iceland in july
i've been lucky enough to step into the awe and wonder that is iceland three times now. the second we got home we were already wondering when we’d be back again.
somehow bobby and i managed to find tickets to reykjavik for 500 dollars...for the both of us. so we booked the flights immediately, and booked our airbnb’s within a few hours. it was the most spontaneous trip we’ve planned before, and the low costs for everything made it that much more exciting.
there's something about this island that heals every part of me and wakes up all the parts of me that have been lulled to sleep by the busy.
i filled half a notebook with doodles and words because i want to remember how it feels to sit in a waterfall as it is rushing by me on its way to the sea. i want to hold that close, because in that moment all that mattered was the fact that nature was holding me, allowing me to be a part of its daily routine, which is truly an honor and why i sat there overjoyed and laughing in the freezing water with the sun setting behind me.
we started in reykjavik and drove up to akureyri in the north. we had five days to make our way back to reykjavik where we’d stay a couple nights before heading home. we hit the airbnb jackpot both in pricing and location - each one carrying its own cozy charm, so much so that i get teary-eyed on our way back to reykjavik because that meant my mornings spent barefoot in the grass wondering the open property we were on was over. i’m actually glad we didn’t see everything we originally had starred on the map, because it met that we could actually rest, enjoy the homes we stayed in, take our time and change our pace when we wanted. bobby is the best travel buddy, and this was the break that we needed.
the weather could not have been better for us - just chilly enough to make being outside enjoyable and not a bit of rain, which made the long drives days a little more bearable. we could strip down to t-shirts to wander around the akureyri botanical garden but then have to bundle up to see mígandifoss and lay in the field of flowers. a two hour drive quickly became a full day affair with the amount of pulling off that we did - worth every minute though. there’s just something about stopping to take things in, to slow down, to appreciate, and to not rush that feels so good.
if i could tell you one thing to do, it’d be to make your way to reykjafoss and follow the river to the hot springs, but before you take a dip - go down to the waterfall and sit in the pools of water within it and watch the land turn gold with the setting sun.
i can’t not mention the farm pup that brought us so much comfort and joy at our last farm stay. she led us to the river and played with us like we’ve been with her our whole lives.
dogs have healings powers, i just know it.
even though i was sad to leave our mountain views, reykjavik is always a treat. our airbnb was right on the main street which made bopping around to shops and restaurants so easy. it felt like we lived there.
our last night we decided to go get a drink at a bar because someone on google mentioned how cheap the happy hour was, and i’m glad we did. the bartender happened to be from charleston, south carolina, he married an icelandic woman, so iceland is now his home. of course after hearing that i had to know how he made the transition, what he loves and doesn’t care for about living there. it reminded me why talking to strangers can be nice. i learned so much and was able to reflect on my experience in a whole new way because of it. in that moment i only wanted to go home so i could pack my bags and come back there for good. seeing as that wasn’t an option, i was determined to figure out how to incorporate their way of living into our rhythm at home.
nature is healing, and i know that to be true because i left iceland lighter than when i had arrived. i know some people have vacation homes by the beach or in the mountains, but i think trips to iceland are becoming that for us. it’s like a familiar retreat with new, eye-opening experiences every single time.
i can’t wait for my sweet feet to touch that green grass again. if you haven’t already gone, i hope you get the chance to step the glory of iceland one day.