Solo Trip Snapshots

On September 5, 2017 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Denmark, Iceland, International Travel2 Comments

It has officially been a year since my solo trip to Iceland and Copenhagen, Denmark, and I’m still in awe of the scenery in both countries. This trip meant a lot to me, as it was the longest I had ever taken by myself. I think it might be cliche to say that I learned a lot about myself on this trip, that it was life changing, but I’ll say it anyways. It would be hard not to visit two completely new-to-me countries and come back unchanged, especially when the countries are that beautiful. Plus traveling alone is always such an empowering experience. I returned from this trip with a little more confidence, perspective and of course the need to book more trips immediately. Now, a year later, I have some more exciting travels planned for the near future, and I’m feeling nostalgic for one of my favorite trips ever. So, without further ado, here are my favorite solo trip snapshots from my trip to Iceland and Copenhagen:

I’ll start with Iceland, the most beautiful country I have ever been to.

My favorite things about Iceland were the waterfalls along the South Coast, hiking Mount Esja, the street art, the people, the hot dogs, the whale watching tours, Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach, Reykjanes Peninsula, and the Black Sand Beach. I don’t think I will ever see such amazing, diverse, and breath-taking scenery again (unless I go back).

In Copenhagen, I was in love with the pace of life, the wine and lattes at outdoor tables in beautiful squares with fountains in the middle. I loved the boat tour along the canal, drinking and reading at Paludan Cafe, playing at Tivoli Gardens, exploring the Norrebro Neighborhood, the museums, the shops… I could go on all day. It is such a beautiful and unique city, and I’m so happy I chose to visit.

Please share your own solo trip snapshots in the comments; I’d love to see them!

Reykjavik, Iceland, RebeccaWanderlusting

Last Day in Reykjavik, Iceland

On October 19, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International Travel3 Comments

My last day in Reykjavik, Iceland was bittersweet. I was so sad to leave the country that I had fallen head over heels for, but was also very excited to move on to my next stop, Copenhagen. I planned the day’s activities around a last minute Reykjanes Peninsula Tour, which ran from 1pm to 4pm. The one thing that I really wanted to do before I left the country was go to The Laundromat Café for breakfast.

I had read great reviews about this quirky restaurant and wanted to try it for myself. I started the day early and walked over to the café from Hotel Holt. Every time I had passed this restaurant it was full of people, luckily I was able to catch it at a slower time. I sat down at a table by the windows and ordered coffee right off the bat. The menu here is simple, and it was easy to choose the blueberry and banana pancakes.

This meal was my absolute favorite in Iceland. The pancakes were topped with fresh blueberries, caramelized bananas, maple syrup and had Greek yogurt and blueberry compote on the side. It was heavenly. And the restaurant is so cute! They have a rainbow of books lining the outside of the coffee bar and framed photos of laundromats on the walls.

After breakfast, I walked over to the National Museum of Iceland, which was about a ten minute walk from the restaurant. There was a $13 fee to enter the museum, which features two floors of exhibits on Iceland’s history from its discovery through modern times. I found the museum to be very interesting, especially the exhibits featuring information and artifacts of the Vikings and the feminist movement in Iceland.

I took an hour and a half to go through the museum in its entirety, but I could have spent more time going back through to take a longer look at my favorite exhibits. However, I had to run back to my hotel to catch my tour bus to The Reykjanes Peninsula (read all about that here).

After the tour was over, our bus driver drove us wherever we wanted to be dropped off, so I got out at the Old Harbor to attempt to eat an early dinner at the Sea Baron. Every time I had attempted to eat at this seaside restaurant in the past few days it had been packed. Thankfully, since I was ahead of the game, it was easy to snag a seat at one of the community style tables.

The famous lobster soup was served up with a personal basket of fresh baked bread with butter. The soup hit the spot; it was so delicious. There were chunks of fresh lobster and the broth was perfectly seasoned. After being out in the cold all day, the soup was a perfect treat. After dinner, I stopped back at Hotel Holt to change out of my hiking clothes, then headed out to catch the rest of happy hour. I walked over to the Lebowski Bar on Laugavegur Street, where they boasted a two-for-one special.

