn’t too long ago when most of the players had other jobs outside the game and played on the side. Whilst the men are paid hundreds of thousands of pounds a week. Where is equality? Where is the respect in that?

These are women, not girls. They are professional athletes who put their heart and soul into this game. They train hard, work hard and give every inch of themselves to being better.

Why are people so quick to judge women’s football? Is it because they don’t understand it? Is it because they don’t think women should play? Whatever it is it needs to change. This World Cup has catapulted the women’s game into the forefront of everyone’s minds. The games were shown in pubs across the country, even at Glastonbury!

What we need to do now is to invest more in this, invest time and money to make these teams recognised not just because they are women, but because they are footballers. These women are role models for millions of little girls (and boys). 

At the end of the day, it is a game. It should bring people together to celebrate. What’s the point in belittling a game that is only on its way up? 

Congratulations to every team that played in this tournament. No matter the outcome, you helped push this sport into the next era and I’m fully behind it.

Bird Box / Dumplin’ film review

Bird Box:

Director Susanne Bier describes this film as not a horror film but as a thriller film about motherhood. The lengths a mother will go to keep her children safe. This really transpires throughout the main part of the film. At the start we see Mallory as a lone wolf, pregnant but not ecstatic that she is. As the drama unfolds we see a change in her character where she becomes maternal.

From the start of this film I was hooked, the flash forward to what was about to happen had me on the edge of my seat. I love Sandra Bullock and think this part really suited her. She is seen as a hard actress, playing roles that aren’t necessarily the stereotypical “soft female” role. Sandras roles are strong women, ones who stand on their own and lead the film.

The thought of seeing something that shows you your worst fears and it makes you want to end your life is terrifying. The ones that can see it and not be affected call it “beautiful” are very interesting characters. Have they been spared to get more people to look? or are they already living their worst fears? The idea of the “unknown” is fearful in itself. Not knowing what is out there to hurt you. By being shown your greatest fear you have a fight or flight decision. The hope of these monsters is to make people give up.

The film doesn’t slow down, even in the slower quieter scenes it is full of suspense. The location they chose and the landscape that are shot are beautifully intimidating. A single mother, fighting the elements of mother nature to get her children to the safe haven that has been promised. She is putting her faith and trust into someone she doesn’t know, much like the whole film. Strangers coming together to survive.

The ending of the film had mixed reviews and different adaptations. One, it was a school for the blind, a solitude for those affected by the “monsters”. Another, it was a school for the blind, however, a lot of the people living there had made themselves blind to stop themselves seeing their worst fears, believing a life without sight is their only option.

Whatever your take on the ending was, it has to be said that the thought of surviving without one of your natural senses is a fear all by itself. For the millions of people that have this on a day to day basis, you can only understand a minuscule percentage of how they feel.

I think this film was beautiful, dark and empowering. Hats off to Susanne for directing and Eric Heisserer for creating a mesmerising screenplay.

Dumplin’:

If you know me, you’ll know I am a massive Dolly Parton fan. For years I have admired her music and her as a person. When a friend recommended watching this, I had no idea what I was in for. Lots of laughs and cries that’s what.

The cast fit the story perfectly. A coming of age story, follows a plus size girl (Danielle McDonald) signing up to her mother’s (Jennifer Aniston) pageant in protest of not being “the right fit”. After losing her Aunt that helped her through practically everything, Willowdean is a little lost. After recruiting more “misfits” Will signs up for the pageant to prove to her mum that you do not need to be a size 6 to be seen and to remind her that everyone, no matter where they come from or what they look like deserves a chance. The group pursue their goals, with many speed bumps in the way, but with the help of some well-dressed drag queens, they make their mark.

There is definitely a comedic twist to this film, quite a few belly laugh moments. It’s a story proving that even if you don’t feel like you fit in, there is always a place for you, somewhere.

The soundtrack, of course, Dolly Parton features frequently, fits the storyline perfectly. It is uplifting and gives you a “yes I can do this” feeling. Now I don’t want this to turn into a blog about how much I love Dolly Parton, but it has to be said that for 72 (nearly 73) she is still on fire!

The film is all about loving who you are and not letting anyone stand in your way or get you down. It’s a story about self-acceptance and this shines through in this film. Adapted from a book a few years ago by Julie Murphy, Kristin Hahn managed to create a screenplay that took this story and made it come to life. Danielle McDonald shows what a fantastic actress she is by playing a character with so many layers.

