I Might Have Just Updated My Best Trip Ever: A Solo Travel Diary to the Faroe Islands

I think I have spent a little more time on overseas travel than the average person.

However, I am still far from being a "seasoned traveler," and I can count on one hand the number of trips I have returned from with a huge smile, thinking, "That was the best, I'm so satisfied!"

Even so, this short trip to the Faroe Islands, which I decided to take while leaving my husband behind in Iceland, turned out to be something I might call my "best trip ever." After all, it was one breathtaking view after another, with scenery so surreal it confused my city-accustomed brain.

It has become a travel destination I recommend as much as Saudi Arabia, so I want to leave a slightly longer diary entry.

▼ Iceland stay diary up to the day before

[DAY 1] 9/9 (Mon) Reykjavik -> Faroe Islands

Leaving my husband in Iceland, I head to the Faroe Islands, an autonomous territory of Denmark.

The Faroe Islands were chosen by National Geographic magazine as the "most dreamlike islands in the world." If there is anyone who says, "I've never heard of the Faroe Islands," please do an image search right now. You will surely go, "Wow!"

Until now, if someone asked me, "What is the most moving scenery you've ever seen?" I would immediately answer, "The Uyuni Salt Flats." But lately, I've been answering, "The Uyuni Salt Flats and the Faroe Islands."

The Faroe Islands are located between Iceland and Norway, about a two-hour flight from Iceland's capital, Reykjavik. Although they are a Danish territory, they have their own language and currency and are highly autonomous.

Before finalizing my trip to the Faroe Islands, I was hesitant. I wanted to go, but honestly, it felt like a hassle. I'm not good at doing the research and booking hotels and flights.

Just as I was about to give up on this trip, the daily Windows wallpaper happened to display the Faroe Islands. This is exactly the scenery I want to see.

I couldn't help but go after being shown a photo like that, so I resigned myself and bought the ticket.

The day of departure. I take a pickup bus from the Reykjavik bus stop at 3:00 AM to go to the airport.

Even though it is early September, the temperature is 3°C. The wind is blowing hard, and I am completely chilled after waiting 15 minutes for the bus.

Even in the middle of the night in a foreign country, my husband, of course, does not see me off. For a wife who travels solo to places like India and Saudi Arabia, there is no need for worry anymore.

I spend time leisurely at the airport until boarding begins. I do some shopping at HAY and Marimekko, and since that hot dog stand was there, I couldn't help but eat one. My body is definitely made of hot dogs now.

At the gate, I see someone who looks Japanese, sitting in the seat next to me during lunch on my first day in Iceland. Could that person also be going to the Faroe Islands? No, no, that can't be... I thought, but it seems it really is that coincidence.

And when I get to my seat on the plane, that person walks down the aisle and comes toward me. It is the unbelievable coincidence of being in the seat next to me.

"Is this the window seat? Go ahead." "Oh, are you Japanese?" "Yes. Shall I help you with your luggage?" "Thank you. It's heavy." After exchanging these words, we both sit in our narrow seats, hunching our shoulders and facing forward. After a moment of breathless silence, we both started to speak at the same time, saying, "Um," so we looked at each other and laughed.

This is the third time I've seen you. Weren't you running in Geysir yesterday, and sitting at the next table during lunch two days ago? When I said this, they asked, 'Oh, that lunch! But wasn't your companion (my husband) with you?' and we started talking about our travel histories.

It turns out we are from the same generation and both spent time backpacking around the same period, so our conversation blossomed during the flight.

We were a bit stiff at first, but as the Faroe Islands came into view outside the window, we both lost our vocabulary, saying things like 'Whoa, amazing!' and 'Wow, this is crazy!', and we hit it off immediately.

The spot I really wanted to visit, 'lake above the ocean,' is located between the airport and the city. It seems you need to trek for about an hour after getting off the bus or taxi from the airport.

