A girlfriend getaway to Iceland

Cute church and patriotic flag along Iceland's south coast.

Back in early August, I packed up my North Face outerwear and camera, kissed my husband and son goodbye and left for a one-week adventure to Iceland. I went with three of my nearest and dearest friends — I’ve known them since high school and after years of talking about it, we finally DID it, and took a trip together.

Why Iceland? None of us are lie-on-the-beach types (although, the older I get, the more appealing this sounds!), so we wanted a location that would include some outdoor activities. We wanted an adventure. And we had to find a place none of us had been before — Iceland fit the bill.

We rented a cute, retro-Scandinavian house (found on Airbnb) in the tiny town of Vik on Iceland’s south coast for four days and ventured out on day trips from there — hiking in the rain in Skaftafell National Park; climbing to the top of Skogafoss waterfall and then hiking several kilometres along the ensuing “Waterfall Way”; puffin spotting and walking the black sand beaches at Dyrholaey; visiting the glacier lagoon in Jokulsarlon; hiking along the epic Fjaorargljufur canyon; and a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon. We also spent two days in the colourful capital of Reykjavik.

I carried my Mark II and my 16-35mm lens — I wanted to travel light, but in retrospect I wish I had also packed my 70-200mm.

We had great weather — it only rained one day (of course it was the day we went hiking and I forgot my rain pants!) but even in the overcast, rainy weather, Iceland is a gorgeous gem of a place. Wide open spaces, a new stunning piece of scenery around every corner and friendly Icelandic horses at the side of the road.

The Blue Lagoon, Iceland.

Cute church and patriotic flag along Iceland's south coast.Wild icelandic horses under dramatic sky.Seljalandsfoss waterfall in south Iceland.Chuch in Vik, Iceland.Scenic view of Vik, Iceland.Lupine fields east of Vik, Iceland.A road trip along the South Ring Road in Iceland.Svartifoss waterfall, Skaftafell National Park in Iceland.Hiking in changeable weather in Skaftafell National Park in Iceland.Glacier in Skaftafell National Park, Iceland.Stunning view during hiking in wet weather at Skaftafell National Park, Iceland.Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Iceland.Yellow camper van in Jökulsárlón, Iceland.Turf roof barns in south Iceland.Skogagoss waterfall in Iceland.Hiking along Waterfall Way above Skogafoss waterfall in Iceland.Puffins at Dyrholaey, Iceland.Black sand beaches in south Iceland.Fjadrargljufur Canyon, Iceland.Fjadrargljufur Canyon, IcelandReykjavík harbour.Hot dogs are famous in Iceland, especially the Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur stand in Reykjavík — order one with the works!Famous hot dogs in Iceland.Hallgrímskirkja church in Reykjavík.

Travelling with friends is something I wish I could do more often. It’s different than being away with family … friends won’t shy away from telling you to suck it up when you get grumpy hiking in the pouring rain or from making you try new experiences (sometimes against your better judgement!). We had happy hour every day, listened to TEDTalk podcasts in the car and cooked most of our meals together.

I didn’t know what to expect of Iceland and I was blown away at what an amazing country it is. It’s a wonderful place to get away, unplug, and enjoy nature. The people are lovely, the landscape is pretty epic, and it’s an easy country to get around. I felt truly refreshed when I got back home. I’ll be back Iceland!

Wags,

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