A Flying Visit to Iceland

I never take short breaks abroad. I'm not a good flier for one thing. Any mention of the word "turbulence" sends my stomach into knots. I'm also trying to live a more environmentally friendly life, and I do suffer from "flight shame" when I travel abroad. For some reason I feel better about it if I spend a longer period of time wherever I'm flying to. However, this September I flew to Iceland for 3 days. Sorry planet, but this was a one off. A special occasion to meet up with some besties, one of whom lives on the other side of the world now.

I visited Iceland in 2010, with two boys who were keen to explore the island, but were also chasing waterfalls to catapult from in their kayaks. We spent a week driving the ring road in our just-about-a-4-wheel-drive, wild camping along the way and living as cheaply as possible (a challenge). It was amazing, and I've wanted to go back for years. I've just been, and I want to go back again.

There was a little driving this time, but it was as much about catching up in the lovely city of Reykjavik, wandering the streets and eating lots of chocolate. And cinnamon buns. And drinking lots of coffee. Did I mention eating chocolate? The fish tacos were good too.

We spent a day exploring the Reykjanes Peninsula, an often forgotten corner of Iceland. People tend to swarm the Blue Lagoon (which was a fab experience I have to admit), and then zoom off to Reykjavik and the other more famous honeypots. Yet the Reykjanes Peninsula has plenty to show, from The Bridge Between Continents to the Viking Museum to the mud pools and steam vents at Gunnuhver. We walked through the rain towards the sea from the mud pools (I'm drawn to the sea like a magnet), and came across an old lighthouse, white paint peeling, looking out over the most dramatic coastline. Waves crashed black igneous rock, the sea having worn the headland down to various stacks and stumps over time.

You see so much in a day in Iceland. It's geologically fascinating, it's dramatic and it's vast. I can't wait to go back and explore again. Best save some pennies first.