I was worried about how to get there, so I asked, 'Would you like to join me if you'd like?' and they readily agreed.

The scenery on the way to our destination was already incredible.

What surprised me was that we lived near the same train station back home.

I never imagined I'd be having conversations like, 'I go to the gym in front of the station,' 'The one near the supermarket? Have you been to that Italian place on the other side of the station?' 'It's delicious, right? Also, you really have to try that ramen shop,' at 62 degrees north latitude.

After walking for about an hour, our destination gradually drew closer.

It's hard to convey in photos, but there is a lake on top of a sheer cliff. It's a view that leaves you speechless.

Honestly, since I had seen the spectacular views of Iceland yesterday, I thought, 'I might not be moved by the Faroe Islands,' but that was completely unfounded.

I sprained my ankle with a loud 'crack!!!' during the trek there, and I twisted it again while sprinting to catch the bus on the way back (and I kept the sprain a secret so as not to worry someone I had just met), but I'm so glad I came.

Even though the bus time was approaching, every time I saw the traditional grass-roofed houses of the Faroe Islands, I couldn't help but stop and take pictures.

I managed to make it to the bus and headed to the hotel in the city. It was a continuous stream of scenery I had never seen before, and I kept clicking the shutter in silence. There are people who see this kind of scenery every day on their way to work or school. The world is vast.

I arrived in the city center and checked into the Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands. This place also had a grass-roof design.

I headed to a cafe I was curious about while taking a walk.

I'm the type of person who seeks 'surprise' in overseas travel. But as I've gained more travel experience, it's become harder to find that surprise, and no matter where I go, I end up thinking, 'Oh, I've seen this before' or 'It's just like that other city.'

In that sense, the Faroe Islands had so many views I had never seen before. I even muttered to myself, 'It's rare to find a city this fun to walk around in.'

This is the "Panama Café" I had been curious about.

The moment I spotted homemade hot chocolate on the menu, I was convinced: "This is exactly what I want to drink right now."

Watching the staff working briskly and the hot chocolate machine spinning around, the tension unique to being abroad gently melted away. This is how a Nordic café should be.

I fell asleep alone, gently stroking my ankle, which had started to swell quite dramatically.

[DAY 2] Tuesday, 9/10: Participating in a Faroe Islands tour

The day I join a tour of the Faroe Islands.

I'm not a fan of tours, but like in Iceland, it's tough to get around the Faroe Islands on your own. I booked a day tour while thinking, "I don't really want to go."

In the morning, I had some time before my hotel pickup, so I went for a walk to the supermarket. I bought some Icelandic "SKYR" yogurt I'd been curious about. The richness, almost like cheese, is irresistible.

Well, I got picked up by the tour van at the hotel lobby and drove through some incredible scenery.

The first stop was a prison. It's known for its spectacular view and is nicknamed the "Five-Star Prison."

Apparently, someone once escaped from here, hid in a sheep shed for a while, and tried to flee by bus, but was caught immediately. In a town with such low population density, anyone acting strangely would surely stand out.

Next, at a park where we got off the tour van, the guide quietly approached me and whispered something in my ear.

When I listened closely, he said, "I brought someone who isn't a tour participant." The "person who isn't a tour participant" was none other than me.

It turns out my online payment had failed, and my booking had been canceled. They had left behind the person who was supposed to be picked up at the same spot as me and picked me up instead. Can you believe that? I introduced myself both before and after getting on!

I tried saying, "In that case, I'll just go home," but he said, "It's okay, you can just pay after the tour ends." My mood dropped because it was their fault, and I wanted to go home, but I didn't want to bother arguing with my limited English, so I tagged along. My life is usually like this.

The person who was mistaken for me arrived by taxi, and we picked them up and headed to the next spot. Oh, how awkward. It's my fault they can only join from halfway through. But I don't have the social skills to apologize gracefully. I'll just pretend to be intently watching the scenery outside the window to cover it up.