Because I arrived towards the end of happy hour, at 6:30pm, I had to have both my drinks at once to take an advantage of the good deal. So I found an empty table and sat down to enjoy my two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc and Blues Brothers, which was being projected on the wall. This bar was so fun, with its themed decor in line with the 90’s cult classic, and even had a White Russian menu.

After happy hour, I was planning on wandering around a bit and maybe finding another bar to have a drink, however, I fortunately ran right into a Haunted Reykjavik walking tour. The tour was cash only – 2500isk, which I didn’t have. But! Lucky for me, he was accepting other currencies as well, and I had a 20 pound note in my wallet that I’ve had in there for years, since a guest at work tipped me with it.

The tour started at an Elf Rock, which is where elves live, of course. Elves are serious business in Iceland, which is fascinating to me. The tour circled through downtown Reykjavik, along old churches and the parliament building. Our tour guide, Oli, had us all engaged and laughing the whole way.

The way he told each story was great; he had all the facts but still made jokes the whole time. The last stop of the tour was the Reykjavik Cemetery. The lights hadn’t kicked on yet, and it was very dark and pretty scary. Oli guided us through using the flashlight on his phone and explained the different historic graves and Icelandic traditions. As we moved through the cemetery, we passed a gentleman lounging against a statue next to his scooter. We kept moving, and stopped for Oli’s next talking point.

Soon into this next story, the aforementioned gentleman started yelling from the direction that we came. I think it’s safe to say that everyone in the group jumped when it started, and we all tried to laugh it off. We moved on to the last grave, Jon Sigurdsson’s, where Oli was telling us all about this significant Icelander’s life. This was when the fight broke out. Mr. Scooter was grappling with another guy, and they both were yelling in a mash up of English and Icelandic. Very calmly, Oli suggested we move the tour somewhere else. The group quickly moved back to the downtown area, everyone whispering about the two amateur wrestlers in the cemetery. Oli finished up the tour with the same charisma he started with and just as he said his closing line, we spotted the scooter guy and his friend cruising by together, on the same scooter, both looking battered and unhappy.

It was actually a great end to the tour, plus it was hilarious. I finished up the night getting some ice cream at a charming little creperie on the way back to the hotel. It was a perfect ending to the wonderful whirlwind of adventures of Iceland.

Have you visited Reykjavik, Iceland? Which museums did you visit? Did you take a walking tour of the city?

Reykjavik Street Art, Iceland, RebeccaWanderlusting

Reykjavik Street Art + An Announcement

On October 16, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International TravelLeave a comment

One of my favorite things about the city of Reykjavik was how every available space was decorated with street art. As I wandered around, I marveled at the murals on the sides of buildings, paintings in alleyways and doodles scrawled across scaffolding and walls. Each day that I walked around this colorful city, I noticed a new (to me, at least) piece of art.

It became almost like an easy treasure hunt through the city to find the best pieces of street art, which could be uncovered around almost every corner. Each piece was so thoughtfully done and perfectly placed, unlike other cities, where the artwork can be scribbled and overlapped.

One of the best things about Reykjavik, is that it’s small and easy to explore. That being said, there are also so many nooks and crannies that could almost go unnoticed but house such beautiful paintings. I walked up and down the main streets of Reykjavik just to see what kind of art I could find in the hidden corners of the city.

I have no doubt that this constant search for more and more street art contributed to the ten miles of walking I each day while in Iceland. It made scouring the city for affordable places for dinner or for the best happy hour deals all the more fun.

I loved how vibrant, whimsical and unique each painting was. The one above was my absolute favorite, and I got to pass by it each time I walked to and from my hotel, Hotel Holt.

Scouring the city for great street art was definitely one of my favorite ways to pass the time in Reykjavik. To read more about all of my favorite things to do in this beautiful city, check out my post “How to Spend the Perfect Day In Reykjavik” on The Pin the Map Project, where I will now be posting from time to time (in addition to Rebecca Wanderlusting, of course).

