The Land of Fire and Ice

"Better weight than wisdom a traveler cannot carry."

- Hávamál, the Sayings of the Vikings

One of the first things I decided after being awarded the scholarship through NSE was that I wanted to look into a Stopover using Icelandair.  It actually worked out perfectly, because that was also the cheapest flight to Europe that I could find!  So... I did it.  I traveled to a place that I had never been, that speaks a language of which I know zero, by myself.  Me.  The Introvert.  I had so many emotions leading up to my time in Spain, but these few days consumed most of my thoughts.  How was I going to manage?  Would I hide out at my Airbnb all day?  As the time approached, I realized I wasn't packed, hadn't prepared much of anything to do, and I was starting to get a little (a lot, if I'm being honest) anxious about this decision.

Ultimately, I am so glad that I did it!  This was a real test for me to travel alone, putting myself out there in a place that was utterly foreign to me.  But those few days were amazing!  A lot of what I did was simple, but that's true to my personality.  Some of what I did was more outgoing, and that was the personal challenge to myself to go and explore.  It was incredibly rewarding, and I can't wait to go back!  I have a looonng layover in Reykjavík on my way back to the States, so I'm already planning a few things I can do to spend my time!  (I'll also need to go back sometime in the winter to see the Northern Lights!)

For now, I'm reminiscing on those few days.  I am so grateful for this opportunity to travel, learn, and for self-exploration.  Here are a few of my favorite moments!

Day 1: Visiting Hallgrimskírkja, a church that stands as one of the tallest buildings in Iceland.  There is a statue of Leif Erikson outside that was given as a gift by the United States to commemorate the 1,000th (yes, you read that correctly) anniversary of Parliament in Iceland.  I went up to the observation tower to see the beautiful views of the city, the mountains, and the water.  The landscape in Iceland is truly breathtaking.  Then I walked around Skólavör∂ustígur street, did some shopping, and grabbed dinner.  I was able to comfortably stay out late exploring due to the midnight sun that gives Iceland 21-hour long days!

Hallgrimskírkja Church

Views of Reykjavík from the observation tower at Hallgrimskírkja

Café Babalú on Skólavör∂ustígur

Day 2: I packed this day full.  I joined a 9-hour Golden Circle tour though Reykjavík Excursions that took us around to various sites in the south of Iceland.  Thankfully for the midnight sun, I was able to do a whale-watching tour in the evening!  We saw several white-beaked dolphins, some minke whales, a couple of humpbacks, and tons of puffins!  No great aerial feats, but a lot of watching in awe nonetheless.  I was very happy with Elding, a family-owned operation that was the original whale-watching company in Iceland.

Fri∂heimar greenhouses, where they grow tomatoes all year round (thanks to geothermal energy), run a restaurant that is famous for its four types of "bloody" drinks, and breed Icelandic horses.

Geothermal pools

Gullfoss Waterfall, you could hike right up next to it!

A view of Reykjavík and Harpa concert hall from the bay

On the midnight sun whale-watching tour.  It may have been summer, but it was cold!

The Icelandic flag flying off the back of the boat

Strokkur Geyser erupts about every five minutes

Day 3: I had an easy morning, wandering around the city one last time.  It was extremely easy to figure out public transportation, meet locals, and enjoy my time.  I'm looking forward to being back in just a few weeks!