Iceland: Part 1

If you’re keeping up with me on Instagram or Facebook, you have noticed I’ve spent the past week in Iceland. Icelandair run a great promotion where you can layover in Iceland on any transatlantic flight, so I took full advantage by booking a week in Iceland.

Seljalandsfoss, a waterfall on the way to Jokulsarlon

I’m not quite sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it. Iceland is a geologist’s dream; from one side of the road to the other, the landscape can vary drastically. There are lava fields, lush mountains, seaside, glaciers- any type of land you can think of, Iceland has it. It reminds me of a colder, more remote New Mexico (remember when I went there?)- meaning it has become a top contender for one of my favorite places in the world. Literally.

Jokulsarlon- with a typical rainbow. They’re everywhere in Iceland!

My first full day in Iceland HBL and I picked up a battered Subraru from Sad Car, a very inexpensive car rental company near Keflavik airport. If you ever visit Iceland, I highly recommend you rent a car. There is public transportation, but many parts of the country are pretty remote, so it can be difficult to get to some of the best bits if you have to stick to the beaten tourist track with buses and tour groups. From Keflavik, we booked it to Jokulsarlon, a glacier lagoon about five hours from Reykjavik.

HBL behind the waterfall!

Behind the waterfall.

Despite our rushed time schedule, we couldn’t help but stop a few places to take in the amazing scenery. One of the places we stopped was Seljalandsfoss, an amazing waterfall right next to a lava field we named Mordor, because there was absolutely no vegetation around at all.

“Mordor”

 After our few stops, we arrived at the glacier lake. Jokulsarlon is nice
because, like all tourist spots in Iceland that I’ve found, it isn’t
overly consumer-centered. There was a small cafe and gift shop on the
edge of the lake, but besides that it was just a place to take in the
real natural beauty of the melted chunks of glacier and the mountains
behind it. 

See the glacier behind the lake? It’s the first one I’d ever seen!

Blue ice

HBL and I at the lagoon

More glacier- I was fascinated!

Sunset on the drive to Vik- it was about 9pm when I took this picture, it takes forever for the sun to set!

After a few hours wandering the windy lake, we hopped in the car and started the long drive back toward Reykjavik; we stopped in Vik, about halfway, and spent the night in the car. It got a little cold, but it was the first time (and probably last) I’ve done something like that, and really put a great end to our first Icelandic adventure!