I had major doubts when I heard my brother was going to visit Iceland in the middle of the winter. After all, Iceland is located just a few degrees south of the Arctic Circle. But, while they did have warm coats, the weather was fortunately no worse than what we experienced in Del Webb this winter, and they could even bathe in hot springs to get warm, if necessary.
Despite a full moon, the Northern Lights were still visible this night above Reykjavik. (Photo provided)
My brother, Robin, and his wife, Kim, live in Nashville. The trip started out with a bang, much like the starting gun in a long-distance track meet. They left Nashville on a red-eye flight out of BWI, the Nashville airport. Landing at around 5 a.m., they started the day out at a sprinter’s pace. The first stop, Keflavik, a town in southwest Iceland that means Driftwood Bay in Icelandic, has a population of 15,930 and is home to Iceland’s largest airport. They visited the local lighthouse for both its view & breakfast. After the refueling, it was on to the Perlan Natural History Museum. Its impressive hands-on, interactive exhibits and shows explain the country’s landforms, geology, and wildlife. Leaving the museum, it was an hour’s bus drive to Reykjavik. After a quirky lunch with an Arctic Char appetizer and Halibut entree, they were off again to the Aurora Lights Museum.
Their visit to the museum included a stroll through the northern light’s mythology and folklore of the populations of the Arctic island. It teaches you to understand the science and learn how to optimize your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis through fun, interactive displays and educational exhibits. Then you can relax in the Northern Lights movie theater and watch their 30-minute-long timelapse film of Aurora displays dancing over Iceland. Want a more immersive experience? Try using the virtual reality goggles and enjoy the world’s first Northern Lights VR experience. A truly immersive Aurora experience!
Finally, their thoughts of a 9 p.m. bedtime, after being up for almost 31 hours straight, were quickly dashed when some of the team discovered the Northern Lights had been spotted, despite being in the town of Reykjavik with a full moon and partially cloudy skies. So, off they went!! You can always sleep later, maybe! They were not fortunate enough to see the Northern Lights, but some of the group did.
Finally, hoping for a good night’s sleep, they crawled into their gloriously comfy bed with a slight breeze blowing through an open window. It was a good, long day.
The next day proved even more exciting. They traveled to the Black Sand Beach, which had special significance. Robin’s daughter had her marriage ceremony on the beach, standing in the black sand. The wind was so strong that on the way there, it blew open the hatch of the tour bus, forcing them to stop and reattach it. Notice: Be prepared for strong winds! Lunch was at a local microbrewery, and they hiked a glacier; another amazing day.
The Vatnajökull Ice Cave, otherwise known as the Crystal Ice Cave, is the largest ice cave in Iceland. (Photo provided)
They wished themselves luck as they sat under a glass dome that night in search of more Northern Lights in this remote location. The stars were bright, so it looked promising! Robin’s profound statement of the trip so far as he’s talking to a fellow traveler: “You can look at it or you can experience it.” Atta boy!
The next day was spent exploring southeast Iceland and visiting the Skeiðarársandur’s outwash plains and the largest glacier in Iceland, the Vatnajökull Glacier. Once they had crossed this vast black desert of volcanic sand, they reached Skaftafell National Park. Next, they traveled to the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, a coastal area where icebergs break off from the glacier and float on the lake. While some looked small, remember that 90% of the iceberg is underwater.
Next, it was a journey with Kim facing her fear of enclosed spaces, visiting the Crystal Ice Cave. The Vatnajökull Ice Cave is the largest natural ice cave in Iceland and is formed by the glacial ice melting and then streaming through the glacier. It does involve a hike to get there from the bus, so be prepared. The surface of the ice inside the cave sparkles brilliantly blue in the sun. The ice tunnel appears endless as shades of blue descend until it creates a hole of darkness. Its blue ice arch is spectacular, and underneath it runs a small stream surrounded by bright blue ice chunks.
Unfortunately, the next day started like a fire drill due to someone setting their alarm for PM instead of AM! Still, they loaded up to head back to Reykjavik from Kirkjubaejarklaustur with plans to stop at a beautiful waterfall. The winds again became mighty strong, lifting the hatch on top of the bus and the hood outside(twice!), necessitating a couple of stops to assess any damage and buckle everything down. Realizing the road conditions were deteriorating quickly, the waterfall became undoable, and they ended up hanging out at a shopping/coffee/grocery place. Three buses banded together in good ole convoy fashion and took off over the pass, hoping for better conditions. They were blown all over the road, but their steadfast driver was unstoppable and got everyone to their next appointment, a visit to Laugarvant Fontana for a Rye bread experience. Unscathed from the drive, they learned all about the traditional way of making rye bread: underground. The dough is placed in a pot, covered with a lid, wrapped in plastic wrap (probably not part of the tradition!), placed in a hole that has boiling volcanic water in it, and then the pot is covered with a high pile of sand for at least 24 hours. The end result was delish!
They then continued back to Reykjavik, checked into a beautiful hotel, and then headed to the Sky Lagoon thermal pool. AH! Time to truly warm up. There, they enjoyed the wonderful geothermal pools, cold plunge, and the five “experiences”: sauna, cold mist, salt scrub, steam sauna, and the local chowberry & herb refreshing drink. They ended their time there enjoying the thermal springs.
Dinner that night was on their own, and they were fortunate to spend the evening with fellow travelers at the local food hall. Then, off to a most comfortable bed ever! Rest, finally!
The following day was spent stirring about the city of Reykjavik. After sleeping in, they participated in a walking food & history tour (they had to try fermented Greenland Shark with an Icelandic moonshine chaser; check THAT off the list, did a little shopping and landmark gazing, had a farewell dinner, and closed everything down with a live music show! Whew! Time to head home.
