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Welcome to Iceland!

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Iceland Intro

Pre-Tour: 4 Days in Iceland

Raise your hand if you've watched Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel sessions!

Me! Me! Me!

I was so inspired by the episode on Iceland, I decided to make this my pre-tour destination.

Plus, Icelandair is a discount airline--hello, cheap tickets!

With their stop-over option, it's easy.

Fly to Keflavik, Iceland, stay for as many days as you like, then continue your flight to mainland Europe.

Day 1: Bus to Blue Lagoon. Toured Reykjavik, following Rick Steves' walking tour.

Days 2-4: Took a local 3-day tour to see all the major sights along the Golden Circle and South Coast.

Day 5: Early flight to Hamburg via Copenhagen.

Landed in Keflavik!

Quick stop at Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon.

Map of Iceland's Golden Circle

and South Coast

Misadventure #1

As I landed in Copenhagen to transfer to my flight to Hamburg, I got swept up in a mob of people and took a wrong turn and ended up back at security.

I thought, that's okay, I have time...I'll just go through security. Well, my boarding pass wouldn't work. So they sent me to SAS for a new boarding pass.

By now, it was getting close to my boarding time.

The very sweet agent printed my boarding pass and let me go through the secret expedited room for security.

I made it to my flight in time and all was well.

Posing in the cave at Gljufrabui Waterfall.

Tips for

Future

Travelers!

*When you're in the airport, transferring to your next flight, don't walk in a mob to your

next gate :D

Photo Album!

Click the pictures to view descriptions and see them larger.

Don't forget my favorite links at the bottom!

Blue Lagoon

Silica Mud Mask while soaking up the thermal waters on this cool day.
I think this a new look for me.
What do you think? :D

Reykjavik

Hopscotch, anyone?
Block long hopscotch...downhill, mind you!
Really fun watching those with more athletic skill than me hopping down this long stretch! (lol)

Hub of Reykjavik

Originally, the base of the town pier. The symbolic gateway to the city.
"Hence And Hither And
Thither"

Skólavörðustígur Street!

Rainbow Street!
I was so excited to have a sunny day here on the rainbow street :)

Hallgrimskirkja

Oh, baby!
This thing is massive! Absolutely took my breath away.
"Wow" Moment: Riding the bus into the city and seeing this on the horizon...just, wow!

Tower View

View from the tower in Hallgrimskirkja. If you look closely at the end of the street, you can see the rainbow section.

Alaska Lupine

Wow-ee! So pretty!
Brought to Iceland in the 1970s to help with soil erosion. Now, it grows wild and is everywhere!

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

My new friend, Florence, from South Africa. We became instant friends :)

Diamond Beach

With my tour mates! We had so much fun together :)
From: Hong Kong, London, USA (me), and South Africa

Diamond Beach

The beach gets sprinkled with these ice chunks from the icebergs.
How many depends on the current.
There weren't too many on this day, but still fun to get up and personal with these sparkling treasures.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Don't rock the boat!
Glacier lake boat tour to see the floating glaciers.
How old do you think this piece of ice is?
Hint: It's 1,000 years old!

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

It's all about the experience...
I had to do it!
It's salty :)
I hope the elves weren't mad at me :-\
I did put it back!

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Hiking behind this waterfall, I decided to pretend to get soaked. Well, the wind picked up, and you guessed it...I got soaked! But it was worth it!
Good thing for waterproof clothing :)

Skógafoss Waterfall

Legend has it there is a buried chest of gold under the waterfall.
I did not venture to find out...

Reynisfjara Beach

Black sand beach with basalt columns.
Really grateful to have the sunshine to see the inspiring views.

Sólheimajökull Glacier

Glacier Hike Part 1
It was so windy, we had to wait an hour before starting our ascent.

Ice climbing, anyone?

Glacier Hike Part 2
Psych! Trick photo :D

Drink up!

Glacier Hike Part 3
It was so crisp, clear, and fresh!
(And maybe just a little ashy...)

Geysir Hot Springs

Another fun photo with Florence.
We had lots fun taking pictures together!

Þingvellir National Park

Site for the first Alpingi (930 AD) which united Iceland.
This is a very special place for all Icelanders.
It's also a geological wonder. This is the rift between two tectonic plates: America on the left; Iceland on the right.

My Favorite Iceland Things!

Blue Lagoon - Thermal waters and mud masks to relax. A great way to start, or finish, your Icelandic journey.

Icelandic Wool - Locally hand-knitted wool is the best! A great selection of clothing, accessories, and small gifts (little elves, etc.) They will ship your items back home, too!

Hollgrimskirka - A modern, simplistic cathedral. Built as a memorial to the Icelandic poet, Hallgrím Pétursson. The tower is about 240ft high. Definitely worth the trip up!

Þingvellir National Park - Located on the Golden Circle. Not just a geological park, but a meaningful area with falls, a river, and a tectonic rift, and where the formation of Iceland as a united country took place.

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall - Located on the South Coast. A majestic waterfall that you can hike behind. Wear waterproof clothing and good hiking shoes!

Skógafoss Waterfall - Located on the South Coast. A 60m (~197ft) high waterfall. The view from the top is worth the trek up the nearly 500 steps!

Reynisfjara Beach - Located on the South Coast. Black sand beach with basalt columns and ginormous waves!

Diamond Beach & Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - Located on the South Coast. Black sand beach with sparkling diamonds (iceberg fragments). Lagoon with lots of icebergs. The boat tours on the lagoon are definitely worth it!

Sólheimajökull Glacier - A place for glacier hiking. Only possible with a guide, but well worth it! A truly magical experience!

To Hamburg