A Solo Journey to Iceland Confirmed Me Holidays Do not Must Be on a Seaside

Like many vacationers, after I plan a trip, I usually envision escaping to a spot with palm timber and sun-kissed temperatures, my morning espresso swapped for pina coladas, and chilly grey pavement changed with golden sand beneath my toes.

With greater than 20 counties beneath my belt, I’ve all the time favored locations with hotter climate, typically skipping journeys when pals recommend any vacation spot the place I would want a coat and gloves. My assumption was all the time that frigid temperatures would restrict my total expertise, and any locale requiring a down jacket wasn’t definitely worth the bother.

Apart from, let’s be trustworthy: are you actually having fun with your self if you’re combating frostbite? Barely dramatic, however as a Missouri woman who’s no stranger to harsh winters, paying for a flight to copy that atmosphere has by no means been on my journey moodboard.

Properly, it turned out that I used to be mistaken in regards to the excellent trip vacation spot, and a solo journey to Reykjavik, Iceland, confirmed me why.

You do not take into consideration the chilly if you’re seeing lovely sights

Inside hours of arriving in Iceland, I used to be carrying a snowsuit as temperatures dipped beneath 20 levels, and off on my first journey: chasing the northern lights, Earth’s present of good pure mild that dances throughout the night time sky. Pursuing the aurora borealis additionally means standing exterior at night time for lengthy durations of time in low temperatures till the gorgeous waves of sunshine are noticed.

Regardless of the wind whipping my face, when the primary excited shouts of “There they’re!” have been yelled, the opposite vacationers and I have been all so giddy with pleasure that the chilly was not an element. Actually, I even took my gloves off and braved freezing fingers to seize the fleeting moments on cameras as we talked about how fortunate we have been to identify them.

The next day, I bundled up in heat layers to discover Iceland’s Golden Circle with a jam-packed tour. We noticed lovely sights, from the historic Thingvellir Nationwide Park to the highly effective cascades of Gullfoss Falls, the place it was not solely blisteringly chilly but additionally very windy. But, the gorgeous panorama, spectacular glaciers, and erupting geysers had me questioning why I might ever keep away from such pure magnificence, all as a result of a couple of additional layers have been wanted.

I recharged at night time and on the Blue Lagoon

Since temperatures dipped so low within the night, it was a pure time to get high quality relaxation. Normally, on trip, I spend my days filled with actions and am out from solar as much as solar down, attempting to see all of the sights and get in as a lot seashore time as I can. However in Iceland, I took benefit of the comfortable fireplace roaring in my resort, and having early nights helped me unwind and atone for sleep.

The ultimate day was a spa expertise that surpassed any I might had on different holidays. I braved chilly temperatures to submerge and chill out in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon. Its geothermal seawater is commonly hailed as therapeutic for its wealthy pure components. Between the lagoon, sauna, and massages provided, I spent hours in an exciting state of leisure whereas additionally being surrounded by unmatched pure magnificence.

I am already including extra chilly locations to my record

For years, I’ve prevented taking journeys to chilly places, considering the temperature would forestall me from actually enjoyable, however my time in Reykjavik shortly discredited that concept. I realized that magnificence and leisure may be discovered regardless of the climate report.

I’ve already began so as to add locations to my record that I might beforehand by no means been focused on, and am now trying ahead to exploring. Even when it means buying and selling in pristine seashores for snow-capped mountains, I wish to see the whole lot our world has to supply.