Sorry for the long wait for the next post, I have been crazy busy with work and exams so unfortunatly there has been an lack of blogging. That is all change now and just to keep you updated on what is happening in the world of One Girl's Wanderlust here is an article of mine which has been published on Rove Magazine's website, an online digital travel magazine. The article is based on one of my previous posts on Iceland featured on my blog last year. I hope you like the article. See it on the website here.
OGW xx
"Iceland is not the most obvious destination for a holiday. The active volcanoes, -20 degree weather and a language barrier few can bridge make it slightly more difficult than a stay at a tropical resort.
It isn’t the easy, all inclusive package holiday loved by millions year upon year where you know exactly what it will be like. Iceland is for people who like to explore and offers a tantalizing environment to the enquiring, curious tourist; you just have to be prepared to search for what you are looking for.
Iceland is most famous for its geographical delights such as the Jokulsarlon glacier, the Gullfoss waterfall, and mountains like Mt. Hekla volcano that punctuate the arctic landscape. The combination of wilderness, scenery and purity made me stop to think about the sheer beauty of nature, something I feel is lost from my day to day life living in a built up town.
Before I had left I already wanted to return to experience the close connection with nature that occurs whilst you are there and to join the rosy cheeked locals who embrace the elements with little concern over getting a little cold and wet tramping among the rough landscape which was the purpose of my trip.
A geography trip was the purpose of my visit, making the landscape and geographical features the main focus.
We were guided around the country by experts who knew so much and had been to Iceland year after year. They started off by proving they knew where to stay.
Guesthouse Húsid in Hvolsvöllur was run by Hinrik and his wife. Ideal because it was close to all the main attractions in Iceland, it offered a warm, clean and homely escape from the biting icy weather.
Hinrik was as rugged as volcanic soil of his country. Even during moments of panic, he was composed, as he proved one morning when we awoke to a small surprise.
“Arghh, Oh my God! There’s a mouse in our room! Quickly! Catch it, Catch it!” it was not long before we had attracted a crowd of spectators to join in the mouse hunt.
“Don’t ask me what to do, I hate mice!” the tour operator said as we frantically searched for someone to help us with our unwanted guest. We, not being Henrik, decided the best thing to do was to throw all our bags onto the top bunk of the bed, far out of reach from the tiny paws of mice and leave for the days itinerary. Hinrik though, was a man of action; he began to set some traps, under his breath blaming the infestation on the cold weather outside. Later that evening, Henrik approached us smiling, saying that we would have no problem with mice that evening; he caught three in total that day and asked if we wanted to see them. He had kept them in their traps as proof of his success!
That night we turned the heat up high to fight the chill and slept soundly.
Like their houses, Iceland’s water is heated by geothermal energy providing Iceland with health spas and heated outdoor swimming pools. The most famous being the Blue Lagoon, which is actually a pool of industrial waste from the Sudurnes Regional Heating Company mixed with sea water originating 2000m below the ground.
The lagoon itself holds an amazing six million litres of geothermal water which is renewed every forty hours and the water itself does not contain common bacteria, meaning that chlorine does not need to be added to the water so you can unwind in a completely natural environment.
Due to the purity and cleanliness of the lagoon, it has been awarded the “Blue Flag” award, given to beaches for their water quality and their environmental management. The readers of “Conde Nast Traveller” magazine also voted the Blue Lagoon the best medical spa worldwide. Natural and Beautiful, sigh, only in Iceland.
The water produced is rich in silica, and pools in mud on the floor of the lagoon so visitors can scoop it up and use it as an amazing exfoliant. As well, a green/blue algae is found in the water itself giving it its nourishing and soothing properties. Large buckets of the silica mud are provided free of charge at stations in the lagoon so that you can apply it to your face and body, increasing your skin’s barrier function whilst providing a deep cleanse and exfoliation.
If you like the sound of being pampered whilst you swim, then read on. Not only does the blue lagoon have buckets of the silica mud for you to apply yourself, but as it is a spa, they also offer special treatments that take place in the blue lagoon itself. These treatments use the Blue Lagoon range of products which combine the sea water, silica mud and algae together in one product which is also available to purchase in the shop so you can carry on enjoying the benefits of the lagoon at home. The aim of the treatments is to bring you closer to nature and the purity of the lagoons extraordinary environment.The main in water treatments are massages on the back and the legs using the silica mud and it is even possible to get specially designed treatments for children and pregnant women.
“Why can’t we just stay here forever” and “This place is purely magical” were phrases I heard being uttered countless times during my visit to the lagoon. It was such an amazing experience to swim outside when it is snowing on a late October evening; however you have to get over the sulphurous stench produced by the water and the large boulders on the floor of the lagoon that you can easily trip over if you’re not paying attention.
The lagoon itself is divided into different sections by wooden bridges and underwater tunnels that lead to saunas, steam baths, a waterfall and relaxation rooms. It was hard not to feel like a character in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” whilst swimming through the mist and exploring all the secluded coves of the blue lagoon.
Swimming in the Blue Lagoon is an unforgettable experience, nearly as unforgettable as the changing rooms which are communal and the locals have no fear about changing completely in front of you. The showers even have signs in them telling you to shower naked and there are wardens standing there making sure you do so. This was a complete culture shock as I was so used to changing in a cubicle when in a public place and the only cubicles in the Blue Lagoon changing rooms had glass doors. It was a surreal experience especially when you had to change in front of people you see day in and day out at college, however, by the end of the week we all became experts in changing quickly with a towel wrapped around us, something that provided the locals with endless amusement and showed off the fact that we were indeed tourists.
Iceland is so unlike anything else in the world with its black beaches, geothermal swimming pools, Northern lights and “Lego” like houses. I would really recommend it to anyone in search of an escape from the harsh environment of the city or anyone who wants to re-new their relationship with nature.
I wouldn’t recommend following my friend’s advice though, during our visit to the Solheimajökull or the Black Glacier in English, she was so enthused that she chipped a piece off the blackened glacier and put it in her bag as she came face to face with the glacier, something we had only seen in textbooks. When we asked why she told us bluntly “To show everyone at home of course”. Through stifled laughter we realized she had likely neglected her
studies that week, but who could blame her? There was just so much to do."
You can see this article on the Rove Magazine website here and many more like it. Enjoy.....x
