Day 1: Reykjavík: Blue Lagoon

24 September 2018

We had pre-booked to visit the Blue Lagoon today. This is a very popular tourist venue back out near the airport and is so popular that you have to book a particular time slot in advance. We booked through Reykjavík Excursions who had a package where they picked you up from your hotel and drove you to the Blue Lagoon and the price included your entry fee, a towel, free silica face mask, and a free drink.

We had booked a pickup at 8.30am so there was no sleep in this morning. We breakfasted downstairs and said goodbye to others from the trip. We are able to leave our luggage at the hotel and the brick up point is just outside the hotel – but it is raining and there is a howling gale. We had thought that we would be able to see the countryside better than we had on the way in but it looked just as bleak and barren as it had 10 days ago.

The Blue Lagoon are natural hot springs that are very high in silica and other minerals that are good for your skin. The waters are so glacial blue and contrast with the white silica deposits on the black lava rocks. The bus drops us off at the parking area and then there is a long (very bleak and windswept _ walk down to the Blue Lagoon entrance. We have a look at the area that is outside of the main complex but it is too cold to stay long.

Inside the complex we are issued with a towel and a blue wrist band with an electronic sensor that will get us everything we are entitled to. First we scan it at the turnstiles for entry, then once we are in the ladies changing rooms the wrist band secures a locker for us – later it will buy us a mask and a free drink. We change into our swimwear and lock everything else except our towels away. We have to shower and are advised to put conditioner in our hair to prevent it going frizzy.

We have a very chilly walk from the complex to the outdoor pool, hanging our towels on the racks (actually tying them on so that they don’t blow away) and stepping down into the glacial blue waters. These are natural pools (with a bit of assistance) and the water is a pleasant 38C average but there are hot spots around the place too that we seek out. The water is cloudy with minerals rather than clear.

It is a very surreal experience: the lifeguards are dressed in full arctic gear and the wind is so strong that the steam is blowing horizontally and there are white caps on the lagoon. But in the pools, people are just leisurely cruising around: some have woolly hats on, many have white clay face masks on (5-10 minutes recommended); there is a pool bar that serves everything from smoothies to beer, wine and cider.

We spend about 1.5 hours soaking ourselves before braving the elements to head back inside. The changing rooms have showers with plenty of shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser and even hairdryers. Then we go down to the cafe and find a table looking out over the pool and eat some sushi before taking some photos and heading back to the bus.

We get dropped back to the Fosshotel Reykjavík about 2.15, retrieve our bags and catch a taxi to our next lodging: the Aurora Guesthouse. This is a very different standard of accommodation and is an interesting setup as it ranges across several adjoining terraced houses. We check in at reception but then have to walk up the road and around the corner to find our room. The reception lady does take pity on us with GIll’s sore foot so we are shown the back way which is flatter. We are in the lower level of our house, sharing a bathroom with another couple, and have to go in the front door, out the backdoor and then down the stairs to get to our rooms.

The Aurora Guesthouse is a short walk from the Hallgrimskirkja, a modernist cathedral inspired by nature and Tat dominates the skyline from around the city. The concrete structure took over 40 years to build and was completed in 1986. The cathedral was designed to resemble the basalt lava flows found in Iceland’s natural landscape, especially the basalt columns around Svartifoss waterfall. There is a magnificent organ inside and we regularly hear the bells pealing.

Just as we reach the edge of the Hallgrimskirkja square, the clouds open and there is a torrential rainstorm with horizontal winds so strong that we can barely stay standing. Throngs of people seek refuge in the cathedral until the rain stops, but when we go back outside we have to link arms to stay upright when we walk. Thankfully we are heading down off the top of the hill towards the main shopping street and the wind is less strong but a few minutes later we have a hailstorm that leaves the street white with hailstones.

We find a pharmacy and buy an elastic bandage for Gill’s foot (that hasn’t improved much in the last 10 days) and explore some arctic gift stores while we wait out the hail. Then we walk slowly back up the hill and back to the guest house.

We have a briefing at 6.00pm with our new group and guide Lisa (who is German but has lived in Iceland for 10 years). This group is a very different make up with only one couple and predominantly younger singles, mostly from Australia (there is one other German and us). Zoe from our Greenland trip is also with us on the Iceland Discovery trip.

The group are heading off for dinner but it is a good 15 minutes walk away and we decide that it would be better to rest Gill’s foot so opt for a pizza in the little restaurant next door. We have a table upstairs overlooking the street where we can enjoy our wine and pizza whilst watching all the local comings and goings.

Just looked at the weather app and discovered that it is a balmy 4C with the windchill taking it down to -4C. It is chilly!

Please join me over the next several posts as I take you on our Journey to the Arctic (and more).

The Joy of Business Class

Copenhagen Stopover Day 1
Copenhagen Stopover Day 2

Arctic Express: Northern Lights
Day 1: Copenhagen to Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik to Constable Point, Greenland
Day 3: Scoresby Sund: Frederiksdal & Flyvefjord
Day 4: Scoresby Sund: Nordvestfjord & Ingmikortilaq
Day 5: Scoresby Sund: Eskimobugt & Immikkeerikajik
Day 6: Scoresby Sund: Danmark Island & Vikingsbugt
Day 7: Scoresby Sund: Cap Hope & Ittoqqortoormiit
Day 8: Scoresby Sund: Steward Island & Constable Point
Day 9: Constable Point back to Reykjavik

Iceland Discovery
Day 1: Reykjavik: Blue Lagoon
Day 2: Golden Circle
Day 3: South Coast
Day 4: Jokulsarlon
Day 5: Eastern Fjords & Moorudalur Valley
Day 6: Moorudalur Valley & Lake Myvatn
Day 7: Akureyri & Trollaskagi Peninsular
Day 8: Grabrok Volcano & Snaefellsnes Peninsular
Day 9: Snaefellsness to Reykjavik

Toronto, Canada
Day 1: Reykjavik to Toronto
Day 2: Toronto to Port Perry
Day 3: Lake Muskoka
Day 4: Millbrook
Day 5: Back to Toronto
Day 6: Toronto
Day 7: Niagara Falls

 

 

 

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For this and other similar tours see:

Explore Europe with Intrepid Travel (a range of different travel styles – see my post on travel styles)

Peregrine Adventures (Comfort tours)

Geckos Adventures (for 18 to 30s)

Note: After people telling me they had booked an Intrepid Tour on my recommendation, I now have affiliate links with the Intrepid Travel group of companies and may receive a commission if you book a tour online within a couple of months after clicking through to these sites.  So if you are enjoying my tips and stories and finding them useful in choosing your own travel, please click on these links and help me to bring you more .

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