iceland...the new hot spot...but the name says ice?

Greenland is covered in ice and Iceland is very nice - D2: The Mighty Ducks. For many years this was all I knew about Iceland.

In 2016 my friend and travel buddy decided to join the ARMY. Naturally we knew we needed one last trip but it was going to be hard to find time. Then I got my 4th of July schedule. I had a 4 day weekend. Whaaaa? This. Was. It. Because she was about to go to basic training in the middle of summer, I opted to look for trips in cooler destinations. We had already done the whole beach thing. In my searching, I stumbled upon a recommendation for Iceland as a good long weekend trip. The site said it was a 5 hour flight from Boston. Sign us up! But there was a problem. We had less than 2 weeks to pull this together. I started looking at flights. Uh oh. The only flight that worked was first class and stopped in Minneapolis. Welp, if we must. Aaaand we booked it. I read about hotels in Iceland. It did not sound like this was the best option to accommodate us. So I took my first venture into the world of Airbnb. We found a cool house with a lot of windows and at least 2 bedrooms. We were going in the summer and there is very little darkness in Iceland during this time. Around midnight it looked like dusk. This house also had room darkening shades which came in very handy.

Let's get to the trip. Since it was a few years ago I can't remember all the details but Iceland speaks for itself. I have not traveled out of the country very much but it felt like Iceland was a pretty beginner friendly trip to take. Even still, before traveling it is worth doing your homework. You don't have to figure out all your plans but you do need to be aware of differences and learn some tips.

friday

We flew overnight and arrived in the morning at Keflavík. I have to say first getting off the plane was a little intimidating. While many signs have English on them too, there are plenty that do not. I kind of got tunnel vision for my first few minutes when we arrived and was a little overwhelmed. It took me a few minutes to get my bearings. Once the sensory overload wore off, I made it to the bathroom (aka toilets aka water closet aka WC). I then got in line at the rental car stand. There are tour buses that some people take but we wanted more flexibility. Side note - I don't remember much about my research on how to pay for things and it's likely changed. I mostly used my credit card.

While I was in line, my friend went in one of the shops and got us SIM cards for our phones. There are a few options and this was the one we decided to do. Something did not work right with mine, though (apparently a known problem-I think my phone was locked). I ended up only being able to use my phone on WIFI (which luckily the Airbnb had that). It was extremely important for us to have use of a phone. Iceland requires a lot of driving without a lot around. We used her phone to navigate. Once we were situated we found our little SKODA. We found a good radio station and headed on our way. It looked like we were on another planet or at least the moon. It was fun to almost immediately see this.

We drove to Reykjavík and found a spot for breakfast. We chose CAFE BABALU. It was a quaint little cafe and we found a nook upstairs. I HAD to get my feet elevated because my ankles were now causing me pain to walk. Buuut I was quickly scolded. Whoops. I ordered a grilled cheese, tomato soup, and Diet Coke. It was such a welcoming meal. We also ordered the best crepes we've ever had. I will have to check with her to see if they have been dethroned.

We walked around and explored downtown Reykjavík. We checked out Hallgrímskirkja and the beautiful pipe organ. After finding our rental I think we took a drive out and got some pizza. I am a picky eater so this isn't the place to learn about the local food and delicacies, unfortunately. But the crepe deserves a second nod. I remember the place we ate had "take-away" and that's the first time I recall seeing that. We enjoyed the drive and headed back to get a good night's sleep.

saturday

Our Airbnb was just outside of downtown in Gardabaer. We stopped by a little bakery to get breakfast and some snacks for the drive. This was about the only place we had a language barrier and almost ended up with an entire tray of cinnamon rolls. We were on our way to the Golden Circle. My friend borrowed a GoPro for this trip. Unfortunately neither of us were familiar and several videos did not format or save properly. I wish we had some of our "travel commentary." We visited Thingvellir (stylized) National Park, Strokkur Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss waterfall. Thingvellir shows fissures due to tectonic plates drifitng apart. Geysir puts on quite the show. Make sure to watch from the beginning and catch "the bubble." Groups trickle in and out so stay for a few showings if you want. Gullfoss was very windy compared to our other stops. We filmed a whole "weather broadcast" but alas we never got to watch it back. The walk here was leisurely on a wooden path. We made our way back towards town and needed to eat. It also just so happened that Iceland was doing very well that year in soccer. There was a buzz in the air and everyone was talking about it. We watched one game (match? forgive me) in a restaurant/bar. You had to get there early for a table. It was energizing and refreshing...and unplanned.

sunday

We then continued our journey to my pick of the trip, Vik - the black sand beaches. We made stops along the way. Our first stop, besides the gas station with the electric yellow Mt. Dew, was Seljalandsfoss. This one was awesome and crowded. You may get wet and if not, the ground will probably be wet. Choose appropriate footwear and outerwear. This waterfall has a path that takes you right behind it.

