I think that is what makes today so profoundly odd.
I have just left the United States of America for the first time to Iceland in mid-February on my first red-eye flight --on my first First-Class flight as well. I drove with studded tires for the first time and rented from a smaller local rental car company for the first time. I walked inside of a hostel for the first time and had Fried Ling which is a local white fish -it was served with these amazing roasted almonds, capers, mashed potatoes and some sort of sauce that was citric and creamy. I checked bags (non gate-check) and went through customs for the first time ever. I used my passport for the first time ever.
I saw nature covered in what can only be described as a glitter bomb for the first time ever.
It was like nothing I have ever seen and I grew up in colder, icier condition in the mdiwest of America. The trees were sparkling the same way glitter on fake garland glitters in Hobby Lobby.
We didn't get a picture of it. It was my first time driving in Iceland's nature at night. I thought maybe it was like that all the time but on the way back from Reykjavik this evening, the glitter was gone. I think it had to do with the fact we were driving very early in the morning: about 7AM local Iceland time.
We got into this cabin called the Sky Lodge right outside of Hafnarfjordur at about 7:30AM and had our faces back into pillows about 8AM. We were confused by the bedding because there was no top sheet, only really fluffy bed spreads for each of us and a top cover on the mattress but no top sheet. We brought blankets though and used those as the sheets which kept it kept and nice. Rob thought and still thinks were missing something but I am still convinced it's just different and we have it all. We'll see I am going to send the hosts pictures soonish. When I finish writing this I guess to confirm everything is as it should be.
We slept until 1:30ish, meant to sleep til noon but I tossed Rob's phone alarm at him and told him to make it stop and I guess there wasn't any backup alarm. The first day was dedicated to recovering from the red eye, changing blue lagoon reservation, getting car fixed and getting oriented anyway.
When we woke up I got a shower in a super tony but warm and cozy box that looks like it was installed after the cabin was built. I think the hot water heater was in the bathroom too right underneathe where the shelf for holding supplies and towels were. Thankfully there was a laundry basket in the bathroom -why don't I have this for my own house? It makes so much sense.
I get all warm and start getting annoyingly hungry but Rob is still rolling around in bed being all warm and happy. I don't want to rush him but it also wasn't clear how long the mechanic for gocarrental was going to be available to look at the low beams on the red Suburu station wagon we got so I was getting a little anxious. We got all packed up though. I called Blue Lagoon while waiting for Rob to finish getting revived from the dead and they happily let us move our reservation up a day.
There is a cyclone expected on Friday. I don't know anything about cyclones. Everything keeps talking about them and comparing them to hurricanes. I also don't know anything about hurricanes. We decided we aren't going anywhere Friday though. Friday is Valentine's day but it's okay. I'll be with Rob and that's what the purpose of the trip is. To just be with him.
After we got the low-beams fixed, the attendant gave us a map and showed us a great coffee spot and some museums in Reykjavik that may be more interactive and fun than just staring at things and reading things.
We went to get breakfast and coffee at Norðurbakkinn. It was really cute and delicious. They must have thought of me as such a tourist I asked if there was a local favorite and they said Mocha. But then I had the mocha and it was fantastic because it was not very sweet at all, it was very dark bitter chocolate --and they had oat milk! I got a bagel with eggs, vegan mayo, ham and butter. It was delicious and simple.
We then walked around the bay for a bit. Robert took a lot of pictures which was nice and cute. He wanted to do that more for this trip; we haven't been doing it much recently. He rented some very fancy lenses specifically for night shots. We were hoping to see the Aurora but...there are so many clouds I don't think it will happen.
We drove up to Reykjavik and there were SO MANY round-a-bouts and people were fast and fearless with them. I have never seen anything like it! I got out alive. Thankfully the helpful gocarrental attendant gave me detailed breakdown of how 2 lane round-a-bouts worked so it went a lot better on the way to Reykjavik. Stay in the right, outside lane if going right or straight but stay in left lane until right before the last exit if trying to go left (from the perspective of where you tried to enter the round-a-bout). You must use your indicated to note when your exiting. It was still kind of confusing for left turns because sometimes both lanes could exit, only 1 and sometimes 1 exits and the road right before merges into it --it's all very chaotic. I am not a fan.
When we got to Reykjavik we parked downtown. There appear to be a few very large parking zones. We parked in zone 1 and walked around from there. There looked to be many cute and cozy bars and restaurants.
Rob and I walked around and to the water again. There were some fantastic views of the mountains Rob got some nice shots of. As we were wondering around we happened upon Harpa -a very large beautiful concert hall I marked to see on my Pinterest board. I wasn't sure if we could go in but I tried anyway and it was open! It looks like they do a lot of tours of the place and also help tourists find other guides and car rentals and such as well. Robert got more gorgeous pictures but video was really needed to show how cool the ceiling would play with all of the waving lights off of the rhombic structures of the exterior.
It was also a nice break from the cold. Since everything seemed fairly walkable I decided to see what else I had posted on my Pinterest board and remembered Kex hostel looked cool. They have concerts every once in a while but not tonight. Robert said he wasn't in the mood for a concert which was reasonable. We went and Robert thought it looked a little sketchy but my gut said it was okay and indeed it was fantastic! It was so cute but also so punk I loved it. The food (aforementioned Fried Ling) was delicious; wine was fine -red; Imperial Stout that Rob got had a ton of flavor to it. It was good to be warm and around good people. I accidentally left my purse on the first table we sat at for dinner and didn't realize til we were leaving that I had been missing it and another patron thankfully turned it in to the bar who placed it into a lost + found that I was able to retrieve.
We then had a 16 minute walk back to the car that wasn't too bad. In general the weather the first day wasn't bad at all compared to some of the roughness experienced in KCMO.
We then found a 24/7 market to pick up breakfast and coffee for the morning so I do not have to venture out. Normally I feel ok leaving on my own...but Robert has really been a fantastic set of second eyes and thoughts for the entire trip. I don't really want to go without him to find breakfast.
Were back at the cabin now. I maybe had a bit of an anxiety attack at the market. None of the rest of this caused intense anxiety, just the stupid market, oi...It was called "Iceland". Nothing about it itself was anxiety inducing, I am not totally sure what caused it. I think I did not want to be there so I was trying to rush through and also buy things so I wouldn't have to go back and Rob was off buying candy for friends back home. Then there were a lot of people and decisions and it was very crammed -but they had a ton of Oatly products! I got something that was a personal size Strawberry-Elderflower drink I am having while I write this. It is really delicious. I think the caffeine from the mocha earlier is also messing with me. I am still working through deep breaths trying to calm down.
Writing helped. I also read 1 of 2 entire guest books for the cabin we're in. There was atrwork and people using it as a small scratch pad for games and adorable notes and lists of people's bucket list and all sorts of things. It was so nice. I will write one when we're trapped here on Valentine's day.
Tomorrow is the Blue Lagoon and preparing for the cyclone. Hopefully also some delicious food at the Blue Lagoon? I am going to stop now. I am glad I reviewed all this. I can't believe this has all been in less than a 24 hour time span. I am so glad I am getting a massage tomorrow.
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