Travel Through My eyes

ICELAND

I went to Iceland with my mom and sister with the main goal of seeing the Northern Lights. A great flight deal from DC helped seal the decision to go, and we turned the trip into a five-day road trip along the southern coast. We never actually caught the lights, but glaciers, waterfalls, black-sand beaches, and some serious winter weather gave us plenty to explore.Here's a look at what made Greece so special to me.

Why I Love Iceland

Like Another Planet

Iceland genuinely felt otherworldly. The landscape could be almost barren one minute and completely dramatic the next. Add together the freezing temperatures, icy roads, and short winter days, and the whole trip had this adventurous, almost expedition-like feeling that I loved. Even after packing a lot into five days, I left feeling like we had barely scratched the surface. I’d love to go back in the summer and see how different the country feels in another season.

Ice Cave & Glacier Lagoon

One of my favorite days was exploring an ice cave and then spending time around Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. The sunset was glinting off giant pieces of ice along the beach while seals played in the water nearby.

Winter Road Trip

Iceland definitely made us work for some of the views. We braved icy paths to reach a hidden waterfall, waited in anticipation for Strokkur to erupt, and lasted about three seconds at Reynisfjara before the wind sent us running back to the car. It was freezing, beautiful, and exactly the kind of winter adventure I had hoped Iceland would be.

Blue Lagoon

After five cold, busy days on the road, we spent our last morning soaking in the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon. To boost the relaxation, there were two swim-up bars, one for silica mud face masks and another for drinks. After lunch at the spa, we headed straight to the airport. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. After we got home, we found out that shortly after we left, the area had been evacuated because of a volcanic eruption. A fitting end to our visit to the land of ice and fire.