ICELAND: thanks maddy!

For years my dad has always joked that he was “moving to Iceland”. We never knew why and thought it was funny because it was so random. He said he was going to take a cruise and move there for retirement. When Maddy told me it was one of her dream places she wanted to visit abroad I knew that I had to go. I mean it was all we have heard about from dad’s imagination the last few years. I asked her if I could hijack her dream trip and I would just be along for the ride.

I did not have any preference on plans and was not picky on what our itinerary would be. This was her dream trip and I was just grateful to have the opportunity to travel somewhere new. We booked our flights over the summer and to be quite honest…we kind of forgot about it for a little bit.

We decided we would go over fall break and to be honest I left it up to Maddy to plan what she wanted to do. She planned the locations and the lodging all 5 days, as well as key landmarks she wanted to see. On our first day we got to Reykjavík at around 10 am or so and then took a shuttle to a car rental company where we had rented a car for the time we were there. While we were discussing how we wanted to get around Iceland, at first we talked about renting a camper where we could sleep in it as well as drive it around. It was a bit expensive but our main concern was that we would not be able to stay at certain campgrounds and we did not want to be stranded or something like that. That is when we decided to rent a car and get lodging like hostels for some nights and an air bnb for the others.

We picked up the rental car and since I am 21 it had to be under my name to drive……scary. If you know anything about my car history this was a bit nerve wracking. I drove this foreign car that was quite nicer than we were expecting but it got the job done. Our first stop straight from the rental car company was to The Blue Lagoon. This was a particular stop that I pushed for and was so stoked we go to do it. We arrived there where we got changed into our swimsuits. We had to douse our hair in conditioner and put it up because of the minerals within the lagoon that could damage it. It was around 30 degrees in Iceland at this time so we were given robes and we stayed in the hot lagoon for around 2 hours or so.

During these two hours we did a mud mask as well as a lava mask which made my skin feel like actual butter. We drank sparkling wine from the bar as well as blue icees. This was such a memorable and beautiful experience. Also, the best shower I have had in a long time. The water pressure in Europe is….light so we felt very spoiled with this heavy pressure shower before and after the lagoon.

After our relaxing spa day we decided we would head into town and grab a few things. Maddy will tell you about the extravagant journey for a hairbrush. One thing about us was that we knew we were going on this trip since the summer…and brought absolutely no appropriate clothing. We adjusted but I think we misunderstood the severity of the word “ice” in Iceland. We also only travel with a singular backpack anywhere we go. I had to sit on my bag and I genuinely thought this was the last of my Cotopaxi because it could not take anymore. Anyways, we went and grabbed dinner which consisted of a $20 sandwich which at first they gave me no bread…and then mystery cocktails where they would not tell us the ingredients. That was a new one. Then we made our way to our first hostel of the trip gearing up for a busy day.

In Iceland the sun rises at 9 am and sets at 5 so you are only working with limited daylight. We knew we wanted to get a head start so we woke up and were immediately on the road by 9. We stopped at a local coffee shop where we grabbed a coffee and were on our way to tour the Golden Circle. We began first to Thingvellir National Park which was interesting because of the history behind it as well. Icelandic democracy began there as well as where justice was served during the Viking Era. Maddy and I were most excited because at this national park it was the site of where two tectonic plates between North America and Europe were shifting, and we thought that was pretty neat. Not to mention that the sights were just otherworldly.

On our way to the Haukadalur Geothermal area we passed a Selfoss waterfall and rock formation which was the first of many. We then would make our way to The Great Geysir. It erupts every 6-10 minutes so we had the opportunity to see it about twice.

From there we made our way to the Gullfoss Waterfall which is also known as The Golden Falls. Some viewing points were not accessible but nontheless we had a stunning view and even were joined by a rainbow. We were definitely feeling the cold and again I want to reiterate the lack of clothing preparation…my sambas were not built for this particular country.

Our last stop was to the Kerid Crater. We were starting to lose daylight but we knew we had one last spot to see. Located in Grimsnes area of southern Iceland its turquoise lake and red volcanic stripes was something I had not ever seen before. We had the option of heading to the top or going into the crater. Maddy and I went to the bottom of the crater where we had a full 360 view from the interior.

We ended our day with some hot chocolate and dinner preparing for the next day which was easily my personal favorite day of our adventure.

Our first stop after breakfast was the stunning Seljandsfoss Waterfall in Rangárping. We got absolutely drenched but it was so worth it. We kept saying that it was so wild that nothing was man made. This was truly from the Earth and nothing else. That may sound a little odd but just that simple concept of knowing this was all Gods creation was really an awesome change in perspective that I think I needed. We spent a significant amount of time here climbing the rock and going behind the waterfall. We stayed as long as we could before the freezing wet cold set in from our clothes and we needed to go change. We stopped for hot chocolate which was more expensive than a full buffet for two, but we did not even care.

After we got changed we made our way to the infamous black sand beach which is formally known as the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. It had started raining at this point but we knew we had to see it. The sand is black because of the volcanic ash. Maddy had warned me about the “sneaker waves” which are sneaky waves that will suddenly come up to shore so you don’t want to get get too close the water. We stayed for a good bit and then got back on the road.

One thing about Iceland that Maddy and I noticed was how many animals there were all around. We would be driving down the road and there would either a horse farm to our left and then we would look to our right and there would be sheep. We noticed so many cows and sheep so close to us or on top of the hills nearby. It was such a cool sight especially with how close they were to us. From being near camels in Morocco and horses in Iceland, the animals are a key part of my memories when I will look back on these trips.

We went back to our new air bnb for the night as the sun was setting and geared up for our last day. We only really had one activity planned for our last day and we decided we wanted to do one last experience. We signed up for last minute a glacier hike for the next morning. My doctor told me no physical activity for the next few months. In my head that means playing hockey or something. We got up early for our hike and made our way to the tour bus where we would be with a tour guide and a group. Again, I want to reiterate the lack of appropriate clothing for this trip so we rented pants and hiking boots. And thank God we did because the sambas would NOT have handled this and I probably would have broken my other foot. The glacier hike was so fascinating because not only did we climb a glacier, we got to learn so much about the environmental history and climate change that Iceland as a country is going through. So much of the area we were in was filled with glaciers. Now it is all almost gone and most are melting. The guide told us that the glacier were currently hiking would be all gone within the next 12 years! That means that Maddy and I’s generation will probably be the last to see it. It was also a really cool thought knowing that we were standing on something that had been there since the Ice Age. When you glacier hike we had to wear special protection on our feet which is also called crampons. Crampons help us not slip and slide on the ice when we are going up on an incline or going down on the decline. We even got to drink some of the glacier water and because of this I will now forever stand behind the fact that water does taste different because that water was no Aquafina.

After our hike we made our way to one final stop that would conclude our adventure in Iceland before we went home. We made our way to the Skógafoss Waterfall in the town of Hvolsvöllur. There really is no other word to describe this besides magical. Another incident where were absolutely drenched from even the mist of this waterfall. Just pure bliss. We facetimed our families so they could experience it with us and we got blessed with one last rainbow before we headed out.

Lastly, as I reflect on this trip I almost do not have a lot to say. This trip is one I will hold very close to my heart and one I will share with my future family. Also just a trip full of laughter and fun. Maddy was the first person I got to know before coming to Italy and sharing this experience with her is something that means so much to me. I am so grateful to be apart of something that is once in a lifetime. These are experiences that we truly do not take for granted. Making the video for this trip may have been my favorite one so far.

And for that I say……thanks Maddy!