Have you been to Reykjavik, Iceland? Which piece of Reykjavik street art was your favorite?

Reykjanes Peninsula Tour

On October 12, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International TravelLeave a comment

The Reykjanes Peninsula may be known as the home of the Blue Lagoon, but the rest of this amazing landscape should not be missed! Because it is also the home of Keflavik Airport, so it’s typically the first glimpse of Iceland that most people get. The Peninsula is a geothermally active, otherworldly landscape full of wonders. I’m so glad that I got an in-depth look.

I booked this tour on a whim after enjoying the South Coast tour so much. It was relatively inexpensive and only took the afternoon, so it was a perfect choice for my last day in Iceland. A Grayline Bus picked me up from Hotel Holt and shuttled me and the other passengers to the main bus terminal (right near the AirBnB I stayed at!). From there, I took another bus to the Blue Lagoon to catch yet another bus, which would take us on the actual tour.

I didn’t feel the pull to actually visit the Blue Lagoon, but I’m really happy that I got to see it at least because it is BEAUTIFUL. I checked in with the tour guide, DeeDee, to make sure I had time, and then ran off to take some photos of the bright blue water. There’s a path that winds around the Blue Lagoon Spa where other people were also wandering around in awe like me. It was such a gorgeous site to behold.

I was smiling so hard that my cheeks hurt by the time I boarded the bus to get on with the tour. I really enjoyed this tour guide because she was quirky and talkative (her first line of the tour was “BUCKLE UP EVERYBODY, THERE’S A WOMAN DRIVING!”), and made sure to stop anywhere and everywhere that we might want to take pictures. So, naturally, our first stop was a scenic overlook of the lava fields that cover a lot of the area.

We did a quick driving tour of the fishing village of Grindavik, which DeeDee narrated, spouting out interesting facts as we went. Like, did you know that fishing was the #1 industry in Iceland until last year, when tourism took its place? The drive along the peninsula was stunning. We had volcanoes to our left and the Atlantic Ocean to our right. Our next stop(s) were in the geothermal area, starting with the Green Lake and moving on to Krysuvik, a bubbling, sulfuric area.

The green lake was beautiful and its smooth surface resembled blue and green agate; it was amazing. We hopped back in the bus after taking our pictures and drove across the street to the active geothermal area. We walked through it on a boardwalk that zigzagged over the steaming ground.

The colors were gorgeous, from shades of orange and red to deep purple. The sulfur smell made us all try to breathe exclusively through our mouths, but it was a beautiful place to explore. From there, we drove down the road a ways to Kleifarvatn Lake, one of the largest lakes in Iceland. It was freezing and windy over by the water, so we ran to take our pictures of the moody, choppy lake set amongst the green-topped hills.

Recently (in 2000), an earthquake caused the lake to drain a bit and the water level went down a significant amount. This, plus murder of course, became the plot of a famous crime novel written by one of Iceland’s most well-known authors. We also stopped up the mountainside so we could take in the view of the lake from above, which was a thoughtful addition to the tour.

Our last stop of the tour was a whole area of the peninsula devoted to drying fish heads to be shipped out to whoever buys dried fish heads. It was quite the sight to see; all those fish heads dangling from wooden posts.

Deedee drove us back to Reykjavik and dropped us off wherever we wanted to go. And where I wanted to go was the Sea Baron in the Old Harbor, but more on that later…

Have you visited the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland? What was your favorite spot there?

Black Sand Beach, Vik, Iceland, RebeccaWanderlusting

South Coast Tour Part Two

On October 9, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International Travel1 Comment

The first half of the South Coast Tour was jaw-droppingly beautiful; full of lush, green land, gorgeous waterfalls and world-renown hiking trails. The second half was a completely different landscape, much like how the landscape of Iceland as a whole changes from mile to mile. Our first stop after the waterfalls was the quaint south coast fishing town of Vik, Iceland for a lunch break.

