Engagement vacation

CamperStories

Amazing Iceland

Yes you are hearing this right, an engagement vacation. Having proposed last year on a remote part of the Great Wall of China, Iceland seemed a perfect vacation to celebrate the engagement. The plan was to see the marvels of Iceland’s geothermal nature, watch Humpback whales from Húsavik and go all the way round on the Ring Road in 8 days. We had a great time trekking around in our camper van. We are both very busy people and did not plan everything ahead, so the van provided freedom and carefree travels.

Carefree for sure, we took the main insurance package. You are probably fine with the gravel insurance, but we took no risks. We did save money on lodgings and food. Our first stop was a Bónus grocery store. 100 euros later we had our supply for a week.

#Protip: Since eating out is quite expensive and the camper van is equipped with all the necessities preparing a decent meal. Second stop Reykjavik. We visited the Pearl to learn about the geothermal features of the landscape. We drank a nice cup of coffee and a hot cocoa on the roof terrace to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Reykjavik.

#Protip: If you want an overview of Reykjavik, go to the Pearl roof terrace: great coffee and cake. You could go to the famous church in the city centre and use the elavator, but there is a waiting line and for the cost of a ticket, I would prefer a hot cocoa.

The Pearl View on Reykjavik

Exploring Reykjavik sure was worth it. We ate a delicious piece of codfish from a street food caravan near the park and we saw some nice artworks. As an amateur photographer, it’s not only nature that has a lot to offer!

Street art Reykjavik

After Reykjavik, we hit the Golden Circle starting at the Blue Lagoon. I did not feel like going through all the fuss, but these things are important for Yazzie. In hindsight I also loved it and everything was well organized and hygienic!

Blue Lagoon

After some relaxing we went Inside the volcano! Crazy, I know. Costly? Yes quite a bit, but that’s why they call it a once in a lifetime experience, I guess. Do you see the metal bridge and lift? They install that by helicopter each year again, just to make sure the equipment doesn’t freeze!

Inside the volcano

Mesmerizing for sure and this was only the start of our voyage. Next stops: Geysir, Gullfoss and Þingvellir.

Gullfoss

Þingvellir

Next: Humpback whales. For this we traveled to Húsavik which has the reputation to be the whale capital of Europe. There are several other possibilities nearby, but we wanted the be sure to spot these gentle giants… and boy, we were not disappointed! We booked through the Gentle Giants company and everything ran smoothly. We learned about the distinctive white fins of the Humpback and the nutritious shoreline that attracts many whales. We also saw a Minke whale (not a Milkyway).

#Protip: Order online with one of the sightseeing companies after looking at the weather forecast. We booked a day in advance because the weather changed so fast.

Humpback whale

Since we were in the Northern part of Iceland, we had to check out Dettifoss and Selfoss: two magnificent waterfalls. The Dettifoss is 44 meters high and more than 100m wide. You can come up really close to experience nature’s raw power. Our camper van had to drive on some remote roads in order to get there, but that by itself is an experience!

Dettifoss

Selfoss

On the way back we stopped on so many spectacular places. Do not plan to much into detail, but let Iceland surprise you with all its scenery. Last but not least, I do want to mention the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón. It was very easy to find since it is just at the Ring Road in the southern part of Iceland.

We stopped there for a while to make photos with long exposures. The parking is just at the channel where icebergs drift into the ocean. You often see seals fighting the current there!