Iceland review - 2013, Qupperneq 18

16 ICELAND REVIEW
ACTING
ESA: Did everything work out the way you planned?
VAG: No. My plan was to make it in 50 days without extra sup-
plies. But it snowed heavily and the sastrugi belt was more difficult
than often before. Many expeditions were delayed; I don’t think
anyone’s plans worked out exactly. My trek took 60 days and I
needed a delivery of supplies. But in the end, I’m happier to have
covered the distance in 60 days under difficult conditions than in
50 days under good conditions. It makes it more of an achievement.
ESA: You also fell ill…
VAG: I had a touch of flu. I didn’t have to stop because of it but
it weakened me. The food poisoning was worse. I ate some salami
that was probably damaged when the sun shone directly on it—I
didn’t pay close enough attention—and it gave me an upset stom-
ach. The vomiting grounded me for 24 hours.
ESA: Did you ever hit a low, consider giving up?
VAG: No. It never occurred to me. I tried to work through every
scenario without feeling angry. Staying calm is key. You can be
extremely fit but you won’t make it if you’re not mentally stable. I
developed my own values and used them to keep going: optimism,
determination and courage. This is what I told myself every morn-
ing.
I never hit a low as such but what concerned me the most was
the frostbite. I had to keep the wounds clean and make sure that
they didn’t freeze again. Sepsis would have brought the expedition
to an end.
ESA: How did you feel when you finally reached your goal?
VAG: The last day was an emotional rollercoaster. I cried and
laughed. Along the way, I heard that the camp at the South Pole
had been taken down which made me sad because there wouldn’t
be anyone to hug. But then there were four guys there from South
Africa who had just returned from a shorter expedition. One of
them stepped forward and said: “I have to give you a hug”—it was
the best embrace I’ve ever gotten. Then I touched that steel ball I’d
been dreaming about for ten years.
ESA: What is it like being back?
VAG: I’m still the same Vilborg, only stronger and more patient
and I don’t have as much need for material goods. And perhaps I’m
more willing to follow my dreams.
ESA: And what do you dream of now?
VAG: I know I want to embark on further expeditions. It’s a life-
style. I met this one guy who had walked twice to the South Pole,
once to the North Pole and climbed the world’s seven highest
peaks twice. I’d love to climb in the Himalayas but I must practice
first and take on other challenges before that can happen. I hope
I will some day.
ESA: You weren’t always the outdoorsy type. What was your trigger?
VAG: In 2002 I was working in Kirkjubæjarklaustur and always
had Hvannadalshnjúkur [Iceland’s highest peak, 2,110 meters]
before my eyes. One day I decided to climb it with my friend. It
took us 20 hours; we were absolutely exhausted. We hadn’t prac-
ticed at all. But it was a turning point for me. That day changed
my life.
ESA: How so?
VAG: I was lost and had little confidence. I had been kicked out of
three high schools. My friends were all graduating and I felt that I
was being left behind. Now I had finally accomplished something.
Next I joined search and rescue and gradually extended my com-
fort zone. I qualified for college, earned a BA degree in tourism
from Hólar University and then an MBA from the University of
Iceland. That wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t found myself on
that mountain top and discovered the beauty of finishing projects.
ESA: And since then the projects have kept growing…
VAG: I seek challenges. I like pushing myself. I quickly become
bored if life is getting too comfortable. 
ExPEDITION
Time to rest: camping in antarctica. Covering up: the temperature dropped as
low as -40°C (-40°f).
finally there! vilborg is the first icelander
to walk solo to the South Pole.