6 Reasons You Should Put Iceland On The Top Of Your Adventure List

Iceland was an experience I don't believe I will ever fully be able to replicate in anyway. No words or cameras could ever truly come close to capturing the vast, untouched beauty of Iceland. So raw, so pure...it literally takes your breath away.

1. Gulfoss Waterfall

Gulfoss waterfall is a two tiered waterfall that plunges about 32 meters down. You can hear it before you see it, and you have to climb down hundreds of steep steps before you are rewarded with the breathtaking sight. We got to Gullfoss waterfall and literally sprinted to it as fast as our swishy, bundled up bodies would let us. I couldn't breath by the time we got to the first platform, which was fine because the sight was enough to surely take my breath away anyway. This isn't one of the wonders of the world? How it that possible? No time to take it in completely before Dave was dragging me down the icy steps to the second platform, where there was a completely different view. So glad I survived the steps because it was a sight I wouldn't have wanted to miss. We learned that years ago, in the first half of the 20th century, investors planned to destroy the falls to make a hydroelectric power-plant. Many protested, including daughter of the falls owner... threatening to throw herself from the top of the falls to her death...a little dramatic, maybe, but we can now thank her for this breathtaking sight.

2. Geisers

Where else can you find random craters filled with boiling water that could explode at any minute? We're still on Earth, right? The Geisers reminded me of an alien planet. Surrounded by snow topped mountains and valleys all around, were bubbling and steaming puddles spread out everywhere. Except they weren't puddles at all, they were deep pools of boiling water that erupted every 5-7 minutes. There were huge ones and tiny ones... all amazing and different. We weren't sure which one to focus on or which one would "blow" next. We would be staring at one, so intently thinking at any moment it would erupt, and then we would hear gasps and "ohhs" behind us and see steam 45 meters in the air from one that just erupted. It was so exciting, it made me feel like I was 5, giggling and running back and forth to them all.

3. The Blue Lagoon

Once you enter the Blue Lagoon, you enter a milky blue dreamlike state. The water is 100 degrees, the air 40 degrees... and the contrast between the two creates a hazy fog that surrounds the whole area. There is moss covered lava rock all around, a man made waterfall that beats any Sweedish massage, and silica mud that you can smear all over your face. I usually don't use the word smear, but I SMEARED. There is a bar IN the water where you can enjoy alcohol or a green smoothie. Tip: Take advantage of the free shampoo/conditioner available in the bathrooms...the water does take a toll on your hair. Also be prepared to see boobies from all over the world, whether that's your thing or not. Women are not shy here.

4. Reykjavik

Reykjavik in itself is a pretty special little town filled with colorful roofs, mountain views, and the friendliest people. I don't think the people of Iceland know how to lie or take advantage of tourists. Crime in Iceland is practically non existent. And by the harbor, there is a little restaurant called "The Pier" which has about 3 tables and the best Lobster soup I've ever had.

5. The Northern Lights

A magical, natural phenomenon that transforms the night sky into a canvas of color... sign me up! Truthfully, we were there for 4 nights and though we went out every night in an attempt to see them...we didn't get lucky. Freaking clouds. But if you do decide to make the trek to Iceland and don't see them, I can honestly tell you that its hard to be too disappointed in such a magical country. We left Reykjavik and traveled through Molbossbaer, Akranes, and a bunch of other small towns I can't pronounce or spell. All along the way we looked out the windows in hopes of some green lights, while listening to old world Icelandic folktales. We learned about the Icelandic elves and trolls...how the brave ones came to Iceland and the scared ones stayed in Norway because they "didn't have guts". These people are all about the elves. We also learned that the Icelandic language is the oldest Scandinavian language and that 70% of Irish women are of Icelandic descent because they were taken as slaves.

In between our Icelandic history lessons, our bus would randomly stop on the side of the road and we would wait....and wait....even though we didn't see the lights, we saw mountains and the moon...and it was beautiful and surreal. Standing in the middle of nowhere in the middle of Iceland in the middle of the night...40 mile per hour winds...its an invigorating feeling.

