Cocktail, beach, sunscreen ?
Not this time !
Where can I begin…
As a long-time traveler I discovered many incredible places along the past years – around the world. Iceland is been probably one of my biggest discoveries above all else. The trip over the land of ice and fire is something I had in my bucket list for a long time. I’ll be honest I’m not a cold season lover but more into spring and
summer vibes; reason why I often tend to travel towards warm countries. Iceland is well known for the swings of weather conditions all year round – in summer – temperatures reaches a maximum of 24/25 degrees but don’t worry, even then you can find storms and cold. This country is literally unpredictable.
Sooo… why would someone like me ever choose such place for a holiday? Of course for the Northern Lights, what else?! Well, you know the funniest part is
that we didn’t even get the chance to catch this beautiful event… and here is where – my best experience – began.
My partner and I left for a total of 5 day journey, unfortunately we couldn’t take more days off. Our itinerary was just crazy. The plan was to do the Ring Road trip in a total of 3 days. That means about 1300 miles. Four to five stops per day – mostly eating in the car so we save time while driving – be on schedule for the last destination of the day; The Accommodation.
I can’t deny it was hard driving that much at times but luckily in October, autumn begins, and weather can still be very generous.
No doubt – the landscapes, the shades of colours between sky and land are stunning! I never thought I could find such a combination all at once and believe me when I say you won’t get bored driving through the icelandic roads.
Our first destination – the Geyser – have been some kind of wonderful. Surrounded by sea and beaches in my usual holidays, to see these unexpected jets coming out of the underground is fascinating. After that we headed towards the Gullfoss falls, just a few minutes away. Again, looking at mother nature creations is a lifetime experience. I never saw such waterfalls before but I knew, they weren’t even the biggest ones in the island.
Once on the road again we hit the speed towards Reynisfjara where there is located the world-famous black-sand beach. Swimming here is forbidden as the undercurrents are very strong. In fact, the waves aligns a backdrop of peace together with the place, but don’t be fooled as the waves if crossed will never get you back to shore.
The plan was to get to the Town of Hofn for the first night- a minimum of 5 hours drive. Probably not as long as you might think but when you want to pull over and explore several places in the surroundings believe me, that can be time challenging. Nearby Hofn we can find the famous diamond beach and glacier lagoon – our last destinations before town and especially… before dark.
Just in time for the sunset, what a perfect catch! These places are unbelievable. Free of cost to visit, diamond beach is formed by the erosion and sculpting of icebergs as they wash up on the shore. Sadly, pics of the glacier lagoon were too dark as we literally got there at nightfall. Still, even if no pictures weren’t taken these places are something your eyes don’t want to miss.
On day two, we planned a few more things as the time was very limited. The main goal now was to head from Hofn to Myvatn. Jumped in the car we pulled off to a couple of extra places but the main goal, this time, was only to get to Dettifoss – also considered the largest waterfall in Europe.
Luck was not with us this time. Just twenty minutes from the finish line we found a blocked road due to snow. Tired and a bit disappointed; our mood was at least elevated by a majestic Sunset.
On the third and last day we were about 6 hours away from Reykjavik. This made us think ‘we deserve a relaxing break.’
To complete this short but intense holiday we couldn’t miss the time to get on a swimsuit and enjoy the hot pools in Myvatn Nature Baths.
And this is it… our last destination.
These 3 full days on the road have surely been crazy. Some may say ” you can’t enjoy the island in such a short time” but you know what? we did enjoy every taste this place has given us. Iceland is primordial – epic – real.
If you’re looking for the untouched land, Iceland is one of those countries where mother earth is still showing her authentic beauty. You know that feeling when you encounter a new place and automatically click with? This was my case.
If you are a person looking for strong and unique adventures, Iceland will pay off the expectations. A huge opportunity for you here to explore Canyons, waterfalls,
ice caves, volcanos and much more. This island has it all. Another thing that really impressed us is the kindness of people. This large community is ready to welcome every foreigner and believe me, traveling over the years I have discovered that this thing is not obvious. On one occasion we pulled up to the corner of the street to look at the map and immediately behind us a car stopped to ask if we needed help. Now I don’t know if those were tourists or locals, but I know for sure that in this country the vibes are positive and bring strong complicity with each other and especially between humans and nature.
I hope this article was helpful for any of you reading it and that it will give you a taste of the vibes we felt here. In this journey I learnt a lot more about appreciating the planet we live.
Stay wild,
Daniela e Valentino