Directed by the brilliant Anne Fletcher, known for films such as Hairspray, Step Up and The Proposal, this film needs more credit that it gets. It brings so many everyday issues to the forefront of our minds, that should not be ignored.

Dolly Parton – ‘Find out who you are and do it on purpose.’

 

Top 3 horror/thriller films

A good film can take you to another place, you can become immersed in the story, the soundtrack, the cinematography. If you’ve had a bad day, a good day or just a plain weird day, a film can change your whole mood. Films allow you to forget about the real world around you and for 130 minutes you get to experience something you might not be able to in real life.

I’ve always loved films, I’ve always found a relaxation in watching one. I get very excited when I find a great film. I watch it several times to pick it apart. I find when you do this you see the film in different ways – there is always something different that grabs your attention, something you missed the first time around.

I know halloween has passed, however I have wanted to write about these for a while, so here are 3 of my top horror/thriller films:

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

One of Wes Cravens best. Set in California a group of teenagers are tormented and preyed on by a disfigured man, Freddie Kruger, in their dreams, however in reality their injuries and even deaths are very real.

This is one of my all time favourite horror films. I believe that this film catapulted my obsession with film. I first saw this when I was 11 and it just stuck with me. The way it was shot, the cast and the story, it had a real sense of togetherness for me. I loved every aspect of it, the creepiness of Freddie and the way he spoke, to the way he manipulated a situation, making the victim paralysed with fear.

8 films followed the first one – including a collaboration film with Jason (Voorhees). There was a remake of the first film in 2010 – which delved deeper into the story of why Freddie is the way he is.

This isn’t just a scary film for kicks, it has a story behind it and I love that.

Serial Mom (1994)

Kathleen Turner plays a quintessential suburban housewife in Baltimore, America. The perfect house, perfect recipe book, perfect hair. All seems fine until you realise she is a serial killer. Now granted, this is more of a black comedy than a horror or thriller, it still fits my view of one.

The lead, Beverly Sutphin (Turner) plays the perfect double cross deception. Killing people in the neighbourhood over the most trivial of things. Littering, a teacher questioning her son’s mental state, and even a boy standing her daughter up on a date. Most would see these as mere faux pas; not Beverly, who proceeds to dispose of these people. The murders obviously do not go unnoticed and ends in a very public case for the ‘Serial Mom’.

The whole film keeps you gripped. The script is well thought out and you cannot believe that such a well rounded woman can be capable of such a thing. I first watched this at a sleepover when I was about 12. The director also threw in a couple of shots that resembled an advert for a product, whether it be washing powder or a house work tool. Overall this film has it all, romance, comedy, murder, and even Ricki Lake as the daughter.

Carrie (1976)

When I think of this film, I often feel a bit of sadness towards Carrie. This adaptation of Stephen Kings novel is definitely one for your collection.

Carrie is a shy high school student who gets her first period in the gym showers. She is unaware of what is happening and goes into panic mode, causing a light bulb to explode (the first in a series of odd happenings which make Carrie research telekinesis). With her home life strained as her mum is a fanatically religious woman who does not allow talk of sex, boys or anything that could ‘harm’ Carrie.

Carrie returns home where her Mum locks her in a cupboard, as menstruation is a sin (in her eyes).

The story progresses when a popular girl at the school sets Carrie up with a prom date. This, however, is all a ruse to get Carrie to the dance to humiliate her. Upon receiving the crown for ‘Prom Queen’ they pour pig’s blood over her head. Setting Carrie once again into panic mode, her telekinesis taking over. The halls water hoses attack the people inside, some are electrocuted and the whole hall sets alight and burns, with Carrie covered in the blood she walks out locking the students inside, she has had revenge on all those that had wronged her.

This does not end here, Carries life comes to an untimely end when her mother stabs her, causing Carrie to use her powers once more to crucify her mother. The strength of her powers are too much and her house crumbles around her.

The cinematography of the film is just beautiful. The screenplay is very good, the cast and sets they use all add to the package. The battle that carrie has with her mother and people at school is awful to watch, but so so good.

Wonder Woman

Princess of the Amazons. One of the world’s most iconic superheroes. One of the comic world’s leading female character.

