Girls’ Trip to Iceland: Part Two

The summer holidays are in full blast and people are rushing to the beach for their annual vacations. Some may be gravitating towards warm destinations, but I am still reminiscing on my cool vacation in the land of fire and ice. A flight to Florida or a cruise in the Caribbean are fantastic options, but nothing  will top the the crisp wind coming off the waterfalls in Iceland. There were panoramic views of unique landscapes everywhere I turned, and if I was not careful I found myself having a little bit of FOMO. I feared missing a new opportunity or a carefully crafted photograph. Fortunately, I was able to stop myself from giving into this thought process because that is not what vacation is about. It’s about taking time out of your hectic schedule to relax and enjoy a different place. 

There were certainly aspects of the Iceland girls’ trip that were adventurous, but I am grateful that we also had time to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Some of my favorite memories include taking a walk by the harbor or having a pour over at the corner coffee shop. I credit this to not only creating an itinerary, but purposefully creating spots in that itinerary to wander. While you don’t have to follow this itinerary line for line, I hope it serves as a guide for you to remember to leave room for relaxation.

Day 1: Travel Day

Whenever I take large international vacations I like to make sure to include a long layover. This has given me extra time to explore “bonus countries” or see a new city. Besides, if you have to have a layover why not make it fun!? One thing that was great about my long layover to Iceland was that it stopped in New York City. I have several sets of friends that live in The Big Apple, so it was nice to be able to catch up with them coming to and from Iceland. It was also nice to have a free place to crash overnight.

I ended up arriving in the country late at night. While the plan was to hug my friends and head straight to bed, Iceland had other plans. On the first bus from the airport into Reykjavik I was able to see a once in a lifetime view. About a week before our travels, I saw a news report that a volcano was erupting on the south part of the island. I thought it would be neat to see a volcano, but wasn’t banking on it since they had to evacuate residents. Little did I know that within twenty minutes of being in the country I would see lava illuminating the distance as it flowed off the side of a mountain. It was one of those moments that I will remember for a lifetime.

Day 2: A Whale-y Great Time

Morning: Whale Watching Tour

Afternoon: Exploring and Relaxing

After a dazzling entrance into the country, we woke up the next morning refreshed and ready to see the Icelandic wildlife. With hot coffees and toasted bagels from Dieg in hand, we boarded our ship for a three hour whale watching tour. One thing I was very grateful for with this tour was the opportunity to be indoors in the warmth if you needed to defrost after being on the main deck. We were able to see plenty of playful dolphins, a few stinky minke whales, and even a humpback whale. I also appreciated how there was a photographer on board who shared professional photos via Google Drive following the tour.

Since we had a pretty action packed morning, we decided to take it easy in the afternoon. We had a relaxing walk around the port before enjoying some coffee and pastries at Reykjavik Roasters. This ended up becoming one of my favorite spots and I gravitated towards this corner coffee shop any chance I had on the trip to relax and read a book. 

Day 3: Quintessential Iceland

Morning and Afternoon: South Coast Classic Tour

Evening: Drinks+Hang Out

The second full day we were in the country ended up being the most action packed day of our trip. Our friend, Elizabeth, who lives in Iceland also happens to work for a Bus Hostel that has a variety of tours. She was able to set us up with an all day adventure throughout the south coast. 

While there were some specific destinations throughout the tour, like hiking up to Skogafoss, the views were beautiful everywhere you looked. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable of his home country and taught us about the language, culture, and history of the island. We also made sure to stop at the black sand beach, Reynisfjara, that has been featured on the big screen Star Wars and Game of Thrones. 

After the tour we met up with Elizabeth to tell her all about our adventures from the day over a few beers. Beer was actually banned in Iceland until 1989, and several Icelandic breweries have emerged since prohibition was lifted. I personally enjoyed the Viking and Gull brews. 

Day 4: Ladies’ Night and Feeling Right

Morning and Afternoon: Perlan Museum

Evening: Dinner+Night Out

After a day full of adventure, we slept in the next morning. We took things nice and slow and enjoyed cinnamon rolls from Braud and Co several cups of coffee of course. We then decided to walk over to an interactive nature museum which ended up being super neat. I learn all about the volcanoes like the one I saw erupting when I first entered the country. 

On our way back we made sure to have a pit stop for some Icelandic hot dogs.  Baejarins might be the most popular stand in Reykjavik, but we preferred the Vikinga Pylsur. They had creative toppings and the lamb meat was tender. 

We ended the day with a girls’ night out treating ourselves to a nice meal and chatting over drinks. We also had some interesting experiences bar hopping, especially when we heard the song “Tennessee Whisky” in the American themed bar. Some of the other stories are going to stay in the group chat.

Day 5: A Little Fishy

Morning: Food Tour

Afternoon: Geothermal Pools

Unfortunately I had to bid farewell to my friend Anita on day five, but it did give me some chance to do some solo travel activities. After a morning with no agenda, I went and met up with a group for an Icelandic food tour. There were some delicious foods on this tour, but the big takeaway would have to be the foods I tried that were extremely different from my typical diet. I told myself I would try anything once, and I can now say I tried fermented shark exactly one time. I do not think I will be trying it again.

Once I was back from the adventurous food tour, Elizabeth took me to her local geothermal pool. There are very popular pools and spas in Iceland like the Blue Lagoon, but unfortunately it was closed due to the erupting volcano. I was totally fine with that, though, because those types of experiences can easily become expensive. The local pool ended up being much more affordable and it was very relaxing going in the hot tubs, sauna, and even attempting a polar plunge.

Day 6: R&R

My final day in Iceland ended up being a very restful day. The previous evening Elizabeth took me to a friend’s house for a get-together and it was honestly so fun meeting her friends and learning about local traditions. We ended up staying up pretty late and it honestly reminded me of our college days. While the tours were amazing and the views were spectacular, there is nothing like eating falafel with your friend at 2:00am while watching The Mummy. Those are certainly the memories I will cherish from the trip.

Day 7: Travel Day

When the day came to finally pack my bags and head home, there were plenty of hugs and promises to Facetime soon. This trip was a dream come true.There is nothing like spending quality time with old friends. Fortunately, the adventures weren’t completely over because I once again had a long layover in New York. It was Easter weekend and I was able to share Easter dinner with another old friend I worked camp with in college. We had a wonderful time catching up, and I was able to get one final New York bagel before making it back to Northwest Arkansas. 
If there’s anything I learned from this adventure it is this: take the trip. It may be unconventional, weird, exciting, or even scary but it is absolutely worth it. I am forever grateful that this Iceland adventure finally left the group chat.