I’ve always believed that a person’s worth is determined by how hard they work and how talented they are. Success is the product of talent, perseverance, and luck. After this conversation I decided I would change my life – in small steps at first, so that later, when truly important things came up, I would see them clearly, not blinded by work, alcohol, and drugs.

I had to find a way to separate my work from my free time. So I opted for hiking, in large doses. Around this time I heard from a hiking buddy that he’d scored two tickets to a coveted Abaddon Travels trip, which is otherwise nearly impossible to book.

I’m not a religious person, but my friend assured me that the trip was not strictly religious; lay people and cult members go alike. Anyone could join. I had heard rumors and myths about this journey, and I thought it might be just what I needed to discover the meaning of my life and help me to focus on my own happiness.

There were nights before the trip when I tossed and turned sleeplessly, soaked in sweat, and I almost canceled several times. I didn’t look up any reviews or descriptions on purpose so I wouldn’t scare myself off. In the end, my hiking buddy didn’t join me. He said he’d gotten sick, but he was lying, I know.

He canceled the trip because he was terrified.

The first crossing

The travel agency provides the necessary flight tickets on independent airlines for the first leg of the journey. I went to Ferenc Liszt Airport in the morning, checked in well ahead of time, bought some booze for the flight, and stepped in line with the tourists. If there are any drawbacks, this might be one: in my view an agency of this caliber should ensure that the initial part of the trip lives up to the rest of it in atmosphere and style.

We left the airport twenty minutes late, but I made the connection in Paris, from which we proceeded to Reyk­javík on schedule. I had paid an extra fee to avoid economy class, but I didn’t find a real first-class section on either of the planes – something to consider for those who value comfort and luxury.