Iceland
As soon as the wheels of our plane touched the tarmac at Keflavik Airport, a sense of exhilaration surged through my sister and me.
In 2018, shortly after our father had passed, we decided to go on an adventure to get away from the every day and to spend some quality time together in a new country. Little did we know what an experience we would be in for. Iceland in October marked the start of the Northern light season and the weather swiftly changed from sun to rainstorm and even snow - a full 360 experience waited ahead.
At the airport, we picked up our rental car - a big 4WD Subaru, perfect for exploring the snowtop mountains and bumpy roads of the untamed, otherworldly landscape of the South and West parts of Iceland.
After some hours of driving through the night, we arrived at our temporary Airbnb home, a little wooden cabin in the highlands. The cottage was surrounded by nothing but mountains and endless lands full of hordes of Icelandic horses that added a touch of magic to our stay.
The next morning, after driving for hours at the end with no other car or other people in sight - we found ourselves on our first daybreak in Iceland deep into the Highlands. Arriving at the “hidden” gem of Haifoss. The cascading waterfall, still not completely frozen to ice at the time, tumbled into a dramatic gorge. Surrounded by untouched wilderness, we were awestruck by the serene beauty that lay before us.
Just as we departed, a large tourist bus arrived at the scene. How that beast had managed to get through the bumpy roads is still a mystery to me.
Our next destination was Reynisfjara, a world-renowned black sand beach that feels like a portal to a parallel universe. The obsidian shoreline stands in beautiful contrast to the roaring icy seafoam of Atlantic waves.
Food was not a particularly great highlight of the trip. From gas station hot dogs to cups of instant noodles on the side of the road, we must be excused from giving any advice on culinary must-tries this time around. Although, the hot dogs are some of the best ones I’ve tried to this day.
Some highlights from the journey through the South coast from images above: Skògafoss waterfall, Vìk, Svartifoss waterfall & the black beach.
As a new day dawned we forced ourselves to wake up at the ungodly hour of 4 AM, driven by a desire to witness the sunrise on the southeast shores of Iceland. To our amusement, we discovered that our water bottle, left in the car, had transformed into an icy relic during the frosty night.
The black road ahead glistened with ice crystals. With each passing kilometer, the landscape transformed before us, and as we drove along the empty highway in the pitch-black morning, the fiery light of the sunrise rose higher. Our drive eastward led us to Jökulsarlon, a glacial lagoon where massive icebergs floated gracefully amidst the water.
The glacial lagoon lay before us, the waters dotted with immense icebergs that glistened in the morning light. Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier, stood majestically in the background, casting a shadow over the lagoon. We were in the presence of something extraordinary.
As our road trip continued, we also delved deeper into the charms of the West. This part of the island unfolded like a well-guarded secret, revealing its sweet spots to those venturing beyond the beaten path. We wandered through Snæfellsnes Peninsula, a place of dramatic cliffs, mossy lava fields, and quaint fishing villages. Our trip through West Iceland ended in the village of Budir, home to the iconic Black Church.
Our trusty GPS, a normally reliable companion throughout our trip, daily guided us with it’s electronic wisdom across the highlands. However, Iceland's fickle weather is known to change in an instant. As we began our drive up the mountains, the heavens unleashed a snowstorm that seemed to increase in intensity with every passing kilometer.
With each minute that passed, our GPS became less reliable and eventually surrendered. The snowfall and wind intensified as did our nerves. We followed the bumpy road for what felt like hours without seeing a single other car or house on our path. Eventually, the drive started to descend down the mountain again, and with that, the storm luckily relented entirely.
Our GPS, now reacquainted with civilisation, luckily sprang back to life.
Nestled in the heart of Iceland's hot springs country, Hrunalaug was a highlight of our itinerary. Surrounded by moss-covered lava fields, this natural hot spring welcomed two cold travelers with warm hug.
As the temperature in the air was below freezing point, we quickly got undressed and soaked in the hot, mineral-rich waters, surrounded by the silence of the Icelandic vast countryside.
When the last evening came around, the Northern Lights graced us with its presence. Starting off subtly in light green shades as the sun started to set, then quickly escalated and burst into the most magical dance of light across the sky in shades of emerald and violet, illuminating the landscape below.
