Reykjavik – John Collings

Three Weeks in a Camper Van

My first major trip that I took was a fifty day exploration of Europe. My wife and I loaded up small backpacks and travelled to ten different countries in that short period of time. This was before the superfluous cellphone, so we had to hunt down internet cafes to keep in touch with people back home, and find directions to our next hotels. It was a fast-paced experience where we spent only a couple of nights in each of the many towns and cities we visited. We stayed in hostels, small hotel rooms, and even once at a grandmother’s spare bedroom. It was a great experience, but by the end of it, we were both exhausted.

This was when we were a lot younger and filled with an excess of energy. We have since gone on a lot of other adventures around the world. Some of them compared to the same pace, especially earlier on in our travels. As we grew older, we realized that this crazy pace was a great way to see a lot of things, but we could not keep it up for too long. We have since decided to take a different approach to our travels. It has been more of staying in one or two places for longer periods of time, and really getting to know what those places have to offer. But when you take a trip to Iceland, this is not the way to see it. We couldn’t just sit in one city and take small day trips if we really want to see all that it has to offer. Instead, we went for the option that more people took when visiting this faraway country, we rent a camper van and went roaming around to see the various sights while sleeping in a different camp ground every night in order to make sure we were able to cover all the ground. It forced us to go back to that go-go-go kind of travel that we left behind in our younger days, and it reminded me of the benefits and disadvantages of traveling this way.

First off, it is important to understand that there is a lot to see in Iceland, and if you stay in Reykjavik you can see a lot of cool stuff, but you will miss out on even more. Yes, many people see Iceland this way, but getting the camper van opens up those far away places that can’t be reached for on day trips, and adds the potential for more adventure. It allowed us to get off of the beaten path, and leave a lot of the tourist crowds behind. We were still able to see all of that cool stuff around Reykjavik, but go beyond that to the farther reaches where sometimes it felt like we were the only people that had seen that sight.

It also set us up for a lot more adventure. They come in various packages out in Iceland. There are the obvious ones where you go to visit one of the various sights and take the short hike to get out there, but there are those other one that only happen to you because you happen to be in the right place at the right time. Some of these adventures were fun for us; whereas, others are ones that we will look back on and laugh about. My favorite one would have had to have been being chased by an over-protective ram that was looking out for his lambs as we wandered close by in a large field of grass. It was never dangerous, but it forced us to take a longer way around so we did not disturb their grazing.

The food also offered other kinds of adventures. Most of the time, we were only able to afford fish and chips or hot dogs if we went out for a meal, but there were other times when we splurged on a good meal. My favorite had to be in the port town of Seydisfjordur where we ate at a fusion sushi restaurant which is often considered the best sushi restaurant on the island. I went thinking it would be like any other sushi restaurant that I had been to with the really fresh fish that they are able to find on the island, but they do things a little bit differently there. I was able to get a couple of great rolls, and there were some Korean dishes available on the menu, but the one item that we could not miss was the Hot Rock Sushi. A long time ago, the chef found some great volcanic rocks that they heated up with a gas torch. They then gave us some raw fish that we cooked on the heated up rock. It was different, but worked really well with the traditional soy sauce and wasabi.

Another dining adventure came outside of the town of Olfus called Ingolfsskali. It is housed in a traditional Viking longhouse and just by entering it, I felt like I was walking into the story of Beowulf. The place does not only offer great food, but it has a place outside where you can participate in axe throwing and archery. We weren’t allowed to take part in this feature the night that we were there because of the high winds at the time, but I am sure that there are enough times that you can see people throwing axes outside.

The food they serve is traditional Icelandic fare with silverware that looks as if it was recovered from the sight. They have many fish dishes as well as beef and lamb. There are definitely two types of crowds that make it to this restaurant. The earlier crowd is more of the family crowd, but things get a little more rowdy as the night progresses giving the longhouse even more atmosphere it deserves.

The influence of the Vikings is found everywhere on the Iceland as well. Some of them are authentic; whereas, some of them were created for movie sets, sometimes used, sometimes not. One was built by a movie studio next to Stokksnes black sand beach for a movie that was never completed. It still stands there and is open to the public to explore. Though I know that it has been built recently, it still feels authentic as it sits next to this otherworldly landscape.

It is that otherworldly landscape that is the real feature of Iceland. There are thermal-pools, waterfalls, cliffs, and beaches made from ground down volcanic rock. Everywhere I went, I felt as if I was a part of some movie set that was designed for another planet or another time. It is easy to see why so many movies and television shows are filmed out here, and the people of Iceland take advantage of it. There are many place where I felt as if I was in another story, instead of traveling around this country in the far north in nothing but a camper van.

The landscape would never take off a chance to remind me that Iceland was created from two continental plates converging together and creating a lot of volcanic activity in the process. All of the lava rock and black sand that is found everywhere forms unique formations when in hits to cold north Atlantic water. It creates these unique formations such as square columns, and lumpy fields of moss covered rocks that look like something out of Middle Earth. It makes the travels from each place just as exciting as arriving because it make you wonder what it is you will really see.

This is includes the waterfalls that are all over the place. Coming from Jordan where water is a precious commodity that should be conserved, it jarred me to see so much water. After the first day in the country where I saw waterfall after waterfall, I thought I would get tired of seeing them all of the time, but this was never the case. Just like the landscape, there are so many different kinds of waterfalls that each one that I visited was its own kind of experience. It made me think that maybe this island should have been named the land of waterfalls instead of this misnomer that it has been given.

Despite all of this amazing scenery and things to do, there is an important thing to understand about seeing Iceland from a camper van; it is not an easy experience. It is the perfect way to get from place to place and not worry about where you will be staying in the evening, but it is a small confined space. It can be hard to move around it, and with the ever changing weather, it is not always to best place to escape from it. This form of travel is for the sturdy, the romantic, and the youth of the world. It is a challenge that changed me for the experience, and one that was not always easy. My advice to anybody that wants to see this country through this kind of experience is to do it while you are young, and it will become one of those trips that you will never forget. It gets a little harder to do the older you get, and at moments, I was not having the fun I would have had in my youth.

Despite this small warning, Iceland in a camper van was a trip that forced me to transcend the simple, comfortable life that I had become accustomed to. I will always look back at this trip with fondness, and I will never forget all of the amazing things that I was lucky enough to see. It was the true adventure that I had not had for a long time, and it reminded me of what holidays could be like. I think on my next trip, I will go back to that slower pace, but every once in awhile, I think it will be important for me to get out there and try something new because these are the kinds of events that change us for the better. I am glad for this adventure, but I am also glad that I am back in a nice, warm home where I do not have to live in such a cramped space. The three weeks in a camper van made me appreciate that simple fact even more.

Thanks Iceland.

The Blue Lagoon – Iceland

Ever since I started telling people that I was going to spend some time in Iceland over the summer, they always asked me if I had already booked my reservation for the Blue Lagoon. It is the must-do attraction for anybody visiting this country, and most people spend some time here while they are out here, and it does not disappoint.

The Blue Lagoon is a pool of this milky blue water that is heated naturally through geo-thermal tunnels that wind their ways down deep into the earth below. A gentle mist floats above the pool as the cool air from the sea blows over it. It creates the perfect environment for a long soak that cleans out the pores of your skin and relaxes you at the same time. We were supposed to go on our first full day in Iceland, but due to complications with our van rental, we had to reschedule for two weeks later. Scheduling a time is required for admittance into the Blue Lagoon. They only let a certain amount of people in every hour, and as soon as you are in, you can stay there as long as you like. But if you miss your time, you will have to try to find another one later. If you are coming out here, I would recommend booking your time as soon as you know. When we had to reschedule, there were only two times available either 8 o’clock in the morning or 8 o’clock at night, an hour before they close, so out options we limited.

We ended up taking the 8 o’clock in the morning option, and it turned out to be the best option. It did stink a little to wake up to an alarm during vacation so we could make the appointment, but considering we were the first group of tourists that were let into the Blue Lagoon, there weren’t that many people there, and it almost felt like we had the place to ourselves. By the time we left, it was a little after 10 o’clock and the place was starting to get more crowded. I would suspect that in the middle of the day, when our original appointment was, it would be really packed and the fun of wading around in warming water would be tainted with the crowds.

The Blue Lagoon has a lot more to offer than just blue water that you can lounge around in. There is a restaurant there where you can get a bite to eat if you wish. They have steam baths that you can lounge in as well if you ever tire of soaking in the unique water. There is also a bar with limited drink menu, but the selection is big enough that you should be able to find something that you would enjoy. In fact, your first drink is a part of admission, so everybody ends up at this spot at some time during their visit. There is a place where you can put a silica mask on your face to help open up the pores there. Overall, there is enough to keep anybody occupied for the couple of hours that you will want to spend there.

Even if you do not book ahead for a reservation, it is still worth the time to make your way out there. There are paths around the outside of the lagoon where you can look at the blue water, and there is even a little viewing spot that allows you to look over the pool. I will say that it is better to get in the water because it will change your perspective, especially if you have had a few days of inclement weather. It is the one place that you cannot miss if you make it out to Iceland, so book your stay there now.

The Golden Circle – Iceland

There are three different ways that people come out to experience Iceland. The most adventurous get a four wheel drive and dive into the interior of the island where made roads are inaccessible except for a couple of months out of the year. Others rent a camper van and travel around the Ring Road, hopping from one campsite to another. But the most common way that people experience Iceland is to find a place in Reykjavik, and go out on day trips from there. The place where most of them end up at is called the Golden Circle. It is a place where there are many sights to take in, and you can still make it back to your cozy hotel room for the night.

I’ll be honest; this was the part of Iceland that I was least excited about seeing. There was something about being among the throngs of people visiting a part of Europe that set me on edge. I have been out in the busiest parts of Europe during the summer a few times before, and there is nothing that gets under my skin more than tourists who are wandering aimlessly among a sea of other tourists who are doing the same. It makes you feel like a silver ball in an active game of pinball. You just bounce around hoping that you will land somewhere safe eventually.

What I did not realize was that Iceland is a good sized country with a lot of open space, so even in the places with densely populated tourist sights, it is not as bad as some of the worst places on the main continent. Yes, there were more tourists in this part of the country than the other parts, but we were still able to drive with ease and not get into traffic jams. We were not delayed by herds of tourists trying to get their picture of the next waterfall. In short, the tourist annoyance that you might see in other parts of the world was not really here. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this part of Iceland.

There is a lot to see in the Golden Circle, and it is hard to pick and choose what the best options will be. I will admit that some of the sights are a little lackluster. Kerid Crater was a perfect example of this. Basically it is a dormant volcano that has started to fill up with water and create its own lake. It was neat to see, but the fact that they charged 400 kroner to hike up to the rim, it was not really worth the price. If you want to see a better example of this I would suggest Crater Lake in Oregon. On the other hand, the geysers out there were definitely worth the trip. They are very similar to the sulfur ponds that you can find in Yellowstone National Park except for the fact that you do not need to wait an hour for the big one to erupt. It likes to go off every four to eight minutes, and if you hang around long enough you will see it explode.

I also know that Iceland is the land of waterfalls, and there is a time when you think you can’t go out and see another one, but the one in the Golden Circle, Gullfoss, is the most impressive one that I have seen since I have been out here. This is a must stop on the Golden Circle and it is only a short hike to both of the viewing points without the crowds that you would expect to find at a place like this. Keep in mind that if you go here that you will still want to wear your rain gear because you will still get a lot of spray back from the waterfall.

Another must see is Pinvellir National Park. Historically, it is a cool sight because this is where the oldest parliamentary government in the world was first established. Geologically, it is really cool because it is the only place in the world where you can see two tectonic plates butt up against each other. This is the place where the European continent runs up against the North American continent, and you can see the two plates competing against each other.

There are also some pretty fun food options out in this area as well. There is the Fridheimer farm which supplies Iceland with all of its tomatoes. You get to eat in the greenhouse next to the growing tomatoes and buzzing bumble bees flying around pollinating all of the plants. Their speciality is a tomato soup with home baked bread. It is served buffet style with all of the coffee you need to warm yourself up. If you come here, you do need a reservation, but it is worth the trip out there.

There is also the Efistidilur Creamery if you are in the mood for ice cream. This is basically a dairy farm that puts together a bunch of batches of ice cream that you can try. Like most gelato places you will find in Europe, you can get one, two or three scoops, and they don’t have to be all the same. When you are done ordering, you can grab a seat next to the window where in the background the cows who supplied the dairy are eat their daily hay. It makes for the perfect atmosphere to enjoy this summery delight.

Basically, I can see why people get excited about the Golden Circle. It is a fun place to spend an afternoon or two, and though I did not like to admit it when I first got here, it is a must do when visiting Iceland. Make sure you add it to your itinerary today.

The Most Beautiful Sight in the World

Wait!

What?

I know what you are thinking. You read the title of this post and then looked at the accompanying picture. There is no way that a dreary picture of some random street with a near empty parking lot is the most beautiful sight in the world, but you need to put it in perspective.

This was the first sight I was given when I opened my window this morning after catching a few hours of sleep after a night flight, and what I see is not an empty street on a Sunday morning. What I see is the start of an adventure in a far away country.

Let me give you some context.

I spent yesterday in airports and on airplanes as I traveled from Amman, Jordan to Reykjavik, Iceland. It didn’t seem like a long day at the time. The two four-flights broken up with a quick layover in Vienna made it seem barely an inconvenience. But by the time I arrived at the airport on this cold island in the middle of the Atlantic, I could feel a change in climate and attitude. I was whisked away in a van to our hotel for the night, and barely registered what was going on because my mind was still lost in what it thought was 3 o’clock in the morning, the time I was usually in a deep sleep.

So to wake up to this sight this morning after a good night’s sleep had all the potential of what lay in store for me for the next couple of weeks. I know that I could have paid attention to it last night, and it could have had the same effect that it had on me this morning, but there were a lot of factors working against it. First, though I could still make out the terrain at midnight last night because the sun doesn’t really go down at night this far north, it was still dim enough that I could not really make out anything exciting. Also, I had just woken up from a series of ten minute naps as I tried to keep my wits about me as I was being driven to the hotel, so I wasn’t really in the mood to marvel at what lay before me. Last, my brain was in the place where it would usually be deep in R.E.M. sleep and I would be lost in a dream; how was I to know this unusual landscape wasn’t actually a dream in itself.

I needed that good night’s sleep so I could open the window this morning, and witness this picture. My heart beat faster in the excitement that I soon found myself wrapped up. There was an adventure to be had, and these was the starting point of that adventure. How could this not be the most beautiful sight in the world? Of course, there will be more spectacular sights to see along the way, but you never forget the beginning and the potential that it holds. So don’t look at this sight as something to skip over easily, but as the emotion is sparks up in the beholder, and you will find that the simplest of sights can be the most beautiful for you as well.

To those adventures we will all have this summer, and those first sights that bring them to us before we venture out on them. Keep on finding those experiences.