Iceland – Magical and Wild
Hello Iceland!!
It was past midnight. The sky was splashed with deep fuschia, the sun barely making it below the horizon. The air was crisp and cold. It must be 5 degrees Celcius.
I was on my way to Reykjavik from Keflavik airport. Took the first shuttle available. It was 2 AM by the time I reached Reykjavik City Hostel. Myra just got in there herself. She had been walking for hours after having already spent some time at the Blue Lagoon. Very happy to see her, my high school friend. We’ll be spending the next two days together. Then I’ll have another two days before I head off to Paris. I woke up 5:30 AM but didn’t get up till 7 AM conscious that our tour will pick us up at 8 AM. We Were running late! Frantic, I rushed, braved the cold morning. It was almost 8:30 AM. I was getting worried the coach has left us. Finally, a lady asked me what I was waiting for.
“The 8 AM Golden circle tour.”
“Well, I’m sure you should be ok. they wouldn’t have left you. It’s only 7:30 Am.” I forgot that Iceland is an hour behind London!Myra laughed at me. While I was wondering why she was taking her sweet time, she was wondering while I was up so early! To top it all we didn’t get picked up till 9:15 AM. Icelandics are precise with their time. Precisely late. Decided to take the buffet breakfast. Cost 1400 kroners. Not sure if that was too much — later realised it was.
Golden Circle – Beautiful and Wild
First stop was Gulfoss. Thunderous Waterfalls that spill into a canyon. It looks magical. The bitter cold, rain and wind whipping my face did not dampen the experience.
Second stop, geysirs. The water on the ground swells into a singular huge concave of a bubble and suddenly erupts into a towering gush of water. The air is filled with vapour as the heat from the water mixes with the cold wind. Around were chrome and aqua coloured swirls of water puddles and pools. I walked up the hill despite the slush of mud on the ground, braving the cold further. From the top is a magnificent landscape view of green carpet of grass on soft rolling hills into a valley, with bruit’s dry brushes of purple — wild thyme apparently — and dotted with yellow flowers.
Third stop, was Pingvillir National Park. This is where we see the huge crack of land between the European and Asian tectonic plates that run through Iceland. And this is where I was thinking of doing the “dry suit” snorkelling. Even if it’s dry, I might just die of hypothermia from the icy needles of rain and wind! By this stop, I was tempted to just stay inside the van. (to be continued)
