Claudia Bastien is an Enrolment Services Professional (ESP).  She specializes in financial advising but also helps students with questions regarding undergraduate admissions, fees, tuition, registration, financial support, exams, graduation, transcripts, and so much more!  What Claudia enjoys most in her role as an ESP is that she gets to be involved in so many different facets at UBC – “The flexibility to take part in a variety of different faculties, departments, services, and events is truly my favorite part!”

 First question – where have your travels taken you to?

I travelled to Iceland and drove my tiny rental car as far west and east as I could go in 7 days. Along the way, I picked up hitch hikers, got lost trying to find the secret Hrunalaug hot springs, slept in the back seat of car, and watched the sun set to only watch it rise again 3 hours later over the most surreal surroundings.

I have always wanted to go to Iceland ever since I watched the Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I wanted a solo adventure that gave me the time to reflect while being fully immersed in nature; with this trip that’s exactly what I got!

Tell us about one of your memorable moments while you were in Iceland.

Oh there are SO many! Iceland was truly a world of wonders and every day, hour, and minute was truly breathtaking and memorable… but if I had to narrow it down it would definitely be getting my Dry Suit certification.

I landed in Iceland at 6am, I took the bus into Reykjavik, and made it to the front of my hostel just in time to catch my diving companies’ shuttle pick up at 7:30am… 12 hours later, I was Dry Suit Certified and I had dove in one of Iceland’s largest lakes – Pingvallavatn Lake — and dove between the North American and Eurasian Plates in the clearest water I have ever seen.

What was the most interesting meal you had?

Since I was driving through the most desolate parts of Iceland there were not much restaurants… so I stalked up on peanut butter and bread, and honestly that’s what I ate for 90% of my trip… The other 10%?  Well, I treated myself to gas station hot dogs which, uniquely, always came with potato salad and crispy onions as toppings.  But on my last night in Iceland, I did manage to make it back in town to enjoy a wonderful Icelandic version of surf & turf – lobster & Icelandic raised free range sheep!

Lastly, what is one piece of advice you would give to someone wanting to travel to Iceland?

Don’t be afraid to go off the beaten path. The rumors you hear are true… Iceland is filled with tourists, BUT they are really only in Reykjavik and along the golden circle (where the tourist’s buses frequent). Avoiding these areas and exploring the rest of Iceland’s untouched pristine beauty was the best choice I ever made. Of course I traveled the gold circle too… but I only travelled along this route between 8pm-10pm or 2am-6am when I still had day light and the tourist buses don’t run.