Wonder Woman has always been a favourite of mine for a long time, not because of her silky brunette hair, or her Lasso of Truth; but because of the standing she has with fans and followers. The 2017 adaptation of Wonder Woman is by far one of my favourite films in the DC collection. Wonder Woman brings a sense of power, a sense of future.

Diana Prince (as she likes to be referred to out of her red, blue and gold uniform) has had many jobs, Army nurse to becoming a military intelligence officer (promoted to higher ranks), then later a civilian employee, businesswoman, astronaut, or staff member at the United Nations. Diana has been played by iconic Lynda Carter in the 70’s TV series and Gal Gadot in the 2017 reboot movie. Both actresses were strong and inspiring choices.

I didn’t see the movie in the cinema, I kept missing the dates. However I recently bought it on DVD and my god, was I impressed.

The whole cast were great, Chris Pine played the smouldering Steve Trevor. The mesmerising Connie Nielsen plays the daring Queen Hippolyta. Both having a strong influence on young, old Diana. However the character that proved to be Diana’s role models, was her Aunt Antiope. Sister to her mother and the one who believed in her the most. Acting as her trainer Antiope teaches Diana about battle and honour. In a battle scene on the beautiful island of Themyscira – otherwise known as Paradise Island, Antipope takes a bullet to save Diana. This prompts Diana to embark on a mission to find Ares, son of Zeus, God of War.

Diana and Steve follow the path to Belgium where they find who they believe to be Ares. However they are duped and find out that english politician Sir Patrick Morgan is in fact Ares – and has been posing as a human all this time. Inspiring Doctor Poison on her quest to make a gas that can kill all.

The movie comes to a head with Steve Trevor  sacrificing himself to save civilisation and Diana. In the same scene we see Diana battle the impossibly strong Ares (even forming a body armour from the melted metal flying around them).

In the end, Diana’s memories give her the strength to defeat Ares, the main source of this power was Steve Trevor telling her he loves her. Now, I’m not one to think you need the approval or love of someone to gain strength, but to give someone a push to believe in themselves, it sure does give you a boost.

I loved every second of this movie, there was violence, romance, humour. Everything a good film needs. This film gives you tingles from the start, watching the Amazonian women ride their horses into battle to the moment Diana begins her journey to save anyone in trouble.

It’s definitely one to see.

 

The gym life

I’ve always been ‘fit’, from playing every sport I could think of as a kid (and even as a grown up) I always wanted to be doing something active.

I then hit my late 20’s and life seemed to get in the way. Whether it be a job, other interests or if i’m really honest, laziness.

I joined a well known gym back in 2013 and loved going and the feeling of ‘getting fit’ again. I joined with my mum, so I also enjoyed the bonding time it allowed us. We were paying top end of £50 a month which we could handle. One year into being a member they ramped up our membership costs to near £100 a month. Double what I was paying, with no warning!

My first question, what are they thinking? The services did not improve, the equipment was the same, so what was my extra £40 a month going toward? My second question, is it even worth it. Needless to say we promptly handed our notice in at the gym and looked elsewhere. I say ‘looked elsewhere’ extremely loosely. I didn’t look, I just went back to being unfit, but £50 better off a month. However this didn’t help my need to become healthy, in fact it was the opposite. It got to a stage where running for the train left me breathless, sweating and seeing black dots. My mental health wasn’t as good and I just generally felt drained. Not something I wanted at the age of 27.

At the time we parted ways with this gym, I had just got into a new relationship so, on a  personal note I was happier than ever. My body however, wasn’t and subsequently my body let me know. Bad knees, bad back, joints cracking! You may think i’m exaggerating, I wish that were true. So, a year past and in that time I relocated with my partner, got a new job and started a new chapter. Every month I would say “i’m joining the gym this month” and never did. We lived together in a nice little town called Witney, Oxford. It was a lovely place to live but everything was quite expensive, including the gym. I was commuting nearly 2 hours every day, there was always an excuse. So I just never joined.

In August of this year we relocated closer to Oxford Centre to a place called Summertown. There are bar, restaurants and shops, everywhere! I also started a new job that was 15 minutes from the new house! There were also a few gyms, so we trialled a few but each were coming out a little high on the membership prices and we weren’t finding any that seemed to justify the amount. That was until we found the ‘miracle gym’ in Summertown. This gym seemed perfect, not too big but equally not too small. Great equipment, clean facilities and a nice pool with steam room and sauna.