On our way there we passed miles of farmland and mountains, all of which was spotted with fluffy, little sheep. The tour van took the hills and curves at about 50mph, which was thrilling to say the least. We came over a hill to view Vik for the first time in all its cute, small town charm. Siggy, our tour guide, brought us to a roadside café for lunch. It was an order-at-the-counter kind of establishment, so our group made quite a long line. There were a lot of great looking local options, most of which came in the form of a stew. By the time I got up to the counter, I ordered a cheeseburger out of pure indecisiveness. It was pretty good! From the diner we could see the backside of the Black Sand Beach, with its telltale stone pillars lining up into the ocean.

We finished up our meals and were ushered back to the bus. We drove on to the front entrance to the beach and were set loose to explore. I love being anywhere near the sea, so this was my favorite stop of the day. The waves were quite large, and crashed onto the black stones on the beach, slipping through the cracks between them and sending tourists scurrying away from them to avoid getting soaked.

In addition to the stunning view of the ocean, the surrounding hillside and rock formations were strange and beautiful. Opposite the water was a hillside comprised of what looked like stone jenga pieces stacked up behind each other. Just to the right of this sculpted hill are the two stone pillars sticking up from the ocean.

If I were on my own schedule, I could have sat on the rocks watching the waves roll in all day. However, I was on tour time, so we moved on after spending 30-40 minutes admiring the Black Sand Beach.

Our next and final stop of the tour was the Solheimajokull Glacier, which was a little ways away. Siggy got out with us and walked us the half mile towards the glacier, giving us the facts as we went. Along the way, I got to talking to two retired teachers who travel together frequently, one was American and the other was Canadian. As it turns out, they were going to Copenhagen next too, so we made tentative plans to meet up there.

The tour stopped a bit away from the actual glacier and Siggy explained that the year before, the glacier had come up to the point where we stood. It’s been receding rapidly, and even when we moved up to stand next to it we could see the water running out from underneath.

The glacier didn’t look how I thought it might look; it was black on top with white and icy blue beneath. We walked up the glacier a couple steps, but only a couple because none of us had the spiked shoes needed to glacier hike. On the glacier, there were cracks that went through to the bottom, where I could see the water running underneath.

It was a lot colder by the glacier, so by the time we had to go back to the bus, most people were more than ready. The bus ride back to towards Reykjavik was pretty quiet as I think everyone was reflecting on all the beauty we got to see. The tour bus dropped us each off at our hotels, where we each thanked Siggy as we got off.

When I arrived back in my hotel room, I quickly changed and headed back out to get some dinner. I wanted to go to the Sea Baron, but the line was out the door, so I set about finding something else that was in my budget but wasn’t fast food. This is kind of a struggle in Reykjavik, because a lot of the restaurants are pretty pricey. After thirty minutes of wandering, I landed at Fish & More for their specialty, which was a sort of fish casserole served with broccoli, sweet potatoes, rice and rye bread with a Viking beer on the side.

It was either really delicious or I was really hungry. The restaurant had a really fun vibe, with stacks of National Geographic magazines on the side tables, comfy benches along one wall and bags of water (like the ones you’d bring a goldfish home in from the state fair) hanging from the ceiling. Their playlist was also really good, with bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Death Cab for Cutie. It was a great place to end a day full of adventuring.

Stay tuned for more adventures in Iceland!

Have you ever been on a tour through Iceland? Which one and what did you think?

South Coast Waterfalls

On October 5, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International Travel2 Comments

The morning of my South Coast Tour, I waited outside Hotel Holt for the Extreme Iceland bus to scoop me up. I had a rocky start to the day after I spilled a cup of coffee all down myself and on my notebook while I was trying to enjoy the complimentary continental breakfast. This unfortunate event sent me running back to my room to change while apologizing to everyone I passed for making a mess. I tried to salvage the outfit, but it was no good so I changed and hurried back downstairs to jump on the bus, still smelling a bit like coffee.

