As business owners, outgoing non-stopping parents of three, parts of large families and friends, our daily lives have often felt similar to a formula race. For 20 years we have been racing to the next location, match, travel, concerts, party, rushing to find quality time with the children, and simply planning our lives to bits and pieces.

 

The year 2020 sure put our busy lives on pause with a constant shock of every day covid news. It started with us postponing a children’s birthday party and then our borders were closed so none of our North American guests could travel to Iceland and only a few European guests were able to visit mid-summer when Iceland was practically virus free. The world’s news was frightening and we worried about ourselves, our friends, and the people of the world.

 

For us personally, we were facing that all our winter preparations had gone to waste, and in a way it did. Most of our guests were unable to visit us, but Icelanders could not travel abroad either, so it ended with local anglers fishing our rivers. Luckily, we have been allowed to fish as long as we have followed the social distancing rules which is not difficult in Iceland.

 

So what has the year 2020 taught us? We have learned to be more humble and grateful for what we have. Sometimes nothing goes as planned and it is alright, as long as people are safe. We have enjoyed spending time with our closest family and even took a few days of a summer holiday in Iceland for the first time. We think people have also started to respect one another more and paid more attention to their neighbors and their close ones. This year we have focused inwards.

 

Many of you have booked fishing trips with us for next summer and hopefully, we can make it happen but if there is anything we have learned this year, is that we sure do not have control of everything so if we need to change the plan, so be it. The most important thing is our health and to keep safe until it is safe again.

We wish you a wonderful 2021

Harpa and Stefán

 

Ps. We decided not to make or send out our annual Iceland Outfitters calendars this year, we miss it but we decided the money would be better spent on charity as there are many going through rough times.