Unexpected Adventure in Iceland
By Virginia Whitted
My husband and I wanted to do something special for our wedding anniversary and we decided to visit the romance capital of the world, Paris. As we started planning, we noticed that all the affordable flights leaving from Boston stopped in Iceland. Neither one of us knew much about Iceland, and it wasn’t on our bucket list of places to visit. Since we had to stop there anyway—and we love to add new countries to our list—we decided to book our flights with a four-day stopover in Reykjavik.
I love beachcombing and I always make a point of looking for sea glass whenever I travel near the ocean. Before this trip it never crossed my mind to look for sea glass and I hadn’t heard about Iceland as being a hot spot for glass. I was only thinking of enjoying my time with my hubby, eating interesting cuisine, and spending quality time together exploring a new place.
We did not rent a car, because we planned on staying in downtown Reykjavik and we walked or used cabs and buses to get around. The trip from the airport to the city by bus was easy, inexpensive, and only took 45 minutes. People were very helpful, and we had no issues making it to our hotel. Along the way we both noticed how alien the Iceland landscape is, with strange rock formations and barely any trees.
When we arrived at Hotel Odinsve, we were greeted by the nicest people. The boutique hotel was only a short walk from everything in the compact downtown area. The bed was probably the most comfortable bed either of us had ever slept on, and we still talk about it with friends and family. We even went so far as to buy Icelandic bedding when we got home!
The next day, we took an all-day organized tour to see the Golden Circle and Kerid Crater. We walked along the edge of Kerid Crater, admiring the beauty of something so unique. We then stopped at the Gullfoss waterfall, which is both massive and intimidating. We walked and took photos in Thingvellir National Park and saw Strokkur geyser (the little brother of the more-famous Geysir), which erupts every six to ten minutes.
We ended the tour spending a few hours at the Blue Lagoon resort, where we soaked in the natural volcanic waters, sipping a cocktail, and enjoying a volcanic mud mask. You can go there for the day and even stay longer in the resort’s hotel. There are nice gift shops and other amenities nearby.
The third day was beautiful and warm, perfect for exploring by foot. My husband and I love walking, so we were excited to stroll around the city. We wanted to go to the lighthouse, which was only an hour’s walk from the hotel. The staff at the hotel suggested that was too far to walk and we should take the bus, which we almost did, but we wanted to get some exercise and I’m glad we did, because treasures were waiting for us along the way.
As we were walking along the shore I noticed a beach. It just so happened that it was low tide right then, but I hadn’t even looked at the tides, because I wasn’t thinking of sea glass. I was only thinking in the present moment, being with my husband and enjoying the amazing views of this new land, which we had been growing to love more and more each day. As we got closer, I told my husband I was going to check it out. As a beachcomber, you never know where you might find sea glass. He couldn’t believe it when he heard me scream and saw me jump for joy—I’d found a glittering beach filled with glass.
My husband tolerates my beachcombing, and can get into it sometimes, but is not obsessed like me. What began as a short time on the beach turned into over an hour as I kept on finding more and more glass. Thank goodness, I had a backpack with me, which I filled with beautiful colorful sea glass: super frosty, finished, large, and smooth. There were also lots of lava rocks perfect to use with essential oils. Looking back, I am so glad we found this small beach, because when we arrived at the lighthouse, there was no sea glass at all on the beach.
On the way back, we had an amazing lunch at a restaurant called Ráðagerði, and with our bellies full of delicious food and my backpack filled with beach treasure, we made our way back to the hotel to rest and get ready for our tour at midnight to see the Northern Lights, the aurora borealis.
The aurora is not as easy to find as you might think, especially if you are not there during winter. The tour bus basically drives around hunting in the dark sky for signs of the lights. After about 40 minutes of driving out of the city the driver stopped quickly and said, “Everyone out!”
We jumped off of the bus and saw the magnificent dance of lights above us. It was magical, and I felt like I was in a fairytale or a sci-fi movie. The lights were constantly changing and moving, and everyone on the tour wore out their “oohs” and “aahs” before the end of the trip. After a few hours of chilly stops and photo ops, we stopped to drink hot cocoa and pastries. That was a night I will never forget.
On the last day, we walked around different parts of Reykjavik and went to the Hallgrimskirkja church, where you can climb to the top and see beautiful views of the city. If you like cats you need to try the Cat Café called Kattakaffihúsið. When we went, they had five cats lounging around the café. Some were shy, and some were very friendly. It was a nice place to read, drink a cup of coffee, and be surrounded by cute kitties. Besides that, there are other great restaurants and stores in that area.
Finally, we continued our journey to Paris, and while we had a great romantic time there, both of us liked Iceland the best out of the whole trip. Reykjavik is a beautiful city to explore, and I hope I get to explore other parts of Iceland in the future. And, you never know—it may surprise me again with beautiful treasures from the sea.
Learn more about the best beaches and destinations for sea and beach glass, seashells, fossils, rocks, and more beach finds around the world. Articles ›
This article appeared in Beachcombing Magazine Volume 44 September/October 2024