We had a relatively small group of seventeen people plus our guide, Icelandic Harrison Ford (aka Siggy), and everyone was chatting excitedly as we left Reykjavik. The landscapes we passed were otherworldly; scruffy green hills, golden fields for miles, mountains and ridges. We passed Icelandic horses (shorter and prettier than American horses) and tons of fluffy sheep (fun fact: there are three sheep to every one human in Iceland).

The bus stopped briefly for a bathroom/coffee break before moving to our first South Coast stop of the day: Seljalandsfoss. This gorgeous waterfall stopped me in my tracks. This is exactly what I came to Iceland to see and it hit me right in the gut. The waterfall cascades from a cliff into a small pool, with an inlet carved out behind it so it’s possible to hike all the way around the fall. Sets of stairs were situated on both sides that were perfect for photo ops. The view from behind the waterfalls was breathtaking. Jagged rocks led down to the pool where the falls landed, where it was possible to wade in a bit.

It was also very wet, and everyone came out on the other side a little damper than before. We were given thirty minutes to explore this waterfall and the area around it, which included a couple other small waterfalls and green grass as far as the eye could see. I bonded with a mother/daughter team from London during the first stop. They were from right by where I lived when I studied abroad in London, which gave us plenty to talk about. Making friends on the tour was really easy because we were all on the same small bus for the whole day, which was very nice. Of course there were some rotten apples in the bunch, but only a couple (I’m looking at you girl who ate a stinky sandwich on the bus and loudmouth that absolutely had to be the center of attention at all times).

Once we all piled back onto the bus, we headed to our next site, another waterfall named Skogafoss. While this waterfall is very different from Seljalandsfoss in appearance, it is equally as beautiful. Skogafoss is wider and taller, with a staircase snaking up one side that leads to a hiking trail (Laugavegurinn pass) that National Geographic named one of the 10 best in the world.

A rainbow stretched across the bottom of the falls, where a pool stretched over the rocky ground. There are three vantage points from which to see this waterfall: from the ground, halfway up and from the top. At the halfway point, there is a very small peninsula of land jutting out from the cliff, no railings, no safeguards. I have just a small fear of heights so it was a little scary on that ledge, but the view was beautiful.

At the top of the waterfall, there’s a barbed wire fence with a slanted wooden ladder to climb over it. This leads to the famous hike that goes along the Skoga River, where there are more waterfalls and lush green hills. The scenery here looks like something out of Lord of the Rings, it’s stunning.

I would love to come back and hike the trail; it was really tempting not to go off and let the tour go on without me. Unfortunately, I resisted the urge to split from the group and made my way back down from the top of the waterfall back to the bus. The next stops were going to be the fishing town of Vik for lunch, the Black Sand Beach and the Solheimajokull Glacier. Stay tuned for the second half of the South Coast Tour, coming soon!

Have you ever taken a group tour? Where at? And did you enjoy it?

Elding Whale Watching Tour, Reykjavik, RebeccaWanderlusting

Elding Whale Watching in Reykjavik

On October 1, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International TravelLeave a comment

Ever since I was young, I’ve been fascinated by the ocean and everything in it. I think watching the movie Jaws at an impressionable age had something to do with it. For this reason, the whale watching tour in Reykjavik was the first thing I booked for my Iceland trip. I had read plenty of reviews on tour companies there, and Elding Whale Watching Tours was the one that stuck out the most to me, so that is who I booked.

I took the tour on my third evening in Reykjavik, choosing to board the boat that left at 5:00pm. The tours depart from the Old Harbor, and all of the different companies have offices along the pier. I went to pick up my ticket from the Elding Whale Watching storefront and the woman who worked there offered me a sea sickness tablet due to the choppy water conditions and high wind, which I gladly accepted. To enter the actual boat, I walked through a boat that stayed docked which housed a gift shop and bar. When the Elding staff ushered us onto the boat we’d head out on, they offered us more sea sickness tablets and red jump suits to keep warm.

The boat had a lounge with a bar below deck, but everyone on the boat stayed up top. The guide was a marine biologist and was wonderfully informative. For the duration of the tour, she kept up a running commentary on whale facts in between shouting out things like “MINKE WHALE TEN O’CLOCK, HEADED EAST!” Every time she yelled such directives, everyone on the boat, myself included, ran to try and catch a glimpse of the whale. I’m sure this was hilarious to watch, considering the fact that the boat was rocking back and forth and we all staggered from side to side like drunkards.

