TRAVEL 28 hours in the land of ice and fire Let Iceland blow your mind By First Officer Tori Bottomley, Log Board member volcanic island straddling two tectonic plates, Iceland is host to some of Mother Natures most dramatic shows. If you are searching for an unforgettable weekend away, this is certainly one way to do it. Here, youll exchange bright lights for the northern lights and ice cubes floating in your drink for much larger ones on the beach. My last trip to Iceland was for a friends 30th. Lasting a total of 28 hours, it was brief, but it was epic. While it was a shame we werent there for longer, we managed to prove just how much you can pack in if you have the energy for it! So, heres my guide to what not to miss. On your marks The first thing to do is hire a car. As with most airports, Keflavik has lots of rental options, and many offer airline discount. Weve had a little Suzuki Jimny each time and it has served us well, even in early December. Not only is it one of the cheaper options, but it also gives you peace of mind with its 4x4 capacity. Route 1 is the road that circles the entire country and is the convenient way to get to many of Icelands most impressive attractions. Unfortunately, you can only get about a quarter of the way round in such a short time, but the good news is that many of the best bits are located in this area. The first stop on our tour eastbound from Keflavik is the Instagramhallowed Blue Lagoon. Filled with a cocktail of seawater, silica, algae and minerals, the geothermal pools here have been touted by many to have healing benefits. Once submerged in the gorgeously warm waters, the volcanic rock makes the place seem otherworldly. In 2012, National Geographic labelled it as one of Earths most awesome places, competing with the Norwegian Fjords and the Great Barrier Reef for the title. In the winter, Google states that daylight hours are 11am-4pm. Unfortunately on our trip, because of a four-hour delay at snow-closed Manchester, daylight was in short supply for us. What Google did not tell us, however, is that the sun rises at a glacial pace and the sky is in a perpetual state of sunrise/sunset. So not only was it light until nearly 6pm, but all of our pictures were beautiful. But if you dont manage to make it to the Blue Lagoon in daylight, have no fear. Its actually cheaper to visit at night and the charm is still very much there (although your GoPro footage may not be as good). With the cheapest package, you get a free face mask made from the lagoons world-famous clay and a healthy smoothie, so you can pretend you havent had a fry-up and several cheese toasties earlier in the day. Also on site, the world-class Lava restaurant is built into an 800-yearold lava cliff. The cocktails and food here were just as awe-inspiring as the scenery, incurring multiple lip-smacks from myself. Their crayfish bisque was particularly delicious. This country has absolutely nailed soup recipes, so make sure to try some during your visit and top it off with some Skyr for dessert. Alcohol in Iceland is very expensive, so, if you are on a budget, it may be worth buying some duty-free in the terminal. Why not stay on brand and try some Icelandic Reyka vodka! Let there be (northern) light Now that darkness is falling, you may be thinking about the northern lights. These can be seen around seven months of the year, and any time after October you are more likely to glimpse the green and blue ribbons. There are many tour operators that offer you the chance to see them, and while these can be good value, unfortunately the lights are either there or they are not, so on a short trip its not something I would recommend. Next on the tour for us was bed. Iceland has a great offering of Airbnb listings; however, we opted to stay at a hostel called Midgard Base Camp, at Hvolsvllur (Kvols-vott-lur). Only one hour from Reykjavik, its a great place to stop for the night and has its own hot tub, bar and restaurant. The following morning, we followed the ring road to Reynisfjara Beach for sunrise at the sociable time of 11am. Reynisfjara, or Black Sand Beach, has recently featured in Game of Thrones, its basalt columns creating a stunning backdrop. It is quite possibly the most beautiful place I have ever visited. A stone arch that looks somewhat like Durdle Door, Dyrhlaey, is a popular nesting area for puffins. Katla Ice The following morning we followed the ring road to Reynisfjara Beach for sunrise... quite possibly the most beautiful place I have ever visited Click to watch: Seljalandsfoss waterfall The Katla Ice Cave was the easternmost point of our trip. Although you can drive all the way to the base of the glacier, it is very