I can jump puddles

My back, right hip and leg have given me random amounts of pain for the entire trip. However, during our full day mountain hike, I was presented with an opportunity to jump from the river bank over a river to a muddy island. I sensed a decent photo op from that muddy patch in the middle of the river.

Was I up to it? Would I collapse in pain on landing and ruin my camera in the river? Could I jump back afterwards?

It was about 6 feet. I think I can do it. I think I can.

OMG I did it!

A few days later I found myself running with each step landing firmly on the next uneven rock. No volcanic beach sand on these feet today.

If this trip did little else, it may have put my back firmly on the road to recovery.

Mission Accomplished

Another beautiful day in paradise. IE solid cloud, rain, gusty winds and very, very cold. So this was obviously another day for waterfalls.

After a 2 hour drive we got to the first falls. Rockstar cautioned everyone to stay near him until he had his shot. We could have whatever scraps we could manage from our inferior angles.

We would then advance as a group to his next shooting position.

I became disenchanted with the scraps on offer and went back to the bus to write this.

When he returned to the bus, soaking wet, even his glasses were dripping. He, announced "Mission Accomplished".

He had successfully retaken all of his previous waterfall shots, but this time with his new 50 megapixel camera.

I came on this photographic expedition and workshop with the naive impression that he would be facilitating and assisting our photography. However, his main focus was clearly on updating his own "stock photos" with his new, higher resolution camera. A sunny day would put him in a bad mood because his primary mission could not be achieved. We were an inconvenience at best.

Find some other photographer if you actually want someone that is there to help you.

Also, if you think you might like to visit Iceland, go to Greenland instead. Two other people had been there before joining us. The Icebergs are bigger, they saw polar bears, and the scenery more dramatic.