Visiting Iceland!

*This is a guest post written by Quarter Soul Crisis Make sure to follow her blog and her instagram as she is an amazing writer and photographer.*

Iceland has been a hot place to travel lately. I find myself answering questions and giving suggestions about the amazingly unique country on an almost weekly basis. It was only a matter of time until I started sharing my experience!

I went to Iceland in March of 2016 in search for the Northern Lights and while (much to my heartbreak) they went unfound, I discovered so much more. My trip to Iceland was a spontaneous pull of the trigger and it changed my life for the better.

First, I have to tell you about the weather. The weather is the one thing I read about in ALL of my research, on every blog post & pinterest post I could find. Icelandic weather is completely unpredictable. WEAR LAYERS. One minute you will be zipped up tight in your winter parka, hair slicked back from wet, icy winds, and the next minute the sun will be shining as you pull off to the side of the road to pet Iceland horses. (I’m serious!)

You also have to be prepared for the unpredictable weather to completely change your plans, like seeing the Northern Lights or being able to go on a long drive. You see, because it is that crazy, spontaneous, plan-ending weather in Iceland that completely changed my life for the better. I learned that a random snowstorm & grey skies will push you into a quirky, cool restaurant & bar like Prikið, the oldest coffee house in Reykjavík. Maybe it was the the Skyr (Icelandic-yogurt) & the delicious “Breakfast of Champions” or the “Bruce Willis” milkshake with Jack Daniels. Maybe it was the waitress who played Paul Simon deep cuts for my entire meal. But I learned that A LOT can be discovered when you don’t stick to that meticulous plan.

I learned not to take your partner for granted no matter how frustrated you are both with each other when you can’t figure out Icelandic directions or read Icelandic highway signs. You may just end up parking on a random street & finding amazing art. Almost all of Reykjavík is covered in local art, making for the most entertaining walk through a city no matter the rain, sleet or snow.

I learned not to be afraid of being a “tourist” because one of our favorite stops was the Blue Lagoon! A tourist-y yet PERFECTLY awesome hot spring where you just relax, have drinks, stay warm & enjoy the company. Not to mention, the blue lagoon is stunning to look at and drive to.

 

So, as my first post about Iceland I just wanted to hand you some tips for all of your travels. Make a plan, but don’t force yourself to stick to it. Don’t stress about bad weather! Stand in the rain and run into the first store you can find and walk around. Drink the milkshake with Jack Daniels, take the liquor request from the bartender (which is how we discovered popular, Icelandic liquor, Brennivín). Travel to Iceland because it’s different and unique, and you can find something new and entertaining no matter WHERE you go!