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Iceland - Life changing!!!!

 All the feels. Iceland stole my heart. 

Maybe it was the fact that I went solo, but came home with new friends. Maybe it was the lack of sleep (thank you jet lag and the 4am call from Piper when they totaled their car) followed by incredible and challenging hikes. Maybe it was that I had zero responsibilities for the first time in 16 years as a mother. Maybe it was an incredible guide who told the best stories, pushed us to our limits without judgement, and rearranged our itinerary every time the weather changed. Maybe it was the lack of daylight creating the perfect pink sunset in almost every photo. 

But something shifted in me. A new perspective on life. There is adventure to be had and I want more of it.

Iceland, I will be back! 

þetta reddast

Iceland - Day 8 - Reykjavik

Last day in Reykjavik. A few last pics in the city and spent a bit of the morning at the sea. The winds were whipping and freezing, but so so beautiful. I had a wool sweater custom knit for me before I arrived and delivered to the airport, so had to get a few more pics with it on. So warm and beautiful!!! Thank you Savina's Workshop!

Braud & Co - a must stop.

Tjornin

Grotta Lighthouse

Finally had to retreat to the car! ;)

Iceland - Day 7 - Reykjavik

Most of the group headed home. There were two of us that stayed a bit longer. We rented a car and explored the city, drove to find horses, and paid a visit to the Sky Lagoon for the 7 step ritual - highly recommend.

Channeled my inner Wim Hoff and tried the cold plunge. Nope. Couldn't go all the way in. Ha.

Sauna with a wall of glass overlooking the ocean. Oh yes!

A Reykjavik classic.

The Icelandic horses are unlike any other. They have 5 gaits and are so friendly!

The Punk Museum. Very entertaining. 

Iceland - Day 6 - Blue Lagoon

We headed back to Reykjavik to soak in the Blue Lagoon - so fitting after our hike the night before. Some will say it's too touristy - we all enjoyed it.

Had our farewell dinner with our guide at Punk. I ate horse!! And it was soooo good. Then I asked how old the horses are that they use for food - um, around 10 months. I ate a baby horse! Noooo :( Baddi had told us stories of the old horses being eaten after they were no longer useful on the farms - I just assumed it was one of those. But... I'd probably do it again - it was that good. Stayed at the Alda Hotel, Reykjavik.

Iceland - Day 5 - Hiking and more hiking - MY FAVORITE DAY

BEST DAY EVER! Started out the day with a hike in Skaftafell National Park up to Svartifoss.

Baddi!!!! Need help putting your crampons on? Baddi to the rescue :)

Then stopped for some scenery, including Dyrhólaey Lighthouse and elephant rock.

Based on the weather forecast, Baddi propositioned us with the idea of doing our hike through Hveradalir to Reykjadalur geothermal hot springs after dinner, in the dark that night, rather than the next day in pelting ice and wind. Most of us agreed. A couple of the group weren't up for it. The front desk guy at the hotel told us it was a bad idea - he obviously didn't know our guide - ha. So we hiked 5 1/2 miles round trip up to a geothermal river, threw on our bathing suits and soaked in river. Then changed back into our hiking gear and hiked back at 1am! We saw a little bit of the northern lights, hiked through a couple streams and basically had the time of our lives (despite our guide telling us how hella slow we were - ha - we kept reminding him that we were having fun and that's what mattered. In the end he said he was proud of us - the majority of his clients back out of these extra 'adventures'.) Got 30,000 steps that day, half uphill. Stayed at Hotel Ork, Hveragerdi.