While procrastinating on finishing my script, I explored what available flights I could hop on as a last hooray of my adventurous semester. Originally, I was thinking of a warm destination, like Spain or Portugal to warm up from the Scottish rain. Yet, a direct round-trip flight from Edinburgh to Reykjavik popped up for only £85 and with the Northern Lights season upon us, I knew I had to go.
Luckily, I had an early afternoon flight so I was able to relax in the morning and not stress too much about finding a bus. I prepped myself with a lot of research and schedules to help keep myself occupied and assured during my solo trip to Iceland. I hopped on my flight and settled back for the journey, listening to Of Monsters and Men while the plane took off.
While landing, I was expecting it to be dark, yet, it was quite the opposite. The sun was just beginning to set, illuminating the sky with oranges and pinks as we flew over a very dynamic landscape. I have never quite seen anything like Iceland before. I got to witness the black sand beaches and admire the different kind of ruggedness and colors of Iceland's mountains compared to Scotland's mountains.
After finally making my way to my hostel located on the outskirts of Reykjavik, I settled myself in, conversing with two of my suite mates from Spain. I had scheduled a bar crawl for the night so I wouldn't be hanging in my hostel by myself. As I walked towards Reykjavik, it was very chilly. The coldest it had been all year as I was told. I was feeling extremely grateful for the friend who let me borrow her parka for a few days. While passing by a small chapel though, I could have sworn I saw a fate green flow of the Northern Lights right in the city.
I walked around the charming and colorful city of Reykjavik, hopping into the tourist stores to escape the cold and look for patches and postcards to add to my collection. Reykjavik was cute with the hanging colorful Christmas lights, it almost reminded me of Buffalo, New York. The meeting point for my bar crawl was at Hallgrimskirkja, a modern church and Reykjavik landmark. It was a small group of Americans with a local guide who took us to a few popular bars in Reykjavik. When visiting Iceland though, be careful and watch out on the alcohol content for the beers! I noticed the traditional Icelandic beers were very strong and I never finished my beers!
I walked back to my hostel, feeling thankful for a warm blanket and shower from the bitter cold and wind. I woke up the next morning and bundled myself up to explore Reykjavik for the day. Due to the expensive reputation of Iceland, I brought along my own snacks and peanut butter sandwich makings to help minimize the cost of the trip. It was about 10:30 and the sun was just beginning to rise. It was a beautiful color of pinks and blues against the ocean. I first stopped at the Sun Voyager sculpture and the Harpa Music Hall to admire Iceland's neat architecture. Next, I explored the local flea market and treated myself to a beautiful embodied pillow case! Afterwards, I ate lunch and checked out a photography exhibit. I continued to admire the colorful buildings and stores of Old Town Reykjavik and stopped to admire Hallgrimskirkja in the daylight. I would have loved to escape to the top, but due to the fee and line, I decided against.
I stopped at a local grocery store and picked up ingredients for dinner and made dinner back at my hostel before heading to my Northern Lights tour. The first few days of December mark the beginning of Northern Lights season. You need multiple factors on your side to see the Northern Lights such as clear skies and solar activity. There was a very large group heading to see the Northern Lights at a ski lodge located outside of Reykjavik.
I was able to grab some starry photographs despite being tripod-less and being absolutely freezing. I decided to treat myself to some hot chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie to warm up from the cold. While sitting inside the ski lodge, whispers began as the Northern Lights started to shimmer. At first the lights were a straight, green line moving across the sky but as the night went along they began to grow and expand to fill the sky. I understand why people will often describe the Northern Lights as dancing across the sky. They were truly breathtaking, an absolute unreal experience in all honesty. As I arrived back at my hostel, continually grateful for a warm bed, I dreamed of such dances.
The next morning, I begun my Golden Circle, a popular (and cheap) route to take while exploring Iceland. As we drove Iceland's landscape while the sun was rising, the landscape definitely seemed more volcanic and exposed compared to Scotland. I first hiked down to explore the Kerid crater and see its beautiful teal (and frozen) water and next I saw the Faxi Waterfall. The biggest destination of the day was the Gullfoss waterfall and Geysir geyser! The falls were gorgeous with their slightly frozen and teal icicles and waters, while the frost that surrounded the warm geyser provided a beautiful contrasts of colors. After bearing my limit in the cold, I took refuge inside to warm up with hot chocolate and a small snack. The last stop of the day was Pingvellier National Park. I LOVED this spot, probably my favorite of the day. The sun was starting to set and all seemed quiet and it was fun to explore the waterfalls and tectonic plate shifts. Nature is cool!
After a busy day, I made dinner and decided to stay in my hostel for the night. I talked to a few other hostelers before heading back to my room to work on my diary and postcards while listening to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You." I greatly appreciated my hot shower that night as well. I packed up my things and called it an early night for a busy day of traveling again for tomorrow.
With a pleasant surprise, I woke up to a small layer of snow on the ground. Since it was my first snow of the season, I decided to take full advantage of it.I bundled up and took a walk in the snow, exploring the park just behind my hostel. It was a peaceful and quiet morning, the kind of quiet that only exists when it snows. I walked my way back to my hostel to warm up and eat breakfast. The last stop of my Icelandic adventures as the Blue Lagoon! Although bit of a tourist trap, I managed my money for the semester and treated myself. After prepping my hair with lots of conditioner, I slid into the warm teal waters of the lagoon. I was able to try two face masks and choose a drink of my liking! My favorite spot I found went past the bridge, where I was able to float peacefully and alone. Tiny and chilly snowflakes began to fall on my face, a fun contrast against the warmth of the lagoon. It was the perfect way to end my trip.
After spending nearly two hours at the lagoon, I showered and changed and was feeling very tempted to buy a clay mask. After using my better judgement, I hopped on the bus to the airport and made my way back to Edinburgh, completing my last solo adventure of the semester.
I would love to go back to Iceland one day! Hopefully, when I have more money willing to spend and can rent a car to explore the landscape more. I wish I was able to see the black sand beaches with a closer look, rather than on my airplane seat. I guess that is a perfect excuse to go back one day!
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