dangerous to enter the site if not done with a guide. Not only do glaciers themselves pose many risks, but this massive hunk of ice sits on top of the Katla volcano, which is well overdue an eruption. Our hostel offered private tours in a super jeep, but there are many other operators who will also take you there. Standing inside what looked like a frozen cresting wave, I felt like I was in a scene from Ice Age. This cool giant is history made visible, and you dont have to be a geology scholar to see it. Inside the ice, layers of black mark the ashes from Katlas previous eruptions. It was a truly jaw-dropping experience. Following this, we turned around to visit all the landmarks we had missed on the way out before catching our return flight. The first of these was the Slheimasandur Crash Site. Here you will find the skeletal remains of a US Navy Douglas C-117D. Although the wreck looks particularly haunting against the black sands, no casualties occurred during the incident, the cause of which is still heavily disputed. While the car park is right next to the road, the trek to the wreck takes over an hour, so you may want to book the shuttle bus to expedite the journey. Waterfalls The next item on our agenda was the breathing heart of Iceland, the waterfall. Waterfalls are to Iceland what temples are to Thailand, and many of Icelands quirky proverbs revolve around them. But if youre pressed for time, there are a couple that you shouldnt miss. Seljalandsfoss is one of my favourites. Here you can walk behind the waterfall and feel the spray on your face. In the winter, however, this part may be cordoned off, as the splashes freeze, creating a beautiful but slippery ice sheet. The gift shop here is worth diving into. The souvenirs are authentic, locally made products that featured heavily under my Christmas tree this year. But if you are not done with waterfalls after Seljalandsfoss, Selfoss and Gullfoss are the most famous waterfalls in the country. Both are magnificent and are great for a photo op, as you can view them both from a variety of angles. Myth If you have seen Will Ferrells Eurovision, you may have some idea about the myths in Iceland today. The country has a strong connection to folklore, and more than half of the Icelandic population believes in elves. They are said to live under large boulders and hills, and many locals build houses for them in their gardens. You may see some of these reported residences on your journey along Route 1, and their elven capital is even said to be between Reykjavik and the airport. But be careful; disturbing their homes will apparently cause immeasurable harm and has long been the excuse for many abandoned building works! Explosions To end your weekend with a bang, visiting the Strokkur Geysir is a must. Not far from Gullfoss, this hive of geothermal activity is comprised of multiple geysirs, with Strokkur being the most active by far. Every five minutes, you can expect Strokkur to shoot hot jets of water 20m into the air (or higher!). This is one of Icelands most visited places, so the onsite restaurant and shop has had some considerable investment and development over the years. However, as with all of the destinations mentioned here, Iceland has managed to achieve the balance that most tourist traps do not. That is to ensure nature remains the centrepiece, without commercialism and tacky keyrings stealing the show. Not got time for a road trip? Whale watching is a popular activity in the city, but if the weather is not great, the whale museum is a must-see. Here you can learn more about the rocky relationship Iceland has with these mammals, being one of only three countries to commercially hunt them today. Although many inhabitants still insist the practice is a valuable tradition, only one whale has been killed in the past three years, and the government has finally announced its intention to end the practice by 2024. But walking around the town, the scars of this debate are very much still visible, anchored in Reykjaviks harbour. Ive been on two minibreaks to Iceland now, and I am already planning my next longer one. A couple of days here will give you a taste of this landscapes marvels, but you could easily spend more than a week in the land of ice and fire if you wanted to extend your trip. After all, where else in the world can you swim between two tectonic plates, stand on an active volcano and cook bread underground? Takk fyrir siast Follow this link for the route we used for our short trip: goo.gl/maps/PvzSEva6TzWyrgC8A Reynisfjara beach Basalt columns at Reynisfjara beach Seljalandsfoss waterfall The Blue Lagoon Unintentionally matching the sunset at the Blue Lagoon Katla ice caves