Four years ago I published an article by the talented Russian photographer Olga Strakhova titled ‘The girl with Iceland tattoo‘. The article was about her first three tours to Iceland. She came so smitten with Iceland that she was determined to move here. I am happy to report that Olga has achieved her dream. She now lives with her Icelandic husband, Gunnar Karl Sigurdsson, in Hof in the South East of Iceland, near Skaftafell and Vatnajökull glacier. They run the highly rated tour company Adventure Point and offer their guests a Vatnajökull ice cave tour and photoshoot. You can follow her and contact her about tours on Facebook.
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Thank you
Jon Heidar, Editor of Stuck in Iceland Travel Magazine
Olga Strakhova runs the Adventure Point tour company with her husband.
Hey Olga – so great to talk to you again. Can you tell me about what has happened in your life in the four years since you sent me your story?
Hi Jon! Yes, it’s really cool, I remember that I told you something like “the next article will be from Iceland.” During these 4 years, I changed my job and became a photographer. The role of Iceland in this was decisive. I bought a camera because I wanted to take better quality photos than an iPhone could give me. And I was lucky to work as a photographer in cinema production over the years. It was a fantastic experience, I learned a lot there. Well, my frequent trips to Iceland and the Netherlands also gave me a lot of experience.
Your dream to live in Iceland came true, is living in Iceland as good as it thought it to be?
I can’t say that I imagined life in Iceland in any particular way before. Many moments from everyday life are very different from my life in Russia. Iceland has more sun, warmer people are much happier here than in Russia. But I can say that I more satisfied here than I could expect
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You live in the remote Hof in the South-East of Iceland. What is it like to live there?
Life in a village where the locals are just about 20 people, of course, differs from living in a city with 6 million people. I really like it, despite the fact that the entire infrastructure is an hour and a half away by car. The beauty of nature, the solitude, and the proximity of the glacier compensates for all the inconvenience. And also I really like the people living here.
If I was to join your Vatnajökull ice cave tours, what can I expect to experience?
You will see not only crystal blue ice, but also dark blue and black. It’s an exceptional beauty. You will notice the extent of the melting of the glacier on the way to the cave. Also, you’ll learn exciting facts about the glacier and ice caves. You can have a photographer with you, so after the tour, you will get good quality photos. Your journey will be unforgettable.
Adventure Point has a full house on Trip Advisor for its Vatnajökull ice cave tour. How do you achieve that?
This is thanks to my husband. He is a local and knows the glacier inside out. He always wants to show you the most beautiful places. We plan tours to avoid crowded places and don’t rush you through the trip. I think these are the main reasons.
Apart from the South East of Iceland, what are your favorite places or experiences in Iceland?
I really like the Icelandic highlands for their completely deserted and fantastic landscapes. This is precisely the place where you can feel yourself alone on the planet.
What advice can you give people who are visiting Iceland for the first time?
Always check the weather before traveling. When you are going in winter, always leave a couple of reserve days in case of bad weather. I also advise you to be very careful at Reynisfjara beach. The waves are just as dangerous as they are beautiful. The safe zone is dry sand (stones) on the beach. Where it was wet, there was a wave. The waves will return!
All photos here are by Olga.
