| October 2016
ICELAND
The Land of Fire and Ice was the first international trip I ever took, and is credited with igniting the passion that I now have for traveling. Iceland was honestly the best first travel experience I could have asked for, especially since it was a girls’ trip with my four best friends!
Here we are in Reykjavík, posing in front of the Hallgrimskirkja Church. We totally thought we looked like we were in MTV’s Real World: Reykjavík Edition.
One giant scenic landscape, Iceland is full of so many destinations we had to see. We decided the best way to see as many major landmarks as we could was to book a tour via bus around the countryside. From one sight to the next, the Icelandic terrain continually stunned us with its beauty. Our first stop took us to þingvellir national park, where we explored the protected lands and got to perch atop a fjord. From there, we went to go see Strokkur, Iceland’s largest and most famous geyser which erupts every 4-8 minutes. And of course no tour is complete without several waterfall stops! We went to four or five waterfalls, including Gullfoss, which is known for being Iceland’s most beautiful waterfall, Skógafoss, pictured here, and Seljalandsfoss. Seljalandsfoss is a waterfall you can actually walk behind and view from a complete 360° angle! We then ended the day by snorkeling in a crystal-clear blue lake with perfect visibility.
We also decided to rent a car for our trip so we could drive around and explore the countryside on our own and discover landmarks not listed on any map. We chose to drive around completely unprompted and to let the winding roads take us wherever they led. And we were so glad we did! We ended up finding some of the most stunning landscapes I have ever seen to this day. Our favorite, and arguably the most breathtaking sight of the trip, was an unmarked body of water that ran between two cliffs that we found past several dirt roads, far from the population. The water was unlike any I had ever seen before. Being mostly from glacial runoff, Iceland naturally has a beautiful blue hue to its water. However, some bodies of water in Iceland are extremely salinated to the point they turn milky so when this happens, the result is a striking opaque turquoise. We spent several hours admiring the water lap against the black sand among the rock walls until it got too dark to see, and then we just sat on the cliffs and admired the stars.
One sight we were determined to catch were the Northern Lights. Our trip to Iceland wouldn’t be complete without a glimpse of the vibrant light display known to dance throughout the sky. The way our trip lined up, however, they were only forecasted to show up on one night for a brief window of less than a half hour slightly northwestern from where we were staying. So we decided to jump in the car and start heading north that night to see if we could catch them. The rough destination was about two hours away so we decided to leave plenty early so we wouldn’t be rushed and have extra time if we got lost on our way.
Here we are in the middle of our drive chasing a break in the sky to catch the lights when we spontaneously decided to stop the car and jump out to take a photo. We were completely infatuated with the silent, desolate terrain all around us and felt a calling to get out of the car and run free.
After the photo, we got back in the car and continued on our quest to catch the Aurora. By the time we got two hours north we started to see a break in the clouds revealing a faint, green glow. We kept our eye on the glowing hue as we drove up the coast in search of a better viewing point. We came across a giant field where we ended up getting out to watch and wait. We sat for over an hour together in the dark before she burst out and danced across the sky. It only lasted for about five minutes, but it was the most empowering feeling, to be engulfed in unbroken, rolling earth beneath the showering lights, and we felt it in our bones as we danced and sang into the deepening night.
We also spent time exploring the capital and had a blast checking out downtown
Reykjav
ík
, which is home to a vibrant and thriving urban art scene. Parts of the city were full of a lot of awesome graffiti and murals that even covered some of the buildings entirely.
We thought this table was super cool and looked like it was straight out of Alice in Wonderland. So in true Mad Hatter fashion, we gathered round and pretended to be mad. Or at least I did.
Dinosaurs have always been my favorite animal ever since I was a little kid, so when I saw this mural I instantly had to run over and take a picture! We spent most of the day checking out the different shops in the city until nightfall when we opted to grab some local grub. Being known for their reindeer dish, as it is one of the few animals that can survive on the ice island, it was one opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I ended up going for the raw meat paired with the carrots, Icelandic potatoes, and horseradish and it was delicious!
Perhaps Iceland’s most famous attraction, t
he Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa comprised of a giant natural hot spring surrounded by a lava field. Guests can either choose for a full spa experience or to simply relax and swim around in the hot water. Known as being a can’t miss activity, we decided to check it out and spent an evening here hanging out in the lagoon. The hot water felt incredible against the Icelandic air and the rising steam protected us from the cold biting at our cheeks. We loved every second of the fire and ice experience.
We also wanted to experience a completely natural hot spring, meaning one that was untouched and not turned into a commercial attraction. We asked a couple locals for advice and were told about a “secret” hot spring located through some plains amongst hills. We were told it was hard to get to and not on a gps so we were given landmarks such as a wooden sign and a giant tree to look out for once the road ended. We were told we would then need to walk down a trail for roughly ten minutes until we came upon a 6’x6’ shack enclosing the hot spring. We drove as far as the gps took us to the end of a road where we parked and then entered a huge field and started looking for the signs we were given. After wandering around what seemed like forever we finally came upon the old sign near the lone tree and found the trail close by leading to the hot spring. By the time we got there it was pitch black so we lit the lantern in the shack and huddled in close in the hot spring. It was quite snug as there was just enough room for the five of us. We ended up having the best night just talking for hours in the tiny spring in the middle of nowhere, and it was every bit just as good, if not better, than the Blue Lagoon.
Another destination we had to see was
Reynisfjara Beach, also known as the famous Black Sands Beach. Surrounded by basalt stacks and otherworldly rock formations,
Reynisfjara is one of the most beautiful but deadly beaches in the world. The waves are so incredibly powerful that visitors are told to always keep an eye on them and to keep a safe distance during high tide.
Our last stop in Iceland was to see the volcanic glacier, Eyjafjallajökull, which had been silent for nearly 200 years when it erupted for the first time in 2010. With no eruptions since then and its seismic activity under constant watch, it was safe to explore and attracts many visitors. It was quite a site to witness a volcanic glacier up close and personal! It was the perfect endcap and epitomization to our already perfect trip to the Land of Ice and Fire.
I'll never forget the milky blue water running between those cliffs!
This was definitely the most striking view of the trip.
Hanging out in the Blue Lagoon!
We made a star with our hands together in the "secret" hot spring.
We found a real-life hobbit house, buried right into the side of a mountain!
The beautiful Gullfoss Waterfall.
The amount of water flowing through was incredible!
We couldn't get over the picturesque landscapes all around us.
The stunning Þingvellir National Park. The water was like glass running through the fjord reflecting the sky.
Pictured here is the enormous Strokkur geyser calm before eruptions.
We thought the bus parking sign on the ground was hilarious so we pretended to drive it.
Walking through downtown Reykjavík as the sun was starting to set. It was beautiful.
The inside of the Hallgrímskirkja Church.
We drove past this house completely covered in crazy art. It had some of the most unique pieces I had ever seen.
This cafe had the same name as my kitty so I had to take a picture!
This might've been my favorite building! It was so colorful and I loved the lion.
More crazy cool street art.
Making a heart in the sand together at the Black Sands Beach.