The view from the boat was fantastic; Reykjavik was behind us and the mountains and never-ending ocean stood in front of us. We saw quite a few minke whales jumping out of the water, and a pod of harbor porpoises jumping alongside the boat. The tour lasted about two and a half hours and once we headed back to the harbor, most of the guests on the boat moved into the lower deck to warm up.

The excitement of being out on the sea and searching for whales made you forget about the cold, but it was quite chilly and windy out there. Once the boat was docked, the crew announced that their restaurant, Mar, would give a 15% discount for Elding tour guests, so that’s where I headed next. There are quite a few restaurants along the pier there, and Mar is at the far end.

I walked in and asked for a table for one, and seeing since the huge restaurant was mostly empty, I figured I would be seated right away. This was not the case. The host, a good-looking young man, informed me that they had a large party coming in and they wouldn’t have availability for another two hours. Thinking he was joking, I said “oh sure, I’ll just wait here then”. He was not joking. So I left and looked around outside for a party of 50-60 people that were going to take up this whole restaurant. There was none, and I won’t lie, I felt a little defeated after that. But! It turned for the best because I went across the street to Reykjavik Fish Restaurant and wound up sitting next to two American girls (one from Chicago!) who I had a great conversation with.

These ladies, coupled with the amazing fish and chips at the restaurant made up for the not so great experience at Mar. The fried cod was so light and delicious; I was very glad I ended up there for dinner. After dinner and saying goodbye to my fellow travelers, I wander around Reykjavik a bit, wondering if perhaps it was even prettier after dark. Either way, I was very happy to be there, taking it all in.

Have you ever taken a whale watching tour? Did you see any marine life?

Solo Trip Snapshots, Iceland, RebeccaWanderlusting

Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach and Perlan

On September 28, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International TravelLeave a comment

On my third day in Iceland, I checked out of my AirBnB and into Hotel Holt in downtown Reykjavik. Because I was early, my room wasn’t ready so I dropped off my bags and headed towards Perlan, a futuristic-looking building with a observation deck and rotating restaurant at the top. The front desk agent at the hotel assured me that it was a walk-able distance away, and it was, but it wasn’t a very pretty walk. I looped over, under, and along the highway, and then up a set of stairs onto a path through a forest (a generous term for groves of trees in Iceland). Through the forest and a clearing filled with yellowed grass, the top of the Perlan building emerged in all its blue glass glory.

Inside, there’s a fine dining restaurant that spins, completing one full circle every hour, and a cafeteria, which is a cheaper option if you’re looking to eat here, but not by much. Around the cafeteria is the observation deck, which provides a stunning 360 degree view of the city and the mountains and ocean beyond it.

I did end up eating in the cafeteria, and paid more than I’d like to admit for a bowl of soup. But at least the complimentary view was nice! The observation deck is free to enjoy and the view is absolutely worth the hike over from downtown.

There wasn’t much else around Perlan, but according to my map it was walking distance to the Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach which was where I headed next. This actually would have been a really beautiful walk down a tree-lined trail and along the coast, however, I ran into some roadwork that cut a deep divot out of the road I was to be walking down.

There were two workers in the truck next to the construction site, and because I had no desire to turn around, I asked if I could climb through it to keep going onward. Luckily they said yes so I hopped in and climbed out the other side, waved back to the two in the truck and headed to Nautholsvik.

The Geothermal Beach was a crescent of golden sand among the grass and sidewalks. It had a locker room, a geothermal hot tub, and a portion of the Atlantic Ocean roped off for swimming. A pier flanked one side of the beach, and I walked to the end of it where there was an observation deck of sorts.

I watched locals and tourists alike enjoying the hot tub, then running into the ocean to cool off, before getting back into the naturally heated water. The experience looked very relaxing and the beach was beautiful; I was kicking myself for leaving my swimsuit back in my luggage back at the hotel. I did take of my shoes and wade into the ocean a bit, as a consolation prize.

