Day 2- 2 parts Golden Circle, 1 part Blue Lagoon 1 part Aurora Hunt

(*pics will come later*)

I just want to say something really fast.

You know how we complain about how dark it gets in the winter? You know how (and I'm looking at you co-workers) we rant and rave about going to work in the dark and leaving work in the dark?

IT'S SO MUCH WORSE IN ICELAND.

So, for example. 9:30 (ish) am...the sun is starting to rise, and I'm gearing up to go. I stop to have some breakfast at the hostel cause of course I do. Some mishaps later (forgotten keys, card not working etc) I finally get on the road to hit the Golden Circle around...10:15ish. Not terrible but certainly behind if I wanted to hit the major points of the Golden Circle before my scheduled appointed time at the Blue Lagoon. I'd start with Þingvellir, their national park, go to Geysir, then Gullfoss, maybe try getting to see Þjórsárdalur. (Viking ruins along the longest river in Iceland). What I had read was, "You can do the circle in 3 hours."

What I had interpreted that as, " If you give yourself five hours, you’ll get to the Blue Lagoon with time to spare!”

What I had neglected-actual driving and stopping time.

I don’t know if the people who said “3 hours” were aspiring race car drivers, but I can certainly say that 3 hours to hit just those 3 is not really possible. Maybe if it’s a… *car screeches to a halt* “OKAY EVERYBODY GO GO GO GO GO! AND PHOTO! BACK TO THE CAR! *car screeches away*

But that sounds awful. Well for me. I mean, I came all this way. If I’m not going to stop and smell the proverbial roses, what’s the point?

So what ended up happening was, as I was driving, I stopped several times at some nice views, I really enjoyed my time at Þingvellir, saw the rift between tectonic plates, walked around the park a bit and read all about the first alÞing, took some pictures, slipped on some ice, saw a cool guy skate down some ice (basically imagine the Wheelies motion except down a hiking trail). Then I realized it was 12ish! So I had to move on to Geysir. Geysir was like 2 hours away. Through Þingvellir I drove, ever onwards. Passing more amazing scenery, still stopping because I have no self-control.

The views of Iceland….the scenery…just the country is astounding. Any pictures I took do not do this landscape justice. BUT I CERTAINLY TRIED.

Then I got to Geysir (much driving later. I’d tell you all my thoughts but mostly they were, “Wow.” “Look at that!” “Beautiful”)

Before I left my car, I decided to see how long it would take me to get to the Blue Lagoon. Typed in the GPS and it says I’d arrive at 4:30. And because I’m a terrible planner, that’s when (half an hour from when) I was supposed to be there.

Oh snap! I didn’t have a lot of time.

I still let myself go see Geysir (BECAUSE OF COURSE.) And I did get to take some time and enjoy the scenery!

And of course it was super cool

If you’ve ever been to Yellowstone’s Old Faithful, the concept shouldn’t be too crazy to you.

However, unlike Yellowstone’s slow build-up of a tower of water, Geysir is (kind of literally) BOOF! Erupting tower of water! It might have stretched to 100 ft high, but I’m a terrible judge of distance. And it happened like every 5 minutes. It was nuts.

But I had to move on relatively quickly and I made my way to the Blue Lagoon.

Unfortunately, as I trekked across Iceland, weather started to turn for the worse. Snow started drifting down slowly, then all at once.

And you all know me. I’m from Florida. Who now lives in Georgia. I don’t -do- snow. But I made it! Didn’t slip on the ice, I didn’t crash! Wins all around.

Blue Lagoon was worth the hassle though. When I arrived, snow was flurrying all around me. The entrance is a long corridor of piled rocks (I assume volcanic?) that is a surprisingly long tunnel towards the main building. Snow was being caught in crevices, and my jacket and scarf were quickly accumulating tiny drifts. The sky was quickly blackening above me, what little light that was clear of the clouds very faint on the horizon. When I stepped inside the brightly lit building I was greeted with warmth and maybe 40 others waiting to check in. Snow started melting and I started to get super excited for my “dip”!

Here’s where “Of course Emily, that had to happen to you.” Comes in.

So, waiting in line, an attendant comes out and starts giving us a low-down of procedures and how to best make use of our time here. Everyone’s listening, I’m making eye contact with the guy because I’d like to know this stuff. Then my phone, which had been playing music in the car, decides it’s time for me to pick back up where I had paused….at full volume. It wasn’t an embarassing song, “Twinkling Lights” by…someone…..it’s cute. Just….LOUD. And I’m trying to pause it, but my phone has a frozen screen but not frozen speakers so I literally just…..stuff it in my scarf and shove it against my jacket.

Music stops.

Not the “stops” as in becomes quiet because of what I did…no, literally stops. So, great! I’m going to turn it off.

Music starts playing again.

This poor guy just has a speech he has to deliver that everyone kind of actually needs to hear when little miss strobe phone decides to play her weird rave music at full volume. And insult to injury randomly pauses it and unpauses it.

I didn’t know how to apologize so I just shoved it into its quiet corner until he was done.

But after that, it was relatively uneventful.

I’m a huge prude and the wide open locker room was off-putting, but to be expected. (I mean, they literally warn you in some guidebooks) The water was wonderful. The sky was still dark, and it was snowing as I entered, and freezing outside, but the water made it totally worth it.

I had 3, yeah, 3 different facial treatments. The silica mask, the algae mask, and a volcanic exfoliant! Had a drink, and wandered around the pool for a little over an hour. Snow came and went, and eventually I was getting waay too pruny so I exited and got myself some dinner at their on-site restaurant.

It was great!

I had lamb, bread and butter (served on a volcanic rock!) and a shot of Icelandic Gin. Which I later got for free because it took a long time to get to me. I hadn’t even said anything when the waiter came over apologizing profusely about the drink wait, and how it was on the house.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth people. I was said thank you and moved on.

Then I headed back to the hostel, where shortly after arriving, another American and I decided to try our luck at Aurora hunting.

Spoilers: we failed. But we had a good time shooting the breeze in the car and exploring areas outside of Reykjavik. We made our way down to the lighthouse at Seltjarnes, then to a park 20 min west of the city proper. We didn’t have luck, but we did see some pretty stars.

Then we came back around 1:30, probs found parking around 2, and crashed.

No blog for you!

Until today.