Tuesday, 07-May-2024, through Thursday, 09-May-2024


I caught COVID.

After my sunrise hike, I felt low energy… which is normal, after sleeping 2 hours and then ascending a mountain in what felt like hurricane force winds, well below freezing.

The next day, I was a bit tired and congested… again, kinda normal.

The day after, I was fully congested. Okay, I’ve got a cold. Neato.


On Monday evening, while packing to fly out, I did a quick COVID test. It came back positive. I did a second test. Also positive. Okay, so that settles it. Good news – I don’t have a cold! Bad news – I do have COVID. Fuck.

I tried to sleep on it, to decide what to do. I didn’t have a major fever, so… maybe I could fly with a mask? I was planning on effectively isolating myself in Reykjavik anyways… so maybe it would be okay?

I slept fitfully, and when I woke up at 6am, I couldn’t fall back asleep. It didn’t feel right to fly with COVID. I checked the CDC recommendations, and the EU recommendations, and Sweden’s recommendations, and looked at my body temp, and… Decided that I shouldn’t fly. I rebooked my flights, then extended my Airbnb in Nuuk, and then confirmed that there wouldn’t be issues with my reservation in Reykjavik.

Then I went back to sleep. I was able to sleep better, after that decision.

I went to the grocery to get some food, took a nice long walk, ate lots, and took the time to relax and rest. Tuesday was a rest day for me – both mentally and physically. I let myself watch stupid youtube videos, and I kept my adventuring to light walking along the boardwalk, and to and from the grocery. Wednesday I’d focus on the trip work that I had planned to do anyways… but Tuesday was spent maintaining my mental health.

Wednesday I awoke nearly 100%. No fever, minimal congestion… still a bit tired, but nothing horrible.

I made the right decision, I guess.

Still, I laid low and took it easy. I did some trip work, wrote lots of blog posts, and took a nice walk around town to help clear the lungs and move the blood. I repacked everything that had gotten unpacked, and made myself some dinner.

It was relaxing, and healing, and a good opportunity to practice pivoting.