2018 has been all about checking destinations off my bucket list. A few months back, we decided to “send it” and buy tickets to Iceland. Courtney and I began planning the whole trip, from the car rental to the Airbnb’s. We took a red eye from Newark, and landed in Reykjavik at 5am, and let me tell ya …. IT WAS FREEZING.
We spent the first night in Reykjavik, exploring the downtown area. The next morning we went horseback riding, which was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip. The boys even liked it! My ponies name in english mean “little guy” but boy was he fierce. (We booked with Viking Horses, they made our experience so special. Check them out here: https://vikinghorses.is )
After riding, we made our way to a tiny town east of the city, called Fludír. We followed the winding dirt roads, over bridges and dodging pot holes. We made it to our beautiful cabin with a hot tub, over looking the snow covered mountains. It was picture perfect to say the least.
My favorite day of the trip was Sunday. We went to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skogafoss Waterfall, DC-3 US Navy Plane Crash Site, and The Black Beach in Vik. We arrived in Vik just as the sun began to set, and it was the most beautiful (but deadly) sight I have ever seen in my entire life.
Little did we know about the dangers present at this beach. The waves are violent, and push far further up the beach than we expected. A giant waves came crashing up, almost pulling the boys back into the freezing rip tides. Thankfully, we all got off the beach safetly, but the boys had to ride 3 hours back in the car in just their boxers. Everything was soaked.
I did some research when we arrived back.
These are called sneaker-waves, and they can appear when least expected, even on incredibly still days. There are no significant landmasses in between Antarctica and the shores of Reynisfjara, meaning waves have thousands of kilometers to build. A number of fatal accident have occurred here. So please be careful when visiting.
On our last day we went to see the Kerid Crater, where a volcano once was. And of course, our last stop before the airport was the Blue Lagoon. Although very touristy, you MUST do this. There are three different tickets you can purchase. (make sure you book in advance!!) We did the comfort package, which was perfect for us. It included one free drink, a face mask, and a towel for after your swim. (You can book your tickets here: https://www.bluelagoon.com)
This was the most amazing trip, and I want to thank everyone who gave me advice and travels tips!! Life is short, make it sweet. <3
