ICELand

I once heard someone say there are too many places to go to on this planet to go to the same place twice. But I heartily disagree —have they ever been to Iceland? I don’t crave living there the way I do with Italy … but I do think about it almost daily and can’t wait to go back. It’s unlike any place I’ve ever been. It felt a bit like the Land Before Time meets Game of Thrones meets Scandinavia in Ireland with a language as hard as German. But somehow that doesn’t begin to capture its essence. Next time I want to go for about three weeks and drive clockwise around the island. I might get some AirBnBs along the way but mostly I think having a 4WD van is the way to go. That way you can see where the roads take you. If you like someplace, you can stop and stay for a while and there wouldn’t be any pressure of an itinerary to check in by a certain time. I’d also need the 4WD to pull off the side of the road. Most of the roads there are beautifully paved but they are elevated with steep slopes of gravel on either side. There aren’t a lot of turnouts or extra spaces to pull over when you see something beautiful. There’s also muddy and rocky roads galore that were calling my name. We tried a rocky mountain pass to quench our adventurous spirit but could’ve gone further in a 4WD. I have two tips if you haven’t been and want to go — 1. When you book your flight, make sure to book your appointment at the Blue Lagoon for after you land. Reservations go quickly so make sure to reserve far in advance. Going there after a long red-eye is what every destination needs. And 2. Plan on being in the car. A lot. There’s no easy way around that. To get anywhere takes a few hours. And part of the mesmerizing beauty is gazing out the window watching the landscape. It’s magical.

My hot tip — book a trip to the Blue Lagoon immediately after you land. It’s near the airport and on your way to where all roads lead. Plus it feels so good after a red-eye! But book it ASAP because reservations fill up quickly and it can be hard to get in.

Damn, I wish this image was in focus! I’ve got to work on my techniques for shooting through a rainy windshield in a moving car.

We’ll be back!