Unexpected Iceland

Seeing the Northern Lights in the ‘land of fire and ice’ was a dream of mine for years.  When my first trip to Iceland finally happened it was definitely like a dream – just not the dream I had imagined. It was more like a crazy, surreal experience of the unexpected at every turn. I think my most commonly used phrase on that trip was ‘Are you kidding me?!? This cannot be happening.’ That said, it’s a dream I would happily have again and again (and indeed have done so!)

Here’s an overview of our first adventure to Iceland and the unexpected things we learned about taking a winter escape to a country full of extremes.

Endless Night

Travelling to Iceland means travelling north for most people. We were travelling from London, but even if you’re travelling from Anchorage, Alaska you’ll be heading north. In fact, Iceland’s capital is the northernmost capital city in the world! One consequence of being that far north is the effect on daylight hours. Summertime in Iceland has literal periods of endless sun – like the sun actually never sets. The flip side to that is that in winter there are literal periods of endless night. And of course if you want to see the Northern Lights you need to go in winter.

The sun did actually rise each while we were there, but not for long. It felt more like an extended dusk for much of the day, but thanks to all of the white snow it was somehow still light, with a hazy dreamlike glow in the air during the day and a quiet winter wonderland feel at night. And of course, the extended night hours provide a greater chance of seeing the Northern Lights when it’s clear. For us the endless night was coupled most of the time with endless snow and crazy wind, which were still amazing as long as you were wrapped up well!

Turning Blue at the Blue Lagoon

The iconic Blue Lagoon is a must-do for first-timers, and it was one of the first stops on our trip. I’d seen amazing photos of people soaking in the thermal waters while the Northern Lights danced above them and couldn’t wait! The lagoon is open quite late and it was evening when we arrived. I mean it would have been darkish that time of year no matter when we arrived, but it was proper dark! It was also proper beautiful! The entrance to the spa building is via a pathway literally cut through volcanic rock, and with the white snow falling on the dark rock it was like walking on a giant powdered-sugar coated brownie.

Once inside, I changed out of my winter gear and into my bikini and exited the building towards the lagoon. The minute I stepped outside I realised I hadn’t really thought this through. I mean who wears a bikini in the freezing snow!?! Plus there were no Northern Lights to see. In fact, with all the snow it was actually hard to see anything at all! Before I could get to the water’s edge my skin was as blue as the Blue Lagoon and I had to will myself to continue.

Then I stepped into the milky blue water, which wasn’t just warm but HOT! The geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon keep a constant temp of around 40 degrees C (100 degrees F) year round, and it was such a surreal experience to be wading in this giant natural hot tub while the freezing snow fell on my face and shoulders. Land of fire and ice indeed! The steam rising from the water and the snow-covered volcanic rock surrounding us created a mystical, otherworldly atmosphere, and I could feel the mineral-rich waters transporting me away. Not the dream I’d imagined, but an equally amazing one I’ll never forget.

Venturing into the Land of Trolls and Elves

The next morning we headed north. My research showed that the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights was on the remote northern side of the island, so I booked a local guide to drive us there, stopping at points of interest along the way. He arrived in a monster truck which at first I thought was a bit OTT but changed my mind as we headed out of town. The volcanic landscape became more and more rugged and the road less and less straightforward to navigate, especially in the snow. It was breathtakingly beautiful but a reminder of the power of nature.

The land is also rich in Norse folklore and ancient mythical tales passed down from generation to generation that explain the natural wonders and shape the culture of this unique island. One of my fave tales starts here in the isolated north where according to legend the troll Gryla lives with her sons, the 13 mischievous Yule Lads. Each year, the 13 Yule Lads emerge on the 13 days before Christmas, playing pranks and leaving gifts for good little children. I mean who needs Santa when you can have 13 cheeky trolls instead!!  And in Iceland, if the yard is unkempt or something mysteriously goes missing, there is likely an elf or troll involved. Today even if Icelanders don’t believe in them, they’re still unlikely to admit it out loud and risk the bad luck that might come their way.

It’s not just the mythical creatures that make Iceland interesting though! The Icelandic people themselves are delightfully different. This small population of people descending from Vikings and living in such an isolated land of extremes have developed a quirky sense of humour and whimsical outlook on life. So creative, so resilient, and yet so attached to their heritage. They’re so attached to heritage, in fact, that new baby names have to be approved by the National Naming Committee to ensure they fit in culturally. I suspect Melissa is not on the approved list, but I’d be happy to change my name to that of a mythical warrior princess if needed.

