12 Oct 2010

WhatIWore:

Our trip to Iceland was nothing short of amazing.  We especially loved the adventure, the countryside, the quaint capital of Reykjavik and the food.  The weather was incredible as well (no rain, beautiful sunsets, as warm as 14C). If you’re considering a vacation to Iceland, here’s what we loved and learned on our trip. 

I’m dividing my recap into two posts - first on the daytrips and second around the travel, accommodations and food. 

Super Jeep Volcano Tour

On our first day in Iceland, we took a super jeep Volcano tour to the base of Eyjafjallajökull.  It began with a 1.5 hr drive through the country.  Once we arrived at near the volcano, we started off-roading it, which was terrifying and exciting at the same time.  At first it was minor bumps, but about 1/2 through the driver got out to decrease the tire pressure so we could cross more rocky terrain. And rivers. Like, full on fording the river, Oregon Trail style.  A couple of times I wasn’t sure it we’d get stuck or just float away. The rocks we drove over were between the size of grapefruit and volleyballs.  Really wild stuff.  When we finally got to the site, we drove over what used to be a glacier fed lake, that has now melted away because of the April 2010 eruption. I wish the photos could relay the vastness of it all, because it was incredible.  On our way back to Reykjavik we stopped to check out a beautiful waterfall and watch the sunset over the sea.  

Blue Lagoon

Before the trip, I think I was most excited about the Blue Lagoon and it definitely did not disappoint.  The geothermal heated waters are set among lava fields and about 45 minutes by bus from Reykjavik.  Once you arrive, you’re given a towel and bracelet that works as a locker key and credit for the restaurant and bar.  Everyone must shower up before entering the lagoon.  A couple of readers warned me that I should put A LOT of conditioner in my hair before going into the salty water. It really trashes your hair, no matter how much conditioner you use, but so totally worth it.  It was a sunny 40 degree day but we were completely warm and comfortable.  They have a little bar that you can get beer, wine, fresh juices or face masques at that you just swim up to as well.  There’s also big vats of silica face masque that everyone slathers on while swimming around.  It’s really unlike anything I’ve ever see in my life and was so relaxing and enjoyable. If you go to Iceland, you cannot skip the Blue Lagoon!

Horseback Riding at Hestheimar

Although I haven’t been on a horse in 20 years, horseback riding was SO MUCH FUN. We rode with an instructor and two other guests for an hour and a half through the Icelandic countryside.  Hestheimar is near Hella and probably an hour plus from Reykjavik.  Like the volcano trek, this was an off road trail sort of thing.  Steep inclines and streams are no problem for these horses.  They’re a special breed and the only breed allowed in Iceland.  My horse was named Glowflaxi (golden hair) and he was kind of a pistol.  My favorite part was when we went on a fast trot. Glowflaxi definitely excelled at that.  Adam’s horse had a mind of it’s own and would stop at every stream for a drink and walk away from the group.  There are a lot of opportunities to go horseback riding in Iceland, and I really liked this particular farm.  After we were done with the ride, we came back into the barn for coffee and cake and chatted with the owner for a while. Icelandic people are very straight to the point and friendly.  This was our last big activity and if I had to do it over again, I’d schedule it before the Blue Lagoon (because we were both a little sore after riding). 

And on the Planning…

I’ve never done a vacation booked through a travel agency, and this trip has made me a believer.  A week before the trip, we were sent a full itinerary with hotel info, instructions for each day trip, car rental info - everything.  It was really great to just show up in the lobby at the appointed time to be picked up for our day trips.  All of our booking was done by Iceland Travel.

If you plan to visit Iceland - get into the countryside. I just can’t stress enough how beautiful and wonderful the scenery and driving is in Iceland. It’s such a calm and peaceful place. Renting a car is easy for Americans, but gas is expensive. Still, it’s worth it to drive around by yourself for a couple of hours.  Again, the language barrier (even with road signs) was no issue at all.  I’ll leave you with some sights from the road…