The walk back to the hotel was equally as ugly as the walk to Perlan; this time I walked past the domestic airport and a lot of road construction. Don’t let this deter you from going though, there is a bus from downtown that goes out to Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach (Bus #5) and it really is worth a visit.

Have you ever been to either of these attractions? What’s on your must see list for Iceland?

First AirBnB Experience in Iceland, RebeccaWanderlusting

My First AirBnB Experience

On September 25, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International Travel1 Comment

I had always been a little bit wary of AirBnB, mostly because of stories I’ve heard from friends or read online. It seemed to me that people either loved it or hated it. However, when I started planning my trip to Iceland, the prices for hotels were a little high for my budget. This coupled with the fact that I was traveling solo and wanted to meet people along the way led me to try AirBnB for the first time. I signed up and started perusing the options, instantly taking a liking to a private room that had glowing reviews and AirBnB Superhost badge. The location was pretty good too, situated in a neighborhood close to the main Grayline Bus Terminal and a short bus ride from downtown Reykjavik. Before I booked, I chatted with the host, Hulda, through email and instantly felt comfortable enough to go through with the booking.

Flash forward to a couple weeks before I was due to take off, I was panicking a bit because my flight arrived in Iceland at 7am and I wasn’t sure what I should do between then and check in time. The Blue Lagoon, a typical stop between the airport and Reykjavik, just wasn’t in my budget. I emailed Hulda and asked if it would be possible to drop my luggage off early and what time would be too early. She promptly answered yes, drop it off whenever. Not only was this a huge relief, but it also opened up more time for me to explore Reykjavik.

I arrived at the Grayline Bus Terminal after a 45 minute ride from Keflavik airport, and it was an easy 10 minute walk from there to my AirBnB. Hulda and her husband, Gustav, both greeted me at the door and cheerfully ushered me into their apartment, asking me about the flight and leading me to my room. Hulda showed me where to towels were, the drawer full of Iceland tourism brochures and maps, how to work the shower and the empty drawer in the fridge I could use for groceries if I wanted. She asked what my plans were for the day and then offered to drive me downtown since she had to run errands that way anyways. I gladly accepted and off we went.

Hulda narrated the points of interest as we went, pointing out Mount Esja looming beyond the bay, the sun voyager and Harpa Music Hall. She dropped me off at one end of the pedestrian street, and told me where I could catch the bus back to the apartment.

When I returned that evening, they helped me find a place near the apartment for dinner and drew me a map to get there and back. After dinner, I sat with them in their living room and had a wonderful conversation about travel and Iceland and just life in general. They were both so helpful, especially when giving me advice about what tourist attractions are worth it and which were fine to skip.

Because I was exhausted and the bed was so, so comfy, I woke up embarrassingly late. Even so, I was offered coffee and toast to go with the skyr (Icelandic Yogurt) I had got the night before from a grocery store. Hulda and Gustav offered to drive me over to Mount Esja that day, because they were headed out that way anyways, so as soon as I finished eating, I changed into my hiking gear and we got going. Again, they pointed out landmarks and Hulda talked a bit about her childhood, as this was the area where she grew up. When they dropped me off at the park, they made sure to tell me which buses to take to get back. That afternoon, they helped me plan out my activities for the rest of the night and mapped them out for me. By this point, I was feeling pretty spoiled to have such wonderful and caring hosts.

The next morning, before I checked out to move on to my next accommodations, I sat down with Hulda for breakfast and chatted for a while. It seemed like we were old friends already, talking about everything and nothing. I really lucked out to have her and Gustav for hosts; they were so kind and helpful and hospitable. I am so glad I got to start off my time in Iceland with them. I went into this not knowing what to expect and just hoping for the best, and after I checked out, I couldn’t imagine starting the trip off any other way.

If you find yourself planning a trip to Reykjavik and you’re looking for a place to stay, I would absolutely recommend checking out their private room with AirBnB!