There's one more piece of bad news. It seems this tour van is heading to the lake above the ocean I visited yesterday. I was moved by it, but honestly, I don't need to go twice.

The weather isn't as good as yesterday, and my sprained ankle hurts. I thought about waiting in the car, but I didn't have the courage to say so, so I followed along.

As it turned out, it was worth the trip. Luckily, because the weather wasn't great, I got to see rainbows many times. Though, after this, the weather in the Faroe Islands changed so frequently that I ended up seeing rainbows every three minutes.

I was taken to waterfalls whose grandeur photos just can't capture, and to villages that are quintessentially Faroe Islands. I surely wouldn't have reached them on my own. Joining the tour was the right decision.

Now, I'll head back to the hotel to pay for the tour and start my cafe-hopping tour along the coast.

First, I went to "Kaffi húsið," which overlooks the harbor. With the chatter of what seemed to be locals as background music, I refueled with some cheesecake.

Next was "Brell Café." They gave me two crispy croissants, saying, "We're closing now, but we have these left over, would you like them?" Is this the croissant version of 'bubu-zuke'?

Finally, I went to "Panama Café," where I went yesterday. I sat in a different seat than yesterday and spent a hygge moment.

I even found a kiosk in the colors of the Faroe Islands flag and couldn't help but run over to it. It's a design that would look great against a snowy landscape.

I walked back to the hotel, taking the long way around. When I suddenly looked back halfway up the hill, a breathtaking view spread out before me.

The cool scenery matched the Aimyon and Spitz songs playing from my earphones, and I walked along singing in a small voice while looking back again and again.

I ate the croissant I got at the cafe and went to sleep, wishing I could stay in the Faroe Islands longer. My red, swollen ankle doesn't seem like it will heal anytime soon.

[DAY 3] 9/11 (Wed) Faroe Islands -> Reykjavik

The day I return to Iceland. Reluctant to leave, I walked slowly, very slowly, to the bus stop.

A gentleman I passed by called out to me, "Where are you from? I commute to that office over there every day." When I looked over, there was a view that could only be described as enviable.

I took the bus to the airport. Rainbows appeared one after another. My dreams of "witnessing the starting point of a rainbow" and "passing under a rainbow" came true all at once.

Until check-in started, I spent time at a cafe where I could see the airplanes right in front of me. Watching the weather change constantly, the two days I spent here came back to me with all my senses, making it even harder to leave.

Someone who said they studied abroad at Doshisha University spoke to me, and we had a lively conversation in Japanese for a while. When we exchanged Instagrams, their account was full of beautiful photos of Kyoto.

The view from the plane is no match for the beauty of Kyoto. As I was captivated by the scenery, the flight from the Faroe Islands to Reykjavik was over in a flash.

I've gotten completely used to the buses in Reykjavik and returned to the hotel looking like a local.

Now, for my last night in Reykjavik. If there's anything left to do here, it's cafe hopping.

My husband said he would join me, so we first went to "Mokka Kaffi." It's a shop my cafe antenna reacted to when I passed by the other day. The afternoon light poured in, illuminating the retro space.

We continued to another shop, "Café Rosenberg." This was also a place I had seen the other day and was sure I would like. People spending their time in their own way—I'm sure they are regulars and each have their own favorite seat.

For dinner, I went to the restaurant I had been curious about, "SNAPS."

I chose the tuna tartare, seafood spaghetti, and mussels.

In the Faroe Islands, I had only been eating bread and cake from cafes, so this was my first proper meal in a while.

We walked around the pond, taking turns talking about what happened while we were apart, and headed back to the hotel. Hallgrímskirkja is beautiful even when viewed from a distance.

I fell into a deep sleep, thinking about how I didn't eat a hot dog today.

▼ Iceland travel diary up to the previous day

▼ Portugal stay and Spain day trip diary from the next day onwards

▼ My best trip ever so far