The Trip of a Lifetime: Day 0
Well, today I found myself in Iceland! What’s up with that?
Today has been an insanely long day for both of us. We’ve been up for about 24 hours now, only snagging a few precious hours here and there on the plane and buses around Reykjavik.
Despite that, today truly solidified my belief that this trip will go smoothly, and Amy and I will enjoy traveling with each other. Running on little sleep and food is normally a time when tensions rise, but Amy and I supported each other with grace and kind consideration.
The Blue Lagoon was astounding and soothing, a great start to our visit in Iceland. The water seemed to seep quickly into our bones, changing our skin temperature from a frigid 50 degrees to 108. Feeling the cold Atlantic wind across my bare chest while standing waist deep in a geothermal hot tub was an experience like no other. The water was murky; you couldn’t see anything even if it was only a few inches underwater. Even still, it retained a pale blue color like the color the sky turns when the clouds disappear in winter. The dark volcanic rocks surrounding the lagoon change to a gentle white from the salty water lapping up against their faces. The slimy silica mud we wiped on our faces and shoulders made Amy’s skin feel soft, although I felt like I was coated in a thick layer of chalk, even after rinsing off. I felt refreshed after this almost-spa treatment, and I don’t think I would be awake still if it wasn’t for that.
On our way to and from the lagoon, Amy and I loved watching the Icelandic landscape zoom by. It’s surprising to see dirt replaced with midnight-colored rocks, loose and tumbling over each other. Moss replaces grass, a golden-green ooze dripping over the land, covering each boulder with a warm coat.
Even with this strange landscape barren of trees and flowers, Amy and I both commented on how boring and lonely the vast countryside was.
It was lush and green, but soon turned as monotonous and bland as a desert. I would have preferred to see more mountains and hills; I think Norway will satiate that.
Oh also we had to pay $6 each for towels at the lagoon, so that was lame.
We left for Reykjavik and pulled into the BSI bus terminal. Amy and I decided to eat yummy Icelandic lamb soup. I asked the lady at the counter how to pronounce the traditional name, and I made a fool of myself trying to repeat it back to her. I wanted to ask somebody how to say basic phrases like “thank you” and “please”, but I kept forgetting / chickening out throughout the day. It’s silly how I feel I’ll be judged for something like that.
We continued to walk around, and found a church called Hallgrimskirja (probably), modeled after hexagonal flood basalt, a geological feature that I’d love to witness personally.
A coffee shop named Reykjavik Roasters was nearby, and it was there that Amy and I got some of our favorite black tea. We headed back to BSI and caught a bus to the airport. I am writing this post from there, and we will leave at 1:10a (18:10 on the 14th in Seattle) for Oslo.
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