A very big thank you to Hulda and Gustav for making me feel perfectly at home and for all their help and hospitality!

Hiking Mount Esja, Iceland

On September 20, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Iceland, International Travel3 Comments

Mount Esja, which can be seen in the background of Reykjavik in most photos, is just a quick hop, skip and jump from downtown. I was very lucky to have such amazing AirBnb hosts that drove me there on their way to a family event. As we got close, Hulda pointed out her old neighborhood, school and stomping grounds; this area was where she grew up.

When they dropped me off in the parking lot, they explained how I would get back and were off. When I reached the trail head, I made my best guess as to which trail was the scenic route to the top, as the sign was in Icelandic.

I chose a path to my right and walked happily along, realizing about a half mile in that I was headed in the opposite direction as the mountain I wanted to be on top of. The walk was beautiful, taking me through fields of wild flowers, wooded areas, and on wobbly bridges over streams.

Eventually I made it to the top of a hill where a couple were taking photos, and I asked them how to get to the top of Mount Esja. They pointed me in the direction from which they came and said I would come to a fork in the trail, which would put me on the right path. While the detour was very pretty, I was happy to be on my way.

The path consisted of loose gravel and was extremely steep, and after each switchback it became even steeper than before. I had to bribe myself with water and bites of cliff bar to keep going. Truth be told, this is probably one of the hardest hikes I’ve ever done. The views from each switchback was gorgeous, especially with the sun coming up, reflecting off the lake below and making it look metallic.

There were two paths that went to the top, and I chose to go up the steeper trail and down the longer, more scenic trail. I thought the steeper trail might be quicker, and maybe it was, but it was also pretty rough. The terrain was rocky and a little precarious in places, so much so that I had to move in an awkward crawl, pulling myself up the steep hill with my hands.

When I reached Steinn, the first summit, I stopped for some water and tried to decide if I wanted to keep going. The wind had picked up and the path to the very top looked a little intimidating. I asked a man passing by if it was safe to keep going up with the wind as it was, and he said “Ehhhh yeah, is not so bad.” Then I asked him if it was OK for beginner hikers and he said “Sure it is.”

So I started climbing up. The path was tricky, with multiple paths sprouting from what I thought was the main trail. I saw a climber above me slip, and slide down the gravel until he caught himself on a rock, which was my cue to head back down. I wasn’t confident that my legs, which felt like jelly, wouldn’t betray me and send my clumsy butt tumbling down the mountain.

As I turned to go, I saw the gentleman I was speaking with earlier pass me going up a different path. I waved and kept moving. As soon as I started down the longer path back down to the bottom, I slipped on the gravel and fell right on my ass, scraping my hands on the way down. I brushed myself off and kept moving, glaring at the super humans that were actually jogging past me like it was a high school track and not a rocky slip’n’slide.

The scenery was so beautiful that I felt like I had accidentally walked onto a movie set. There was a creek that ran along the path that was crossed a couple of times along the way over the most picturesque bridges and stepping stones. I really couldn’t believe how stunning the view was, which was probably why I kept tripping over my feet.

The last 15 minutes of my hike were probably the most tiring, a feeling that was made worse by the sight of the bus back downtown pulling out of the parking lot as I was getting so close to the ground. The next one was an hour and a half away, so I stopped into the café at the bottom of the mountain for a late lunch. Esjustofa Restaurant opens daily at 11:00am and serves soups, sandwiches, pizza and beverages. I got a sandwich and a latte and settled in to write for a bit. The food was typical café fare, but the guy behind the counter was very kind and helpful.

I caught the #57 bus to a bus terminal closer to downtown, and then the #12 bus back to the Airbnb (which can also be taken to downtown Reykjavik). When I got back, Hulda explained that it was probably good that I didn’t hike to the top because a few people fall down the mountain and break a couple bones each year. So I guess I made the right decision! Mount Esja was a wonderful, beautiful, challenging hike, and, with its close proximity to the city, it is a perfect day trip from Reykjavik. Here are a couple of tips if you choose to visit Mount Esja: