I have viewed many YouTube videos with hubby, for months now, on people's travels to Iceland and of course, everyone experiences something completely different so I thought I should share my take on what it was for me!
Over our eighteen days of travel in October 2022, there were some good fun moments along with many hours of arduous long car travel and not enough pit stops.
The country itself, although very cold (freezing in fact) and the weather being very ‘fickle’ could be compared to Australia in some ways as we too are required to drive for long hours (with a whole bunch of nothing in between) to get to any decent destinations. The weather conditions in Iceland were subject to change continually and we would have experienced the full range every day from pleasant to downright concerning and uncomfortable.
There were days when the blue sky would momentarily show itself and we ‘silly Australians’ thought, wow it will be a nice day… NO, it was even more freezing as the wind chill kicked up a few more notches!
While we were there the country went into lockdown – meaning no one was allowed to travel one particular day so we had to stay put and book an extra night in the same hotel to sit and watch the snow from our bedroom window and watch movies on the laptop 😊
Over the eighteen days, we saw many waterfalls, caves, old volcanic and lava formations, glaciers, ice, snow, churches, grass huts, and much more. But the three things that actually stood out to me the most were.
1. The thermal properties of their heated pools – yes, we booked and swam in three across the country and they were like heaven to me!
a. https://www.skylagoon.com/ - we had just flown from Heathrow to Reykjavik and collected our rental car and this was our first stop/activity in the country and WOW what a way to start your holiday…. The best!
b. https://myvatnnaturebaths.is/ - the day we went here, we had been driving for 4 hours and I was in desperate need of something relaxing and this hit the bill!
c. https://www.bluelagoon.com/ - because we had so enjoyed the other two experiences so much we finished off our holiday with this one and again it was amazing – highly recommend people going and doing these experiences!
2.
The history behind all the little churches we stopped at across the country had amazing stories/testimonies behind them and I was captivated by the faith of the people who covered their communities and people in prayer over the centuries. Powerful stuff as I too know God answers prayer myself.
Picture shown was on board at front of ‘Hofskirkja Church’ – the current church was built in 1883 – 1885 but records show there has been a church at Hof in Oraefi for 700 years (medieval document 1343).
3. The awe and beauty of the scenery we passed, stopped at along the way and even the destinations my hubby booked for us to stay around were very majestic with such raw ruggedness that it took your breath away and you needed to just stop, stand still, breath and take it all in – as I don’t plan on going back anytime soon 😊 One moment, in particular, I was sitting on a bench watching the huge chunks of ice flow down the lagoon to ocean, out to ‘Diamond Beach’ and what amazed me was the loud crackling noise these huge ice blocks were making as they floated past you! I was just in awe as this ice is probably (most certainly) older than me and it is now breaking down and melting away.
This land of untamed wildness is most certainly breathtaking, and I can see why so many wish to come see it for themselves. But saying that I have also come to realize how much, where we live our every day too has a majestic and breath-taking side to it.
In all of this adventure, I want to thank my heavenly father for the opportunity to go and see it as He has most certainly made such a wonderous world for us, and I am so grateful.