This is going to cost a fortune we thought, as we finished our tour. We sat down with the gym manager to hear the bad news. “Ok, as a joint membership that will be £30 a month”. We were stunned, so stunned in fact, I think he thought we were crazy. “Yes!” we said in unison.

We had finally found our gym, I love the gym itself, the treadmill and the weights, whilst my partner likes that, they are more fond of the classes they hold (for free!)

I can already feel the difference of exercising, I am more awake than I have been for ages, i’m toning up and feeling good. I love the accomplishment in seeing my body change but more than that, I love the way it changes my whole mindset. It makes me feel so settled. It’s crazy to think that an hour a night working out can give you such a lift.

But as they say, a healthy body + healthy mind = happy life.

 

Childhood Memories

Going home to my parents for the weekend always brings back memories and that nostalgic feeling. Whether it be the smell of my mums washing powder or the treats she has brought me to welcome me home. There are lots of things that remind me of my childhood, the food, the kids programmes, quite a lot of these are still around now (however a lot of those have changed dramatically).

There are many things I remember from my childhood but here are a few that stand out (and some I even love to this day):

French Fancies:

Made by the legendary Mr Kipling, these cakes are heaven. I remember coming in from school and running to the cupboard to get one, or two. My mum buys me them every time I go home. I either eat them over the weekend or bring them back with me. I can’t leave them, they’re too addictive.

The Hungry Caterpillar:

Now i’m sure I wasn’t the only kid that loved this book. I remember sitting on my Dads lap when I was about two, reading this. Going through each page with as much excitement as the last time i read it; which was probably only five minutes before. I still have the original book I had when I was a kid. I don’t think i’ll ever get bored of it. I can’t wait to read it to my own children.

Gladiators:

This show was a UK Saturday night must. There was nothing better than sitting in front of the TV to watch a bunch of muscly men and women compete to be crowned “Top Gladiator contestant”. I can still hear John Anderson shout “on my mark” and then blow his whistle to commence the challenge. The arena was massive, and although I sadly never saw it live, it didn’t matter. I had my favourites, Wolf and Jet. They were strong, amazing athletes. I still, to this day watch re-runs when I can.

Football shirts (football in general):

I’ve loved football for as long as I can remember, I remember kicking the ball against the garage wall in our garden for hours. My dad would play with me, and my brother would, although with him, he was always in goal. We used to pretend our garden was Wembley Stadium and we would walk out to fake cheers and applause. I just loved playing, I still do. I watched every match, I studied David Beckham and his magic right foot. I wanted to be the female Beckham. I also collected as many Manchester United shirts as I could. Every time a new one came out i had to have it. I still have every single one. My mum, bless her, would try her hardest to get me out of a football shirt, joggers and trainers. However I wore this get up for over 10 years, I was obsessed.

Playstation:

Now although i’m not amazing at video games, I loved playing them with my brother. We would put Good Charlotte “The Young and the Hopeless” on and play SSX Tricky or Crash Bandicoot, the latter being my all time favourite. We would sit for hours playing GTA, although I would just drive around, killing people and stealing their money. I couldn’t do the missions or anything like that, I would just get a good car and drive. Even following actual rules of the road from time to time. I would love to buy a console again one day and all the old games.

 

My childhood London.

London. The city of dreams, the city of opportunities – in my eyes anyway.

The first time I went to London, I was very young. I fell in love straight away. I remember going to the parks, visiting Buckingham Palace, up to see the Beefeaters at the Tower of London, we even had a personal tour. The lights of the West End had me hooked.

My earliest memories are of Camden Town and Islington. My Grandma lived in a flat in Camden not too far from the Lock. My Auntie and Uncle owned a pub in Islington called The Old Red Lion. I spent hours in these places, I remember running up to the gates of my Grandma’s flats and pressing the buzzer, waiting to hear her voice. Once those doors opened I ran as fast as I could, and there she was, standing at her front door waiting for a hug. Always. She had a two bedroom flat, large kitchen, living room, the bathroom upstairs wasn’t big but it didn’t matter.

At the bottom of the stairs was a small fake dog called Max. In some ways it acted like a guard dog, i’ll always remember sitting talking to it, not caring if it never responded back.

