Day 3: Horseback Riding in the Valley

Another early start to the day. Located on the South West countryside, just outside of Reykjavik, we visited the Eldhestar Horse Ranch for a ride.

We suited up with helmets and jump suits and were out before the sun rose. It was my first time riding a horse, but I felt comfortable with the instructions for making the horse move left to right, speed up and stop. Little did I know who I was dealing with.

This guy… he lagged lazily behind when everyone was walking, sprinted ahead to show off and almost threw me off. On top of that, he kicked another horse for getting in his way. I can’t remember his name in Icelandic, but my nickname for him is badass — the rebel horse who plays by his own rules. Steph was paired with Ella, a red-haired beauty who was well behaved.

After a quick ride around the ranch, we drove to the nearby pool. This retro pool from the 60's was located in a small suburb in the countryside. All the pools here are heated. We were the only foreigners.

A magical moment happened as we sat in the hot tub. All the Icelanders in the hot tub started passing around Christmas carols and sang together. Everyone loves Christmas here, and it was a joy to see a little slice of Icelandic life on a very special holiday.

After having lunch on the ranch, we got dropped off in the city centre to see the Settlement Museum.

As we walked back to the hotel, all the shops and bars had closed. We spent the night at the Hilton, surrounded by Americans and tourists, thinking about family back home and all the Icelandic families together for the holidays. It’s never easy being away from home on Christmas Eve.