Iceland - Northern Lights
Our flight was early in the day so we took the bus to the Blue Lagoon. The thermal pools are closer to the airport than to the city so it’s always a good plan to stop off on the way in or out from Keflavik if your schedule allows. They’re a well organised attraction offering luggage storage, towel rental and electronic wristbands that will close your locker and buy you a drink in the pool – clever stuff! The water temperature in the bathing area of the lagoon averages 37–39 °C and its rich in minerals like silica and sulphur. Whilst this doesn’t sound a nice place to be, it’s actually very pleasant. There are ‘mud stations’ around the pools where you can help yourself and most people walk around in the water with a face pack on for a while.
Then you can visit the ‘pool bar’ for a drink, get a body massage or a sauna. In time the silica makes the black volcanic rocks turn white and smooth below the water line and on the bottom of the pool it’s mostly smooth, squidgy mud – just beware the odd rock! After all, this is a natural lava landscape pool that’s fed by water from the nearby geothermal power station and the healing properties of the water were discovered by accident. Unfortunately, whilst it’s great for the skin, it plays havoc with your hair - so if you get it wet, you’ll need a week and a gallon of conditioner to put it right!
The bus into the city will drop off at most of the main hotels so it’s a great service. We found the Icelandic people to be friendly and helpful and the world’s most northern capital is spotlessly clean. We walked everywhere in the central area and even made it up to the Perlan centre. The Perlan is built on top of huge geothermal hot water storage tanks on Öskjuhlíð hill and houses reputably the most expensive restaurant in the country. We made do with coffee and cake, but it’s an interesting ‘James Bond’ style building that often houses exhibitions and offers amazing views of the city from the viewing platform.
Most visitors to Iceland will also do the ‘golden circle’ excursion featuring Gullfoss, Geysir and Thingvellir. This is a full day trip and it was good to get out and see some of the countryside. Thingvellir National Park is the site of a rift valley between the Eurasian Plate and North American Tectonic Plates. Silfra on Thingvellir Lake is one of the best spots for diving in the world and experienced divers find the rift dive offers a unique opportunity to dive pristine waters offering 100m visibility between two continents.
Northern Lights tours are offered by all the main tour companies and it’s a good idea to book one up for the beginning of your holiday. We were lucky enough to see the lights almost every evening in the city, but the first time we took the tour it was deemed a ‘no show’. The second time we went (for free this time), the guide was much better with her rendition of local folklore and we found ourselves back at Thingvellir Park. This time we were treated to shimmering curtains of red and green that ended in an intense swirl. The display lasted around 20 minutes. Taking a good picture is more by luck than judgement as you have to choose a long exposure time and hope that it stays in focus. Also the cold will quickly drain your batteries.
You could hardly see your hand in front of your face in the park so taking a small torch so you can adjust your settings is a good idea. Using a flashgun is extremely bad form - not only will your picture be useless, but the light from your flash will ruin the shots of everyone around you! So – mission accomplished – Northern Lights done. My husband says we were lucky – I say it was good planning! Our hotel was also one of very few that had a sky terrace by the bar, so he had plenty of chance to practice with the camera whilst I was wrapped up in a blanket with a hot toddy!