We would sit in the kitchen and watch my Grandma make a cup of tea, then go into the living room and watch tv, you know, one of those old big box TVs. She had these sofas with a fringe that ran along the bottom, no matter what was going on, I would lay on the floor and run my fingers along it. My Grandma was a well travelled woman, her favourite places included Egypt. Her name was Lillian, she couldn’t grasp the concept of technology, even a TV remote was bewildering but she was an outstanding woman in other ways. Grandma could sew pretty much anything, she was a seamstress by trade back in the day and loved it.

The pub was a completely different kettle of fish. Every time we went, I had a different rush of excitement, walking through the double doors and into the bar. I don’t think I will ever forget the smell. It had that real old pub smell (you don’t get that much these days). I remember either my Auntie or Uncle (godparents) behind the bar, smiling when they caught sight of us. Across the bar at the back was a black door that led up to their 3 floored flat. The spiralled staircase led to their front door. As you entered the flat you were in a big hallway, with the kitchen and living room to the left and my Auntie’s daughter’s room straight ahead. The sleepovers we had were amazing as a kid. The upstairs had more bedrooms and a bathroom. I remember ringing down from the kitchen to the bar and ordering cokes to be sent up in the service hatch. We were kings and queens of The Old Red Lion. 

I remember watching my Dad cross the finish line after running 26 miles in the London Marathon in 1996, I was 8 years old, and I remember being so proud to see his smiling, yet exhausted face.

London holds so many memories for me, so many smiles and laughs. It’s a place that will always be in my heart. It is after all, the greatest city on earth; in my eyes anyway.

Top 5 things to do in London.

There are many blogs or articles about the best things in London. Most of them are from critics or someone who is being paid to give a ‘rose tinted’ version of the truth. I’ve been going to London since I was little kid and there are a handful of restaurants and places that I go back to time and time again. Now don’t get me wrong I have a lot more than five, however for the purposes of this blog, I thought it best to pick out the top ones.

Trafalgar Square.

20 years ago I remember running around this square with nothing holding me back. There were no barriers around the lions, you could paddle in the fountains. These days it’s a little difficult to do this, or in other words “against the rules”. However, I remember it looking so big as a kid, I’d stand at the top of the stairs and look out over the lions and fountains in awe. I go back now and I still feel that sense of childlike happiness. Not to mention, the photos you can get now of Nelson’s Column or the gallery at the top are incredible. The pigeons back then were iconic to Trafalgar Square, there were stands where you could buy bird food to feed them – they would land on your outstretched arms and would flock around you. In 2017, the pigeons have disappeared, which is sad because it was such a spectacle.

The London Aquarium.

This place will always be one of my all time favourites. I’ve always loved the sea, and to be able to see some of my favourite creatures close up and learn about them was a dream come true. Granted I know now I’m older that keeping animals locked up in tiny tanks will never be right. Somehow as a kid I already knew this but it never made any sense. I would watch the sharks and listen to the experts talk about them for so long, my parents had to drag me away. That’s still the same story today. I still have a dream to help and somehow change marine life and the views surrounding it. The London Aquarium is where my love began, I don’t think i’ll ever get bored of that place.

Pho.

I discovered this place in 2007, two years after it first opened. The couple (Stephen and Juliette Wall) travelled to Vietnam and fell in love with food and wanted to bring it back to the UK. 11 years later they have over 20 restaurants and are thriving. Since my first experience, I have been back more times than I can remember, along the way introducing anyone I could to the heavenly food. Pho is a Vietnamese restaurant. As soon as you walk into this place the smell overtakes you and you instantly become 100% more hungry than you were when you first walked in. The menu is varied, but I urge you to try the Pho Ga and Pho Bun – both chicken (also the crispy spring rolls) you will not be disappointed.

Soho.

Yes, the whole of Soho. This place makes me happy in so many ways. I worked here for many years and enjoyed every minute of it. From walking through the streets at 7:30am to work to walking back home at 5pm. Every second was different, the people you saw and met were like no other. The shops, the restaurants, the bars, there’s never a dull moment. I walked through Leicester Square every day, one moment I could see a film premiere – the next street performers doing their thing. The energy of the place invigorates you. China Town is full of colour and bustling people. Who wouldn’t love authentic Chinese food in the centre of London? Carnaby Street, Covent Garden! Everywhere I love. It’s changed over the years but it still has that vibe, the excitement that you can be different and no-one will care. I love that.

Camden Town.

