So first off let me explain that while though I would love to live in Reykjavik, there is no way possible that I could afford to travel there as often as I do—and we would not cover so many Icelandic adventures—were it not for Ossur and Linda of Reykjavik Ink Tattoo. Each time I go, I seem to spend less money. I think I spent 200 dollars for the entire trip, which included airfare, hotel, food, drinks, party favors, four-wheeling, a giant tattoo on my back and souvenirs and gifts for the family. Ossur and Linda are also multiple bar owners, so even though the economy in Iceland has crashed everyone still needs to drink and cut loose. In turn,my trip still gets paid for.

Iceland is all about tourism and, as a patriot, Ossur does his part to get as much international media attention as possible, which is where I come in.They like me so much they keep bringing me back: something that has turned my trips to Iceland into one of my most prized achievements when I consider the benefits of being the publisher of a magazine.

This first ever “winter trip” to Iceland was supposed to be for the inaugural “Northern Lights Winter Tattoo Festival”.  Sort of last minute, the fest was cancelled due to the overwhelming responsibilities of Ossur expanding his Reykjavik Ink tattoo studio into a larger space while running two of the most popular bars in Iceland, Bar 11 and Sodoma. I had already received my airline tickets, so I was going to Iceland regardless. I knew that with everything Ossur had going on we would at least get an article out of the trip. Not only did I get an article, I got an Icelandic wintertime adventure!

I’m a family man most of the time these days, but I also have a Hunter S.Thompson, gonzo journalist alter ego that takes over when I go out of town. My alter ego has been Clint Liquor, Chaz Hunglow, Buck Chank, Stan Sturgis and a few others, but for this adventure I am unleashing Chukker S.Thompsonsson because I got downright gonzo on this trip!  Some names have been changed to protect the innocent. None of the following actually happened, it was all just a crazy dream. I have no idea where all these photos came from.

The sun is out 24 hours a day in the summertime, the landscape otherworldly in color and texture.You feel different just being there. In winter it’s dark more than light and the northern skies are filled with millions of stars. Sometimes you can see the northern lights.

I landed in Iceland on a Thursday and began by getting my back piece finished by local Icelandic artist Svannur of tattoo & Skart Tattoo Studio and partying heartily with American artist transplants Jason June,Thomas Asher, Miss Sophia and Mason Coriell who together make up the current roster of Reykjavik Ink. Ossur had turned the trip into a full on “PRICK in Iceland” media blitz. He had set up a “PRICK LIVE” concert at one of his clubs for Friday night that would feature some of Iceland’s top acts.

Friday we did four radio interviews with the bands during the morning and evening drive times, promoting the concert and generating a huge turn out. (We will be featuring the bands that played in the next issue, so stay tuned for that.)

It is customary to party on the weekends in Iceland and I am all about keeping with the local culture.After burning some succulent Icelandic Christmas trees, roasting some delicious herbal chocolates over an open fire and sucking down four shots of absinthe at the concert, I was feeling truly like a Viking.The party raged and the concert was great but one of the biggest things to happen that night was the volcanic eruption of Toggi, the amazing Icelandic dwarf who had just become of age to hit the clubs. He was hired on the spot as an employee in Ossur’s empire and will soon be the Jackass-style “Weeman” of Iceland. He hung with the crew till the early hours and solidified his position in the company.And though he will be exploited, he will be a beloved and doted upon new member of the Reykjavik Ink family.

Saturday was set up to cover the in house Reykjavik Ink crew. Customers came in to the new studio location to show their tattoos while artists worked during the day and into the evening.Touring artists are very well received in Iceland year-round,not just for the summer festival,and all the artists have made a solid place for themselves in Reykjavik.

The traditional Icelandic party picked up again on Saturday night as the tattooing came to an end.After enjoying the aroma therapy of a few more frosty Christmas trees and roasted chocolates over an open fire, the American artists and I met Ossur and Linda for a delicious Italian dinner at a very nice Italian restaurant.The food was great but someone must have played a joke on me, because after eating my mushroom pizza I felt like I had eaten two hits of acid! I could barely contain myself, so I did more shots of absinthe and disappeared from the artist party.

I managed to get to Sodoma to hear some live music and ran into Toggi again. In my stupor I didn’t realize he was actually at work when I kidnapped him to roam the streets with me.Texts began to fly from artists to club staffers.

“We think Chuck got dosed with mushrooms and disappeared!”

Club staff responded with,“He was here, but then he and the dwarf vanished!”
After a few of the most entertaining, gut-busting, hilarious hours roaming the Christmas-clad streets of the near-north pole city of Reykjavik with a dwarf, while I was or was not tripping on mushrooms, I decided to meet back up with the artists.We returned to the tattoo shop just as a search party was leaving to find us.

The following day we were to go four-wheeling, a surreal excursion over sweeping mountains, encrusted lava flows and snow-packed, craggy trails.We reached a black sand and rock volcanic beach just as the sun was dipping into the North Atlantic Ocean. Everything was incredible, the one exception being Ms. Sophia’s broken wrist! Thankfully it wasn’t her primary tattooing hand, but you do kind of need both hands to properly tattoo. Sadly, she will be taking an unwanted vacation from tattooing until she is healed.

We ended the amazing trip with a dip in the Blue Lagoon. It was even more amazing to float in the geothermal pool, staring at the heavens and getting lost in the abyss, during the winter than it had been in the summer.

This year, the 5th annual Icelandic Tattoo Fest will be held on the first weekend in June, so try to make it out there if you can—you won’t be disappointed.  Look for a feature on the Icelandic bands of the PRICK LIVE concert and one of the hottest up and coming fashion designers of Reykjavik in the next issue.