The Floor is Actually Lava

As we continued to drive I remarked that the scenery looked like a lunar landscape. Our guide replied, ‘It should. This is where they filmed the moon landing.’ I honestly don’t know if he was joking, but as my own father was one of the scientists who worked on the Apollo mission I’m quite sure the astronauts actually went to the moon. That said, a fun fact I’ve learned since then is that two years before the first mission to the moon, Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronauts were sent by NASA to Iceland to train for their lunar adventure. Apparently this is as close as you can get on Earth to a Moon experience. How wild is that?!?

Equally wild was that when we arrived at our quaint little hotel, which emerged from the snow like a cozy cabin perched at the end of the earth, we learned that we wouldn’t need to go to the moon to get our food, but we would need to dig it out of the ground. The fish and bread were literally cooking underground thanks to the earth’s geothermal heat! Iceland takes the game ‘the floor is lava’ to a whole new level! Oh, and it was delicious by the way.

Turns out the water in Iceland is also lava(ish). In all seriousness, the cold water in Iceland is some of the cleanest in the world. The hot water was another story. Homes in Iceland are heated naturally by geothermal waters piped directly from the earth’s core (okay from the underground geothermal pools on the way to the core anyway). It may have been clean but it didn’t smell clean. If you’ve ever been to a natural sulphur spring you’ll know what I mean. It’s natural, and perfectly safe – but smells of rotten eggs. To add to the fun, hot, mineral-rich water is definitely not clear. Iceland is the only place I’ve been where you can get out of the shower and wonder if things are better or worse than when you got in. That said, a hot shower and a cozy bed on a snowy night made for an excellent end to a surreal day.

Literally Trapped in a Dream

The next morning I pulled back the curtains in our hotel room to take in the view and the snow was so high it completely covered the window! I kid you not – I opened the window and pushed my hand against a solid mass of snow. When we went to breakfast we learned that the snow had also covered the doors and we were completely snowed in!! The hotel owners told us not to worry – they had plenty of food stored and the neighbours will come and dig us out when then can.

‘Like today?’ I asked. No, probably not worth it today while it’s still snowing. Turned out the pass back to the capital was closed anyway and would be for several days so we were stuck there whether anyone dug us out or not. So there we were, the only guests in the hotel snowed in with the family that owned it for an unknown amount of time. Visions of ‘the Shining’ raced through my head.

So, what does one do when trapped inside? The quaint little hotel did have an adorable library nook, but no books in English. I perused through the books on offer and found a copy of Bridget Jones’ Diary in French, which turned out to be possibly even funnier than reading it in English. Our hotel room also had a TV, but only two channels – one of which was in Icelandic, and the other of which showed US shows but had no sound. Have you ever watched a silent version of Law and Order? I have! The Icelandic channel was actually far more entertaining. I’m convinced that even if I could speak Icelandic I still would have no clue what was going on, but I had great fun trying to guess. So delightfully local.

Off the Road Again

As promised, the neighbours did eventually come to dig us out, and while we couldn’t get back to civilisation, we could at least get outdoors for some off-road adventures. As I walked out of the hotel, the sun was shining, the sky was blue, and a giant duvet of white snow covered everything. It was simply stunning.

Our first adventure was snowmobiling across the fresh snow. Amazing!! Thanks to a seriously impressive jumpsuit I was toasty warm as we sped through breathtaking landscapes. The second adventure was even more amazing – riding Icelandic ponies through the snow. They only allow one breed of horses in Iceland in order to protect the breed, but I honestly don’t think most other horses could handle it here anyway. These hardy little creatures were brought by the Vikings 1000 years ago and live comfortably outdoors despite the extreme conditions. Even more amazing, their conformation is so unique that they have two extra gaits that other horses can’t manage. Leave it to Iceland to have magic horses to go with their mythical creatures! A truly unforgettable experience.

Soon I was glad the road was closed. Once I let go of our original plans and embraced the amazing adventure Mother Nature had provided, it was thrilling. The pass to the capital reopened after a few days, and we returned to civilisation rejuvenated. We even had time enroute for some of the more traditional touristy things on our original list like tour the iconic Golden Circle (which in winter is more like the icy White Circle but still awesome to see). In the end though, my fondest memories of our first trip aren’t of the expected but of the unexpected moments.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little trip down memory lane to the crazy fairy tale land of Iceland.

I’ve been back to Iceland for other adventures since then – and even seen the Northern Lights. Each time it’s been full of unexpected curveballs; and each time it’s been a trip to remember! If you haven’t been, go! While you might not get what you planned for, you could very possibly get something even better!