Today I learned that..

7h of sleep is ideal

Not more not less. But I'm not sure I can believe that, I feel it varies between 7 and 9. Imagine, not all kids can go to bed at midnight and wake up at 7..

Today I learned that..

Hitchhiking in continental Europe is a nono.

This isn't Iceland anymore. Nobody picks you up, and the people who look like they're going to pick you up, also look like they're going to rape and kill you as well. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but you don't want to risk reading a bad book. you know what I mean...

Today I learned that..

After Nouvelle Cuisine, Dishwasher Cuisine.

It is used to heat up ingredients (mainly meat or fish) at a lower temperature than 65°C, which is considered too hot. What's next? Hoover cuisine?

Today I learned that..

Octopuses are psychic

Or at least Paul the Octopus is! Seven correct predictions about Germany's soccer team. Way to go Paul!

German victory.

Today I learned that..

Rotting grass gives out heat.

So if you collect it, it can be used as a form of heating system...

Today I learned that..

Jealousy is best friends with infidelity.

If your man or your girl is jealous of people of your opposite sex, WATCH OUT. They probably have or will cheat on you. If you yourself are the jealous type, I think you know what I'm talking about. So why is that? Well you're jealous of all the men your girlfriend hangs out with because you're scared she's going to cheat on you with one of them because you know it can happen because: a) in a similar situation you've cheated on her b) if a situation like that occurred, you would cheat on her. And vice versa. Take my advice: don't be jealous.

Today I learned that..

In Turkmenistan you will find the Gate to Hell.

Which is actually a hole of about 70m in diameter that was "created" in 1971 when geologists drilled into the ground to reach an underground cavern filled with gas but the ground collapsed. Natural gases were escaping into the air. To avoid poisonous discharges, the geologists decided to set fire to it and hoped it would the fire would go out in a few days. Today, that hole is still burning...

Pretty, isn't it?

Today I learned that..

You get drunk faster drinking through a straw.

Why: When creating a vacuum while sucking on the straw, the boiling point of alcohol drops (in normal circumstances 79 degrees Centigrade) and alcohol vapours are created in the straw. These vapours are inhaled in the lungs, and via that way the alcohol gets into the blood much faster than the alcohol that ends up in the stomach by drinking it the normal way.

Today I learned that..

If Facebook were a country it would be the 3rd biggest one.

After China and India, with 500 000 000 members. Good job, Mark Zuckerberg.

Today I learned that..

People get engaged as fast and easy as hookers get laid.

Think, people, THINK. Marriage is starting to become a joke. And soon it's going to become something that people shouldn't do, like adultery. people are going to say "oh man, A and B got married, can you believe them? what's gotten into them, I thought they were good people". Think about that..

Today I learned that..

Belgian chocolate is the best because of its ingredients.

The European Union allows the use of up to 5% of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter for the preparation. This added ingredient is regarded as tantamount to a loss of quality. Belgian chocolate manufacturers continue to use 100% cocoa butter. Thus making it the best chocolate.

Source: Chocolate museum, Brussels, Belgium.

Today I learned that..

Silica is nature's miracle ointment.

looks like white mud, leaves your skin baby soft. Find some at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.

Today I learned that..

A full naked body wash is mandatory before going into a swimming pool in Iceland.

They really care about the cleanliness of their pools. They don't use any chemicals to clean them, so to avoid them getting dirty, YOU get cleaned beforehand. Smart!

Today I learned that..

Hot rivers exist.

Nice, bathable rivers... in Iceland. Particularly in the Reykjadalur valley. The river passes atop geothermal spots which turns the cold water into 30°C+ water. Very NICE.

Today I learned that..

Coca cola light (Diet coke) is more fattening than normal coke.

Because the aspartame in the drink makes your brain think it's getting sugar when it actually isn't getting any. So to make up for this, it makes you crave sugary things like candy, cookies, etc.. which makes you gain more weight than if you just had normal coke which has sugars in them.

Today I learned that..

People doing the round trip of Iceland go counter-clockwise.

so if you're hitchhiking do it counter-clockwise because otherwise you're going to be waiting for 2 hours to get a ride.

Today I learned that..

Vatnajökull is the biggest glacier in the world..

..If you don't count the poles, of course.

Today I learned that..

Iceland is no country for poor people.

Tourists, that is. For the locals it might not be expensive, but for the tourists, a 7€ sandwich might not be the cheapest option. Especially if you are a student trekking.

Today I learned that..

The oldest european parliament was the Alþing in Iceland.

It was founded in 930 in Þingvellir. They would gather around rocks. Very sophisticated people.

Today I learned that..

Iceland is the safest country in the world

you can leave your backpack on a bench whilst you hike and when you come back it'll still be there.

Today I learned that..

Partying Icelandic Style means Drop dead.

The Icelanders don't really drink during the week, so Friday and Saturday nights they drink and party until they fall to the ground and have to be brought back home. It's rough.

Today I learned that..

If you don't get picked up as a hitch hiker, it's because they don't want to take you.

There are no other excuses. Me and my sister were picked up by a car filled with 4 people. I had to sit on her lap. They wanted to take us, they took us.

Today I Learned That..

Whales don't like bad weather either.

If it has been raining for a few days, it's best not to go whale watching. you won't see any whales and you will have spent a lot of money for nothing. If going whale watching in Husavik, call before making your way up there to avoid disappointment !

Today I Learned That..

Iceland may be cheaper for foreigners than it used to be, but it's not cheap.

With a sandwich at a current rate of 7€ (so previously 14€) this country can still not be considered "cheap". Don't be fooled. Bring your own food or go to Bonus!

Today I Learned That..

In Iceland, national air travel costs practically as much as bus travel.

but takes 10 times less time!

Today I Learned That..

Positive thinking will get you far

and I mean far both in the literal as the figurative sense

Today I learned that..

you want to pee when you hear the sound of water

because we have been drilled to pee upon hearing water when are parents were potty training us... DAMN those parents!

Today I Learned That..

After days of heat, rain is welcomed like the messiah.

FOR A REASON. well, I hate the heat...

Today I Learned That..

You can tell who's Dutch at an event by looking at who's wearing orange

It's almost as if that is the only colour available for their t-shirts!

Today I learned That..

At least 8 fields of weed were needed to provide for the festivalgoers at Werchter

And it seems like it suddenly becomes legal.. i mean you can smell it from a mile away and there are policemen around but all seems well...

Today I Learned That..

at a festival, people will locate people from the same camping as them and then start the flirting

I guess it's one way of selecting potential bed/tent partners.. :D