Words by @lindsbanban
Have you ever known you were meant to be in a certain place? Or felt an indescribable pull to a destination you have never been? That is how I felt about Iceland. I have been daydreaming about Iceland and the prospect of seeing the Aurora Borealis with my own eyes for years without any real research. After spending hours searching pinterest and Instagrams many 'Iceland' hashtags, it was clear something was pulling on my heart so I had no choice but to follow my gut. As a result of my research I learnt that in order to get the true Icelandic experience, with the added ease of getting around, one must travel in summer for the beauty of the midnight sun and temperatures above 0. Sold. I booked my flight for July 2014 and even though my chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis were slim due to the lack of true night, it was time.
Leading up to the trip I had been focusing on the concept of right timing – letting things unfold as they will and being surprised and delighted at how perfect the Universe can be. After boarding the overnight plane to Reykjavik, I turned to look out my window and right there in front of me the green lights of the Aurora Borealis danced across the sky - pretty sensational in-flight entertainment. Everything felt right. It was confirmed, the Universe had some glorious tricks up its sleeve for me and my gypsy travel companion.
Iceland is, hands down, the most beautiful country I have ever laid eyes on. The vistas are extraordinary and so varied, showcasing lush green fields, waterfalls around every corner, snow-capped mountains, lava fields, geothermal rivers, steep cliffs reaching out over the ocean, canyons, valleys, icebergs, and so much more.
We spent our first day exploring Rejykavik and witnessed our first midnight sun that night before heading over to rent what would become our home for the next 4 days - a little Nissan Micra hatchback. We made a quick pit stop at Ikea to make our stay more comfortable and began our journey.. We drove north and realized that our guide book had been left behind. We were fending for ourselves, which fit perfectly into my right timing mindset. We stopped at a horse farm and bonded with some of the most beautiful animals I have ever seen, their hair was magnificent blowing in the wind.
The first waterfall we found demanded a stop. We pulled over, climbed to the top, climbed back down and continued further into the north towards the West Fjords. The roads turned into winding cliffs that dropped straight into the ocean.
After hours in the car, our achy bodies were yearning for some relief - step in Universe - not 5 minutes later, geothermal community pools appeared before us overlooking the ocean. What a wonderful way to relax and reflect before curling up on a cliff under a waterfall by the ocean for bed.
The next day we debated waiting for the Museum of Witchcraft and Sorcery to open in Holmavik but decided it would be best to be on our way. We headed east and found ourselves amongst expansive canyons and interior rocky roads. Every turn brought something more beautiful than the last. We drove through the valley of the canyons (this was our name for it) and made it to Akureyri, the city in the North, to enjoy some local cuisine and live entertainment at a family festival. We decided it was only fitting to sleep next to Godafoss, the waterfall of the gods, which made waking up a surreal experience, especially because it was just us. Not another soul in sight.
Next stop: Detifoss. We didn’t account for the fact that it would take hours to get from one waterfall to the next based on the distractions along the way… craters, volcanoes, steam rising majestically from the earth, an idyllic natural grotto, and a powerful geothermal pond. We arrived at Detifoss, with a couple of hitchhikers in tow and were taken aback by its sheer force. It is the most powerful foss in Europe and it was truly incredible. It is amazing to see that Iceland has not exploited it’s beauty, there is no cheesiness that surrounds these natural wonders - no big box restaurants, no casinos - nothing disrupts its beauty. The daylight lasts long so we were able to pack a lot in. We kept trucking until we found a spot to stop for dinner, that just happened to have a sweat lodge and a geothermal pool to soak in after supper. The restaurant is also a tannery and created handmade leather wares. At 11:30 pm the sun set casting magical fluffy pink clouds across the sky, tinting the snowcapped mountains with a rose glow. That, and a brief sighting of the Icelandic version of Channing Tatum made for the perfect end to the day. That night we slept by the beach listening to the waves crashing on the black beach shore. This drive honestly felt as though we were in a movie, like The Neverending Story meets The Land Before Time.
We drove into a little sea town named Hofn, for a fresh and delicious breakfast before driving through lava fields on our way to take in the magnificence of the Glaciers and Icebergs at Jökulsárlón. We felt privileged to be able to see these incredible earthly creations. The danger they are facing and the rate at which they are melting make it likely that generations to come will never get to see them with their own eyes. It was an indescribable experience and it was hard to tear ourselves away. Moving on we found our self at Skogafoss. This is probably one of the more famous foss's in Iceland but to be honest, we were fossed out. We were also hatchback hoteled out so we got a room and slept in a bed - it was wonderful.
Feeling rested and refreshed we made our way back to Reykjavik and returned our tiny home. We found ourselves in the midst of a long weekend so we freshened up and headed out to dinner and as they say in Iceland we partied til the sun went down. Get it? It doesn't!
We saved the best for last and headed to the Blue Lagoon on our final day in Iceland. We indulged in water massages and ate a three course lunch in our lagoon robes before heading straight to the airport. With hearts full of gratitude, we boarded the flight home. Iceland was full of impeccable beauty, wonder, magic, twists and turns. Thank you Iceland for sharing your beauty and thank you universe for unfolding exactly as you should.
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About lindsbanban
Linds lives in Toronto. She is a daughter, friend, sister, lover, and magic maker with a deep appreciation for local food, delicious wine and anything that encourages dancing. When she is not busy planning events, she can most likely be found somewhere in Trinity Bellwoods; drinking coffee; nuzzled into a good book; or here - as a featured writer for savageOM.
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