Tag: Iceland

Iceland day 3 – Roadtrip to Vik

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We started off the morning with a final visit to my Grandparents before they head off again on Azura. The sound of an all day buffet makes me want to try out cruising 🤣

The drive to Vik is a long one, so we obviously had to stop off at Bonus in Hveragerdi to get car snacks.

The first stop was Seljalandsfoss; the waterfall you can walk behind. Its pretty big so you can see it along Route 1 before you actually get to it and it’s such a thrill being able to go behind it, but my god it’s freezing. There’s also a hidden waterfall just along the path; however there was a large tour about so I was unable to wade through the stream to get to it #gutted  I did however get a very nice Icelandic hotdog for lunch #winning

Next up was Skogafoss; the waterfall you can walk above (we were hoping to stop at the Eyjafjallajökull visitor centre located between the two falls to learn more about the famous ash cloud but unfortunately it was closed.. boo hiss boo) The views from the top are amazing but you need a decent pair of legs to get you up there as it’s one hell of a climb up some rather wobbly steps.

Onto Dyrhólaey and for this one you need a decent pelvic floor if you plan on visiting the top car park. It’s a very very bumpy ride but the views (if it wasn’t covered by rain and mist) would be amazing. We however stood at the top wishing the mist to go, which it didn’t, so only caught a glimpse of the famous arch #soggy  We drove down to the lower car park to see what that had to offer, and we managed to see some puffins!!

The final stop was Reynisfjara beach, better known as the black sand beach. Again the weather wasn’t on our side but we were still able to appreciate the beauty of the dramatic landscape. It’s been voted one of the top 10 most non-tropical beaches so is an absolute must if you’re visiting Southern Iceland.

The drive back to Reykjavik was rather ‘twitchy arse’ as the rain cams down harder making visibility very poor. Tea tonight was a cone of sweet potato chips with my new favourite sauce; sweet mustard #fatty

Iceland day 2 – Reykjavik

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Today was spent exploring Reykjavik as this meant I got to spend the morning with my Grandparents 😍 they have been travelling in style on their cruise and docked this morning.

Unfortunately a lot of the city is under construction, so getting a photo without a crane proves quite a challenge, especially around the harbour.

We have eaten well today! This morning we started with pancakes and pastries at Sandholt bakery. The long wait for food was worth it because it was delicious. We also enjoyed some fish and chips and Santa necked a few pints at the Frederiksen Ale House. Again a long wait for food but the fish was so fresh and the batter was melt in the mouth.

Tonight was all about the midnight sun, and it was beautiful. The sun set around 23:45 and we decided to take in these views at the sun voyager. As I’m typing this (00:30) it still isn’t dark outside; Iceland you really know how to play with my head!!

 

Iceland Day 1 – The Golden Circle

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Today I’ve had the grand total of half hour sleep thanks to the most uncomfortable bed at the Ibis Budget in Manchester (I got SOB lying on my front because I was basically lying on a slab) so I needed to treat myself to a cheeky Giraffe airport breaky to keep myself awake for the day ahead.

Picked up the trusted wheels that’s going to get us around for the next few days, who we’ve named Tómas the Toyota. Never driven on the opposite side before; nailed it!

Our first stop was at Þórufoss. It isn’t officially on The Golden Circle but worth the stop as it’s very scenic and peaceful. The drive up to this is stunning as the sea of purple lupins take over the side of the road.

Thingvellir National Park was our second destination; home to some of the scenes in GoT. Unfortunately it rained the majority of our time here but it was still stunning, especially Öxarárfoss. The different shades and textures around the park make it such a special destination and it’s clear why it was given World Heritage status.

Gullfoss was up next and is thought to be one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions. The natural beauty of this place made us keen to return to be snap happy once again and enjoy the lush surroundings. Loaded up on a latte as the severe lack of sleep was starting to catch up.

As the rain clouds started rolling in we hopped into Tómas and made the short drive to Geysir. What could be better than the smell of rotten egg! Luckily the main Geysir ‘Strokkur’ erupts every few minutes so armed with the Nikon and the Tripod I was able to get a good few snaps.

Last stop for today was Kerið; a volcanic crater lake. The vivid blue of the water against the shades of reds and greens surrounding it made it such a treat and a lovely but windy way to finish the trip.

Back at the hotel and no energy to go out and eat, so we made do with some sandwiches and crisps from the local supermarket. Unfortunately we might have to hang around a few street corners to pay for it. They also don’t sell any alcohol.. what a shame for Santa!

As I’m writing this it’s 22:30 and still broad daylight.. so here’s to another sleepless night!!