The biggest chunk of our time was spent at the beach in Vik. I loved this place. I loved the peacefulness, the folklore, the photo opportunities. Be smart, though. Those waves are powerful.

One of my all time favorite pics. It hangs on my wall.

We took full advantage of the extra daylight hours to be able to fit in as much sightseeing and driving as possible. We found our way to Skógafoss. I have to say the "hike" up to this one was a little more challenging for me. I had to take some breaks. My friend had to turn off the camera because of my huffing and puffing. Elderly people passed me. Some man shouted up to his wife, "It's okay, honey, you can leave me behind." So there was that.

We ate at a cute restaurant located just in front of the waterfall. My friend snapped this pic of me and I just love it. I remember they served hamburger sauce here. I think it's pretty similar to ketchup plus mayonnaise.

We ordered orange soda (Appelsín) and we loooved it. So much so, we bought more to bring home but stupidly forgot you can't bring liquids like that on the plane. So we opened up those suckers and gulped down as much as we could before going through security.

Um, we also kind of accidentally stumbled into a tour group at one of the geothermal sites. It was pretty cool even though the tour was not in English. It is worth noting there was often a sulfur smell in the air and the water. Though the drinking water is supposed to be some of the best around. I don't remember noticing a distinct difference but we did drink it.

What about the Blue Lagoon? Patience. We got there eventually. Many sites recommend stopping here after your flight. We did not. We had to schedule a reservation time. Unfortunately the time we had available was the exact same time Iceland was playing France. Remember this was a pretty big deal. We kept up with the score from one of the employees. We missed the opportunity to watch this game downtown, where apparently, 98% of the population (something crazy like that) rallied to watch their team. But the Blue Lagoon was a nice consolation prize.

OK, so you know how I said do your research before traveling. Well, I did, and one thing stuck out to me. The locker room at the Blue Lagoon. There was a lot to be said. It's a point that creates a lot of anxiety for people. Everything I read said everyone would be naked right in front of you (very European). You'd be showering and changing with everyone else and to just accept it and do it. No one would care. Um, this was not my experience. Yes, people were changing in locker rooms but there were many small locker room areas so not one huge room. At the most it was me and one or two others. There was a small changing area with a curtain for anyone wanting privacy. Many opted for this so there was a wait. Since everyone was going behind the curtain and I was already mentally prepared...I just went for it and headed to the shower. I quickly saw that everyone seemed to be covered up (omg...I was not) so I darted behind the wall and scrambled for a towel. Each of the showers had a curtain. This was years ago and prior to Covid-19 so I have no idea the layout now. All that to say, yes some people were walking around naked (this dummy for a hot sec) but for the most part you can find privacy. Other tips I read: condition, condition, condition your hair. Do not get your hair in the water. Because of the silica and other minerals, it would be difficult to comb through. I tried to follow the tips, sorta. I think I was still recovering from my naked snafu and just ready to get in the lagoon. I wanted to lay back and rest. I did just that and I did not have trouble with my hair later (I did wash it and leave in the conditioner that was provided before entering). Also I am not sure about the people that have perfect looking hair and make up in their pics. They really push for full showers before getting in. Who are these people?

rental/driving tips

• Book in advance.

• If you need an automatic, you must request it. It won't be automatic.

• Bring your driver's license.

• They will ask if you want gravel/sand/ash insurance. We opted YES and many sites recommended it.

• Depending when and where you are going, you may require a 4WD for F roads - we did not.

• It gets windy. Use caution when opening doors.

• Speaking of, check weather conditions/warnings for your destination and the places in between.

• If you see a gas station, fill up. You will not always find yourself near one.

• Be familiar with roundabouts. There are a bunch.

• Read about the traffic lights. Red and yellow at the same time?!

• Know how you will navigate - we used my friend's phone.

• Watch your speed (cameras everywhere) and know how to read your speedometer (Km/h)..before you start driving.

• Lights must be on at all times.

• Relax. Driving is on the same side of the road as in the US and a lot of it is wide open spaces.

• There are some one lane roads/bridges/tunnels. Be alert. The rule is the closest car goes first.

other tips:

• be respectful

• stay off the land if it's not a designated stop

• make a playlist AND/OR listen to the radio - there are songs I hear that I immediately associate with our trip - including DJ MUSCLE BOY muscledance - I will never forget the first time we heard this, waiting for the joke, but nope. It was a hit song.

Iceland is such a unique trip. It is beautiful and relaxing and a fun road trip. Because sights are spread out, there is a lot of travel time from stop to stop. Some of my favorite memories are the moments in the car, in the in-between. I want to go back and see The Sorting Hat. Some call this Kirkjufell but those people are boring. I want to experience the Northern Lights - maybe I'll see them here or maybe that gives me a reason to travel somewhere new. Now accepting applications for a new travel buddy.

p.s. for the visual learners - check out my first travel video