6. Langjökull Glacier

The most magical part of the entire trip was on the glacier. On the glacier the sky changes every 5 minutes. There is a saying in Iceland "if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes". It's so true. One second you are looking out over miles and miles of mountains, ice, and glaciers with the purest white tones you could ever imagine and never knew existed...two minutes later, the entire atmosphere seems to take on a blue hugh...and then all of a sudden the sun will peek out and engulf everything with golden halos. Five minutes later you are in a cloud and cannot see more than 10 feet in front of you. It feels like you are on an untouched planet.

The trek to Langjökull Glacier took hours in itself to get to, and then we were met with roads I thought for sure we would be stuck on for hours. They didn't even look like roads. But our travel guide, who I'm sure must have been born on a glacier himself, didn't bat an eye. Our "super jeep" bounced and jumped and made sounds that would have had me running to a mechanic if it was my truck...and barreled through like it was cruising down 95. After another 45 minutes on "the oldest road in Iceland" we seemed to have made it to the glacier. I was so excited to get out of the truck and explore...but we kept going and going. My senses were tripping over themselves and my poor neck was working in overdrive....I couldn't decide what direction to focus on because it seemed whichever way I turned my head I was looking at the most breathtaking view I had ever seen. Mountains of every shape and size competing for my attention, making me feel more and more like a speck of dust in this untouched land I almost felt guilty intruding on.

When we got to our "base", I could not get out of the jeep fast enough. I didn't even have my jacket on before I was tripping down the steps and falling into the snow. My calves were screaming at me, begging me to slow down. Every hill of snow I trudged up rewarded me with a new view that will forever be etched into my memory. Miles and miles of ice, water, mountains. I couldn't even speak. Our guides let us take it all in before herding us inside to put on our jumpsuits. We signed something...it could have been a form promising my first born for all I know or cared....and ran outside to listen to our snow mobile instructions. Icelandic people really don't mince words. "If you tip over, maybe we will laugh at you if you are unhurt...if you break your leg then maybe we will have to figure that out when that happens. Try not to break a bone because it will take 2 and 1/2 hours for helicopter to come get you and it is not a fun ride. If you break the snowmobile it is 25,000 and you cannot leave Iceland until you pay.". Ohhhh that's what we signed!

We hopped on our snowmobiles and started our way even further onto the Glacier. As we followed the snow mobiles in front of us, they quickly started looking more and more like ants. Going 70 mph on the second largest glacier in Iceland...surely this was some outer body experience. I kept wanting to stop to soak in this view or that....but our guides knew what was best for us. I think back now how they must have been rolling their eyes at our innocent "this is the prettiest thing I've ever seen"'s when we first drove onto the glacier. Because when we drove to our final stopping point... everyone was just silent. It was as if everyone manually had to heave their jaws off the ground, screw them back into their heads and oil them up before they were physically able to speak again. There aren't any words. After trying unsuccessfully to capture every square foot of the glorious, frozen oasis that unraveled in front of me, I gave up on the cameras and just tried to absorb everything. To say it was humbling is such an understatement. The dictionary doesn't even contain the words I am looking for. Maybe they don't exist. I have never felt smaller. If this was what all of the world looked like before humans started taking over, then we should be ashamed of ourselves.

I never, ever wanted to leave. Sadly, with only a rough 4 1/2 hours of sunlight in the wintertime, we had to turn back. Dave kept trying to get me to drive the snowmobile, but I had no interest. As we started our journey back to our base camp, I leaned back, outstretched my arms and felt a euphoria I didn't know I had in me. I was flying.

We climbed back on our super jeep and started our way back to Reykjavik. We passed cottages laced with Icelandic horses and of course, more mountains. I imagined a life where I lived in one of these cottages, over looking mountains and the ocean...blanketed with a sky of Northern lights putting me to sleep every night. People live like this for real? No congested highways, no malls... Can I live here too? As darkness took over, I rested ... more like plopped...my head on Daves shoulder and started dreaming of a life where I did live in such a place.

I am the luckiest girl in the world that I was able to experience such a magical place. Thank you Iceland, for sharing.