Snow Covered Stopover
Since our relocation from Kabul to Dublin, the 24 to 48-hour trip is quickly becoming my travel go-to. Quick weekend jaunts are like a tapas restaurant. You can try bite-size portions without having to commit to a full meal. Last weekend, we were swept away by the beauty and wonder of Reykjavik, Iceland. According to a little Wikipedia history, Reykjavik is the northernmost capital of a sovereign state and was established as a Viking settlement in AD 874. While most people want to escape to a tropical location after enduring the gray of December and January – I was happy to be greeted by a snow-covered terrain. As you may have heard from friends or other travel bloggers, Iceland is VERY expensive. Be prepared for transportation, food and excursions to hit the pocketbook a little harder than your typical weekend away. To be honest, the expense is one of the reasons that a two-day trip seemed like just enough time. We’ll get to that in a minute.
Iceland is only a two-hour flight on Iceland Air from Dublin with a cost of $250 round-trip. Once we arrived in Reykjavik, it was a 10-minute walk to baggage claim and the counter for Flybus. The bus service travels to most major hotels and the center of town. I found the service to be comfortable and dependable. DO NOT TAKE A TAXI. I am a huge fan of jumping in a cab and being whisked to the doorstep of a hotel, but the taxi’s in Reykjavik can charge between $200 - $250 from the airport to the city center. No thanks. I am telling you the bus service there is pleasant and punctual.
I pre-booked the bus transfer online ($60 round trip, pp) and handed printed copies to the Flybus assistant at the counter, who then gave us blue tickets. We boarded the bus with ease, and in a few minutes, we were on our way to Reykjavik. The ride was a direct transfer from the airport to the main bus depot. The bus takes about 45-minutes, and we transferred to a shuttle van at the main bus depot. This part can be a little confusing but no need to get overwhelmed. Once we got off the bus we walked through a set of double doors and straight through the main bus depot waiting area. After exiting the second set of double doors there are shuttles and buses on the other side that have colors in the window corresponding to the color of ticket from the airport. We found the shuttle marked with the blue placard and within ten minutes from departing the bus depot were dropped off at stop #1 in the heart of the city. Our hotel, Reykjavik Centrum, was right around the corner from the bus stop. Talk about convenience. The hotel is located on one of Reykjavik’s oldest streets and is a historic hotel dating back to 1764. In fact, the hotel is built on the remains of a Viking longhouse and next door to the Settlement Exhibition Museum. The hotel was also within walking distance of a bustling shopping area and minutes from the Old Harbor.
After checking-in and dropping off our bags, it was about 3:30 pm. A quick bite in the hotel before going to take in the sights was our first reality check of the expense. Hubs and I had fries, salad, and two beers for $45.00. A dinner reservation later that evening stopped us from ordering full meals but the entrees in the hotel restaurant ranged from $30 - $40 per plate and alcoholic beverages ranged between $15 - $20. Pro Tip, there is a large duty-free as you exit the airport. We should have picked up a few provisions. Once we had some fuel in our system, it was time to walk the streets. Our first stop was the Hallgrímskirkja, the most famous church in Iceland. Do not miss this sight. I promise no matter where you have traveled in the world, you’ve never seen a church like this. Designed in the 1930s, the island’s basalt lava flows inspired the church’s architecture giving the illusion of a columned staircase. We were able to capture some amazing sunset photos but sadly were not able to tour inside as it was already closed. According to a 2014 article from Iceland Air Hotels, admission to the church is free, and for $6 you can take a lift to the top of the clocktower.
We are coming up to the most exciting part of the evening! Yes, Hallgrímskirkja was beautiful, but we had one clear motivation for this January jaunt. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Iceland? The northern lights, of course! Peak time to see the aurora borealis in Iceland is September – March. How could I not book a tour to try and capture nature’s light show caused by particles released by the sun crashing into the earth’s atmosphere? I found an evening boat tour through ‘Special Tours’ that set sail at 9:00 pm from the Old Harbor for the chance to witness the lights that paint the sky. The boat ride takes about 10 – 20 minutes and a clear night full of stars seemed like very promising conditions. A faint green streak was in the sky as the boat came to a stop as our tour guide explained the scientific elements of the lights and how all the conditions must be perfect for a sighting. Truth time, I assumed the northern lights were always on display. If you thought this as well, you’re not alone. But, if you’re planning a trip to see the northern lights and you haven’t figured out that they are not automatically in the sky at night, you are going to be very disappointed. The lights are NOT always out, and it is very sporadic to see them. The faint stream of green was not getting any brighter (and looked nothing like the photos you see online). I have to say, I was disappointed. The weather was brutally cold, and the on-board café with the promise of hot cocoa and Bailey’s seemed a little more exciting than staring out into a black sky. The minutes turned to hours – on a two-hour tour. Intermittently the tour guide would come over the loudspeaker and update us on the conditions – which in truth remained about the same each time. At around 11:00 pm the fatigue of travel had begun to set in coupled with the slight disappointment of not being able to see the northern lights. Suddenly, the loudspeaker cracks and the tour guide yelled, “guys, guys, get up here!” A mad dash of tourists grabbing for coats, hats and gloves crowded up the narrow stairwell to the outdoor deck and were greeted by shimmers of green and hints of red dancing across the night sky. The S curved patters rippled like waves and changed shape in a blink. We stood in awe. After 15 minutes, the lights began to fade, and the tour guide had announced we needed to return to the harbor. While it took a lot of waiting to see the main event, I think the tour was well worth the time spent. After all, for some witnessing the Aurora Borealis is a once in a lifetime experience.
Please enjoy the photos of the Aurora Borealis and stay tuned for the follow-on post to my Iceland adventure that will tell you all about the Blue Lagoon.
Check out my Reykjavik ‘top three’ here.
xo
SinS