Travel tips: Getting a tattoo abroad!
Getting a tattoo in Iceland was an idea that had been floating around my head for a while, but I'm not someone to ask for a line drawing of a compass or the word 'wanderlust' on my forearm.
When I visited the Westfjords back in July, I had picked up a book of spells and magic staves. I toyed with the idea of getting one of these on my arm, underneath my Ernst Haeckel mandala. Or maybe behind my knee. Or maybe somewhere else... who knows.
I knew I'd be in Reykjavik for a day in September, almost exactly 6 months after I left Australia. By chance, a German artist I had admired from afar on Instagram announced she would be in Reykjavik for a week, so I emailed her and made a booking.
Travel tattoos can be a host of different things. I see articles online all the time with the best and the worst, and they're usually pretty succinct and not too personal. "Get a compass!" they might say. Or, "Get a plane! Get a tiny map! Get the word 'wanderlust' in cursive on your ribs. No, your wrist! Proclaim your love of travel with a paper aeroplane on your wrist and an anchor on your ankle so that, you know, everybody knows that you're grounded while you travel." I'm not knocking these tattoos, but if you're mulling over how to commemorate your time abroad, step away from Pinterest and think about your own experience.
When I approached Miriam, my artist, I told her my story. I told her what I'd been up to in Iceland. I told her that I swam in the ocean almost every second day for two months. I told her about seeing seals in the harbour, their wet, smooth heads poking above the surface and the way they would look at me and kind of tilt their head - like dogs do - as if to say 'what kind of sea beast are you?' I told her about the magic staves and about being count in the currents and about being so cold I was sure I would drown.
Like a good artist will, she ran with these stories, mulled them over, and came back to me with something a little more visual.
I love it. It's whimsical, the lines are beautiful, and it 'feels' like Iceland to me. I'm not someone who thinks all your tattoos need to have some deep meaning (most of mine don't, though I've got them all at big times in my life) but there's something to be said for getting something more personal as a memento.
5 steps for a perfect international tattoo
1. Have a look at where you're headed. Is it safe and clean to be tattooed here? Lots of Australians head to Asia to get tattooed because it's cheaper, but not always of the same sanitary standard.
2. Browse the web. Collect images and ideas, and collate them. Look at the country you're going to - if there's an abundance of mountains, maybe that's where your heart is. Are you spending time in the forest? Check out some tree tattoos. Does the country boast a famous style of art, like Japan, or have ancient roots in magical carvings like Iceland?
3. Contact a tattoo artist. You might need to do this before you go, depending on their waiting list. When I finally make my way to Russia (soon, please...) I've got a handful of tattoo artists I've stalked on Instagram for years, but I'll be booking well before I plan my trip. However, you can have excellent luck in Googling your city and 'tattoo' or by asking locals. Even walk-ins can have spectacular results if an artist can help you draw something up or find the perfect flash. In Reykjavik I got chatting to an artist who often did walk-ins with travellers and adorned their hands and fingers with beautiful hand-poked runes to remember their time.
4. Only get it if it's right. Don't be swayed by the desire just to get something to remember your trip. This isn't a souvenir that can be tossed in the bin at airport security if you change your mind.
5. Get it at the right time of your trip. If you've still got two weeks of snorkelling in the Greek Islands, hold off. The same goes for a week hiking in the woods, or any kind of action adventure. Tattoos need time to heal and need to be kept clean and dry, so bear this in mind.
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