The trip took place in May of 2017 with my friends, Joe and Richard. This was our first time visiting Iceland. My church was in the beginning phases of partnering with another church there, and I just wanted to see the country for myself. Our plan was to spend four full days in the country.
Iceland is an epic country alone, rooted in Nordic history and jaw-dropping landscapes. That would be enough to make it unforgettable, but what made it stand out was the freedom and flexibility to make our own adventure. We didn’t jump on any tour buses, and we had no set plans before the trip. That may give anxiety to some, but despite how it sounds, we were far from unprepared. We did plan on everyday things such as travel, lodging, and transportation. What made our trip unique was the idea that each morning, we would set our course and plans for the day. All we had was a google map with marked points of interest.
For an entire country, Iceland is considered tiny. It’s about the size of Rhode Island, and the population size is around 339,575. That’s less than some cities in the US! With stunning landscapes and a small population, it just screams adventure! Despite its small size, there are almost an infinite amount of experiences to be had. However, we were going to try to accomplish as much as possible in four days.
The Departure
The trip started with a six-hour drive on May 20th from Jackson, Mississippi, to the Atlanta International Airport. Our flight path was going to be Atlanta-Boston-Reykjavík and backward. We were staying in Boston the first night and flying through the second night.
The reason for our overnight stay was because we booked multiple tickets to save some cash. Boston, at the time, had extremely cheap tickets to Iceland through WoW Airlines. On the 21st, we left Boston at 7:00 pm. So yeah, our first few days were spent wasting time at the airport, but it was a small price to pay for saving money. While we did fly out during the evening, the strange thing was, the sun never set. We flew 5.5 hours overnight, but it never got fully dark. We arrived early that morning into Keflavík, with the sun already starting to rise. That time of year, Iceland never fully gets dark, which made an excellent opportunity for late-night adventures!
After landing, we picked up our car from Lotus Car Rental. I would recommend them to anyone! I’ve used them a second time when I had another group go with me. Great cars and excellent service. We booked a manual, and with Richard being the only man among us, he became the designated driver. I won’t book a manual again. For one, it’s a different country with an unfamiliar vehicle – even for those who can drive a stick shift. Automatics are worry-free, and you can share the burden of driving.
Good Morning Reykjavik
Getting on the road and out of the commercial area of Keflavík is where the awe began to sink in. As we made our way to the capital city, Reykjavík, it looked as if we had to cross the terrain of a foreign planet. I’m sure this seems normal to Icelanders, but for the rest of the world, the moss-covered lava fields look alien.
When we arrived in Reykjavík, it was a ghost town. Not what I expected, but then I remembered that it was the wee hours of the morning. It was such an odd feeling for it to be so bright outside, yet no one in sight. Exploring the city void of people was pretty tranquil. We checked out some small parks and local churches and buildings.
After aimless wandering for a few hours, we decided to start looking for breakfast. It was almost time for coffee shops to open up, and we waited for Bergsson Mathús to open. When I say Iceland was an unforgettable experience, I mean everything there was an unforgettable experience – even breakfast. The freshness of every dish in Iceland was life-changing.
Hallgrímskirkja
After a breakfast feast, at a price for a king, we made our way to Hallgrímskirkja. It’s the famous Lutheran Church of Iceland. Christianity is the dominant religion of the nation, but only on paper. During the time we went, separation of church in state is not a thing here. Natives are born as a member of the church until you opt-out.
The church itself is gorgeous and it is open to visitors unless an event is taking place. Luckily, we were able to walk in and take pictures that morning before the crowds.
Our Basecamp
Still running on little sleep, we wanted to get to our Airbnb and settle in for the day. We booked our stay in Meðalfell, an area 45 minutes north of Reykjavík. We planned to use this area as a basecamp each morning. The cottage was sitting right on Meðalfellsvatn Lake. So we ventured out of the city and into Iceland’s countryside. A lot of road trippers caravan around the country camping at various locations. I would love to do that, but I am glad we chose to have a basecamp for this trip, especially one located in a gorgeous area. Waking up in this beautiful cottage in rural Iceland was a game-changer. With a view of the lake and mountains from our window, it made the morning coffee so much more vibrant.
By the time we arrived, it was still too early for check-in. Since we now knew where the cabin was, we decided to make a grocery run to burn some time. Usually, I’d leave out a tedious detail such as that, but even grocery shopping turned into an adventure. According to our GPS, the nearest grocery store was located across the bay near us. We set our course and made it to the bay area, only to discover no bridge. Instead, we traveled into a volcanic bedrock tunnel, which I can only describe as the Batcave. The fact I got excited over a tunnel reveals the child in me.
We made it to the store and had to figure out how Icelanders do their grocery shopping. Iceland is an English friendly country, but we were not in a tourist area. This store was located in a small industrial/residential area away from the bigger towns. Fortunately, English is still a common language throughout Iceland. We were able to get what we needed while trying to avoid extremely high prices on certain items.
We traversed the Batcave again and made it back to the cottage to official check-in. Joe was already passed out before we arrived. I don’t blame him, but with every turn being a new sight, I just could not sleep! Poor Richard, on the other hand, didn’t have a choice as he was the only one who could drive. I did my best to be a good co-pilot!
Our check-in was via a keypad, so there was no interaction with anyone. At this point, it had been a full day, and a shower and sleep sounded great. We walked in, claimed our beds, and made ourselves at home. The kitchen, dining room, and living area were combined into one small room with a huge glass window facing the lake and mountains. It was a sight that was relaxing and set the bold tone for the days to follow.