Finally, Camden Town. this place has a lot of memories for me. My Gran lived here for many years and we would go to visit her. Driving through the streets I would see different shops to what I was used to, different restaurants. I would count every new thing I saw and it would be stuck in my memory. Camden Locke is a completely different world; the music, the food smells, the people! My eyes never missed a second of it. As I got older I would visit there with my friends and explore, its become a place I love. Watching music shows, again the restaurants, the bars! The shopping is like no other, at Camden Market you can get fashion clothes and then an old war helmet. Where in the world can you do that?

I may be slightly biased about these places, my views will never change, they hold so many memories for me.

Change.

Change. 

This pretty much sums up my 2016. I’ve changed jobs, I’ve changed where I live, I’ve changed my attitude and my confidence. It’s a pretty tough thing to do when you’ve been doing been the same thing for years. Some people are afraid of change, myself being one of them. However this year has taught me that change is quite possibly one of the best decisions you’ll ever make. I’m starting the year going into a brand new job, starting it in my new home. It’s a massive cliche but it’s not the destination that’s important, it’s the journey along the way. When you learn things about yourself you never thought possible. When you see people or things in a completely new light. When you overcome that fear that’s been holding you back. Everything is changing, everything moves forward. You have to embrace change and hit it with everything you’ve got. That’s what I plan on doing in 2017. 

Some goals for 2017:

Health: I want to get back into my fitness, being healthy and doing exercise gives you a mental boost as well as physical. I want to be able to run down the road and not feel like my lungs are going to explode.

Save: I want to save money this year, I’ve been known to just throw money at silly things and buy unnecessary things.

Learn something new: I want to get into baking/cooking. I love making dinner for my girl and me. I find it quite relaxing to cook something from scratch. 

Travel: I want to travel more this year, I had a few trips planned already, however I would like to explore the UK more. This tiny island has so much to offer and I take it for granted.

Photography: I love taking pictures, whether it be, silly shots, everyday shots, landscape, portraits or arty, I love it. I want to get better this year and take some really good pictures.

Videography: along with pictures, I love making films, little memories I can keep for family and friends. I want to get right into this and learn some tricks to making them amazing!

Tattoo: I want to get two tattoos in 2017, I have thought long and hard and settled on both, I just need to get them done.

There are so many possibilities when a new year comes around. Everyone says they will make changes but only 50% of us actually do. I’ve achieved so many things this year, I can’t wait to get stuck into 2017 and change my goals to accomplishments.

💜

Don’t step too close to the edge.

“It’s a little chilly isn’t it”. Standing on top of a mountain overlooking what i can only describe as water heaven, we were head to toe in thermals and waterproof gear. October in Iceland is just the start of their winter and we were prepared. Prepared in the clothing department, not prepared however, at how breathtaking this view would be. The Gullfoss waterfall is located in the canyon of Hvítá river, south west Iceland.

We were 3 days into our Arctic Circle adventure and this was the ‘big one’ for me. The shear size of the waterfall was enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed. Walking down towards the main viewing area was a bit nerve-racking. The ground was icy and there were a few people having trouble walking in a straight line; but don’t let that put you off. The end result is definitely worth the walk. You hear the water before you see the mighty river running down and over the edge of the 105ft canyon.

The 2 massive drops form a staircase effect, creating the mist from the glacial water flowing towards the larger drop. The waterfall has in the past, had proposals to utilize it for electricity. Even though this never came to light, you definitely get an electrifying feeling just by looking at it.

People were taking pictures of every angle, there were the brave guys that climbed on top of the rocks hanging over the water to get that all important shot; of course, i was one of them. The natural curiosity of a human; even when it could be classed as dangerous, never falters, we always want to test our limits. Some of the guys on the edge were definitely pushing it. That being said, standing near the edge and looking over i could see for miles, endless landscape, it was spectacular.

After months of planning to visit this place; researching photographs of this natural wonder, standing on top of it somehow slowed time, i felt completely immersed in it. Seeing something like this brought a sense of clarity, something so big, so uplifting and so powerful, made everything else feel so small. I knew before going to Iceland that i would leave wanting more, 7 days in such a vast, open environment was just not enough. Being outside, exploring a new place, learning new things, about the history and culture is what traveling is all about. I had never thought a cold country would suit me for a holiday, how wrong i was; which proves the saying ‘don’t knock it, till you’ve tried it’.

A week in this beautiful country was just enough, for an introduction. I’ll be back.