Iceland’s Midnight Sun, Endless Roads, and Beauty Beyond Belief

I took a five-hour flight to another world two months ago. It’s hard to come up with ways to describe Iceland that don’t sound cliche because it truly is like being on another planet.

This trip came about as an extension to a long-planned family trip to Ireland when I discovered Play Airlines allowed for up to 10 days as a layover in Iceland before continuing on to Dublin for no extra cost. How could I turn that down?

Everyone who’s ever visited Iceland says you have to go. Everyone who hasn’t been (in my experience) tells me it’s on their list. The first group is right. The second group needs to just go!

I was glad that some of my family decided to join me for part of my Icelandic layover and Vicky Ann surprised us with a last-minute decision to come.

I was also glad to have some solo travel time in a campervan!

Some Iceland travel tips, for when you eventually go:

• A few days or a few weeks – you’ll never see it all, but you’ll be amazed by what you do see.
• Do be aware of the time of year and hours of daylight you’ll have. May was perfect, with the sun “setting” after 11pm and rising at 3am which made it possible to see more during the long days. But – no Northern Lights during this time of year if that’s what you’re looking for.
• Don’t plan around the weather, just dress appropriately; you will not regret bringing rain pants and a rain jacket.
• Yes, Iceland is fairly expensive but it’s worth it! And there are plenty of ways to cut down on costs.
• You can base yourself in Reykjavik and take day tours, or rent a car and stay anywhere to explore on your own. Both are fine and come with advantages and disadvantages. Either way, you’ll see amazing things you’ve never seen before.
• Just get in touch with me if you are planning a trip and want more ideas! (otimo1995@gmail.com)

Six weeks after leaving Iceland, I still can’t come up with the words to describe it. So here is a series of photos and slideshows loosely based around the three regions I visited.

Northeastern Iceland: Midges and Me

After landing at 4am in broad daylight, I picked up my campervan and headed north for five hours towards Akureyri. The next few days included fascinating sights around Lake Mývatn, appropriately named for the kajillions of midges that swarm the area every year. They don’t bite, but at one campground the air was so thick with them that it was impossible to eat without getting some extra midge protein. I appreciated moments of reprieve in the wind and sun which they avoid.

Mud flats, steam vents, hiking up volcanic craters, lava fields, waterfalls, a whale watching excursion, a fairy garden, puffins, and a couple of blissful hours in a geothermal bath filled the two days I spent in this region.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula: Iceland in Miniature

Heading south, I decided to explore Snæfellsnes Peninsula, known for having just about everything you could see in all of Iceland packed into one peninsula. Once I left the ring road and headed onto the peninsula, I felt I’d left the other-worldliness of Iceland for yet another stranger and even more breathtakingly beautiful place.

I was arriving during the golden hour before the late-night sunset, so driving past a snow-covered volcano through mountains and valleys was one of the most gorgeous drives I’ve ever taken anywhere.

Highlights included more waterfalls, another crater to climb, hikes along the coast and through more lava fields, and the famous mountain from Game of Thrones, though every single moment was filled with incredible beauty in every direction, even the view from breakfast at my campsite.

So here are a “few” more photos of my 24 hours on the peninsula.

Southern Iceland: Not So Solo

I had a last night camping in a beautiful spot near the airport and enjoyed comparing notes with other campervan travelers. Early the next morning, I was back at the airport to say goodbye to my campervan home and welcome my sister and brother-in-law, along with Vicky Ann to Iceland.

We had a comfortable Home Exchange cabin in the country but just a few minutes from one of Iceland’s most famous attractions, Geysir. This allowed us to explore the South of Iceland over the next few days, after they all enjoyed long snoring-filled naps which reminded me of the gurgling noises I’d heard at another geothermal area a few days before.

We packed a lot in – staying out past midnight one night since the light lingered well into the early hours of the morning. Again, each view was spectacular and as I drove our rental car, my backseat passengers could not stop marveling over the Icelandic horses and sheep, snow-capped mountains, velvety green hills, and more. They even removed the driver and passenger headrests which they said were blocking their views!

We could not find an erupting volcano for my brother-in-law, but we did find a lava show which was more impressive than we expected. We talked to God, visited a black sand beach with warnings of “sneaker waves,” hiked behind a waterfall and over a glacier, ate at the most delicious tomato restaurant you could possibly imagine (thanks for the tip, Charisse!), saw yet another volcano crater, spent a few hours in Reykjavik, soaked in the warm waters and spa treatments at Sky Lagoon, and still had time to relax in our cozy country cabin.