I said I wouldn’t make a directly Iceland related post, so this post is not about Iceland (though I am absolutely going to use a ton of the same tags.) Instead I wanted to make a little tribute to my level-headed and adorable travel mate, Mr. Chokkattu.

Not only was it his idea to go to Iceland despite my original hesitation and ignorance, he helped make the trip worthwhile by being his kind, patient, sweet, wonderful self.

However. That’s not quite all he did…

• When we first got to Reykjavik, he tried to look up GPS directions using maps while it was on the transit option and didn’t understand why it wasn’t working.

• A warning sign went on in the car dashboard and we didn’t know what it was. We thought it was because we drove on gravel or something. It was because Julian left the handbrake on while driving.

• We stop at a waterfall; he forgets to put car in park and doesn’t notice as the car rolls away from the spot for several moments.

• I told him there was a sign for unfettered sheep; he thought I meant unfeathered. Like, without feathers. For like an hour.

• He didn’t realize there were handles to close the trunk the entire time.

• He didn’t realize the car dashboard messaged “Goodbye” when we turn it off the entire time

• He left his biggest lens on the backseat of our tiny rental car and couldn’t find it for ten minutes.
• “Why is it dark? Oh, the cap is still on.” At least twice. Different locations.

• After putting coins in a parking ticket printer, he tried to leave without pressing print; and without the ticket.

• He tried to turn on the car engine after shifting to drive. Twice. Once in the beginning of the trip, once at the end.

• Geysir is pronounced geyser. He pronounced it gay-sir for weeks.

• He tried to drink some beer in a can in a standing vehicle he wasn’t controlling and spilled it.

• At one point we were feeding each other food, and while I gave him the second to last bite, he then took the last one for himself too.
• He tried to feed me while I was driving and ended up covering my eyes.

• While I’m crying because I don’t want to go home, he shouts “sheep!”; there is no sheep. And he knows there is no sheep.

• Stops at gas station while I’m asleep, doesn’t get coffee, falls asleep while driving, and crashes the car down the side of the road. Luckily, it was very grassy and there was no damage.

• Actually answers the touching livestock question truthfully at JFK; holds us up for 20 minutes because he has to go to agriculture because he pet a horse.

Despite all of these minor setbacks, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner, in Iceland or here in the states. I’m so glad I got to spend this trip with this young man and hope to continue having adventures with him for a while yet!