I always talk about traveling and being introduced to different cultures, however what i rarely get to share and express are my adventures. Iceland is an adventure that i hold very close to my heart. I say that i always leave a destination with a part of it within me and with Iceland i left with a thrive to conquer all obstacles in life.Everything about the country and it’s culture is uplifting and motivational. I’ve never experienced the energies of the universe and spirits of nature so closely before.
The three main experiences for me were
- Black Sand Beach
- Blue Lagoon
- Northern Lights
BLACK SAND BEACH
I think this was my favourite, every beach i had visited was always sunny and exotic where i could walk around with cocktails in hand however this one has a complete different league of it’s own, your most likely to return with wind burns even after wrapping yourself up head to toe but the most important thing i left with was the sense of confidence and awakening within, this had amazed me, the views, the breeze and the feeling of freedom along with vision of possibilities, felt like being wonder woman for a mini second. I remember driving back the automatic four by four with so much confidence, definitely can’t forget that weird, confused look on my friend Jinal’s face, mainly because she was seeing something she wouldn’t have imagined, I was the most nervous driver, never drove an automatic, was arguing with her not to drive and not to forget it took me over 10 practical tests to attain a drivers license, but that was only until then, i left all my fears then and there. I was no longer that driver. I was driving through the best of nature, mountains, lakes, even attempted driving on sand (i strongly advise not to do this, we reversed back) . Halfway driving back to Reykjavik we ran out of fuel, we knew we were low on it but gas stations are hard to find when your driving around in Iceland, we ended up calling recovery and paying a silly amount for 10 minutes worth of fuel but somehow i just managed to find the humour in it…Jin eventually joined in too. All in all if you like nature, don’t mind the cold, would like to experience something different than your usual beaches or are a meditator who loves the views i would highly recommend this underrated black sand beach 🙂
THE BLUE LAGOON
This was an experience worth every penny, we arrived at the perfect time to see the sunrise(thanks to Jinal for picking the time, for insta reasons haha). We didn’t have to wait too long in the queue and parking was free and easy to find a space too. The days are normally short in the winter so you would only experience minimum hours of daylight so we did always try and make the most of it on our trip. Once we stepped in the lagoon it was nice and just as warm as it looks in the pictures, the hype for views and scenery is not exaggerated at all, i think we would have missed out on a lot if we had never went. Once again pools and spa’s are many but the nature changes everything at the blue lagoon which places it in a untouchable experience of a lifetime. Yes parts of it are man made but they are gorgeous. If i visit Iceland again (chances are likely higher) then i wouldn’t hesitate to go for the experience once again.
NORTHERN LIGHTS
If you don’t believe in the power of the universe and it’s miracles then you would really have no choice but to do so after seeing the miracle of the “Aurora Borealis”. We were picked up from our hotel after midnight and we went to the outskirts of Reykjavik and parked up in a farm out of the blue, it’s freezing cold and i would be lying if i said that it was bearable but we survived and saw the magical event of the universe. There is never a guarantee of being able to see the lights however you can check the forecast on this link that i have attached below. I would suggest to take the gamble and go on the trip because it’s not so often that we get to see such sights. Some tour operators would offer to take you free for the second time if you fail to see them for the first (just check before you book)
http://www.aurora-service.eu/aurora-forecast
TIPS
- Take warm clothes including scarfs, gloves and wooly hats
- Pack your boots
- Hire a car for the best experience and travel at your own independence to locations as well as experience the beautiful scenic drives 😉
- Car hires offer a wifi connection this is very useful
- Pictures at the northern lights are better taken when you have the app “northern lights photo taker” it is available on iTunes : link attached. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/northern-lights-photo-taker/id979540312
- Keep checking fuel when close to a gas station or carry some with you( just to avoid calling recovery :p)
- Drive the golden circle (the tourist route taken by tourist to cover most destinations)
“a life full of adventures, a soul full of joy and a heart full of laughter” 🙂
bhavikaodedra.com 