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Destinations Tracing the Secret Life of Walter Mitty in Iceland
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Tracing the Secret Life of Walter Mitty in Iceland

Are you reaching for another milestone birthday this year without having done something adventurous to talk about? We've brought you an outrageous idea for your next vacation. Iceland is for those who've been saving up for that one trip that needs you to go all out.

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By: Neha Kaushik Published: Mar 06, 2017 05:19 AM IST

Tracing the Secret Life of Walter Mitty in Iceland

Are you reaching for another milestone birthday this year without having done something adventurous to talk about? We’ve brought you an outrageous idea for your next vacation. Iceland is for those who’ve been saving up for that one trip that needs you to go all out. Seriously. – Rashima Nagpal

How many of us have just wanted to pack our bags and take off on our own? Or secretly desired to be the cool guy in office with heroic stories of conquering a faraway land? Now’s the chance. Much before Shah Rukh Khan made the country popular with Dilwale, Walter Mitty had traversed its beautiful landscape on his search for the famous photographer, Sean O’Connell.

 

Walter Mitty
As the ship men guide Mitty through this map of Iceland

 

Although Mitty travels to Greenland, Afghanistan, and the Himalayas in the movie, the truth is- all the breathtaking locations belong to Iceland. So, by the virtue of the destinations in the film, Greenland is in Iceland, and so is Afghanistan. The film spans over vast regions – the East, West, North, South – that acted like a canvas for Ben Stiller, who is also the director of the film. However, in Mitty’s quest for Sean, locations in Southern Iceland are most prominent, and hence we’ve shortlisted them for most of this itinerary.

 

Destination 1
Höfn
is a pretty harbour town in south-east Iceland that appears as the Nuuk Airport of Greenland. Just look at the explosion of colours in the sky.

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Destination 2
Stykkishólmur
is the place where Walter Mitty meets the drunk Pilot who ‘drops’ him off to the ship that Sean O’Connell is supposed to be on. You can explore the breathtaking countryside beyond the frame of the movie. To feel the spirit of the adventures, like Mitty, play Space Oditty.

[gallery type="slideshow" size="full" ids="11362,11854"]

 

 

Destination 3
The Berserkjahraun Lava Field lies at a 20-minute driving distance from Stykkishólmur. Never has a landscape looked so beautiful in grey.

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Destination 4
Walter Mitty skateboards down Fjarðarheiði. You can choose to do that or just drive down. Either way, click some instagram-worthy shots here.

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Destination 5
Take the “I’m on my way to a volcano” route, eastwards from Reykjavik. It’s quite a sight both in summer and winter.

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Destination 6
The infamous Eyjafjallajokull glacier (where the volcanic eruption in 2010 took place)- an eruption of the same is in the movie as well; Walter then finally gets a glimpse of Sean O’Connell on top of a plane shooting the eruption.

Walter Mitty
Recall the little itinerary Sean left behind in the Clementine cake wrapper?
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Destination 7
Seyðisfjörður is the fjord around which the entire long-board sequence is shot.

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Destination 8
Kálfafellsdalur and Fjallsárlón: The first is a steep valley, the second a glacial lagoon; both are part of the enormous Vatnajökull National Park. These appear as Afghanistan in the movie (remember Mitty offering cake made by his mother to the Afghan?)

[gallery type="slideshow" size="full" ids="11759,11745"]

 

 

Destination 9
In the west, Grundarfjörður Port – on the Snæfellsnes peninsula – is where Erkigsnek, the ship, docks in the film. This is one of the most remote places i Iceland.

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Destination 10
The Skogafoss Waterfalls-
Mitty walks across one of Iceland’s most breathtaking sights- the Skogafoss waterfalls- with the two strong little men he ‘rented’.

Walter Mitty

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Tip: Tune in to the movie’s fabulous playlist while following the itinerary, just to get into the mood. And you can also keep a diary like he did, in the later half of his journey.

The travel journal Mitty got from his Dad
The travel journal Mitty got from his Dad

 

 

In case that’s not inspiring enough, watch this: –

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