Stunning landscapes in a little world of its own (Iceland)

Name: ed2288

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Product:	Iceland
Date:	28.02.07 (276 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic scenery, geysers and whale watching

Disadvantages: A little expensive

Iceland is one of the worlds best kept secrets. Stunning scenery that words simply can’t describe. Flying in to Keflavik over the lava fields reminded me of Lanzarote, only these lava fields are far more weathered, and moss and lichen have covered the rocks unlike the jet black basalt of the Spanish island.

In a country with a population of just 300,000 it’s amazing how efficient the infra structure is. There have been hydrogen-fuelled buses carting commuters around Reykjavik for years now. They are smooth, silent and non-polluting. About 70% of all the energy that Icelanders use in total is from geothermal sites and hydroelectric power stations meaning that Iceland is one of the least polluted developed countries on the planet.

One tenth of the land is covered by glaciers, walls of ice, hundreds of meters deep and thousands long. If you are lucky, you will be able to take a guided tour right up and onto one. As you step out onto the fresh, untouched snow, it will be just you and the guide for miles and miles around. It was a moment that I will certainly never forget. The silence was deafening, the air was the purest I have ever breathed, and the 360 degree views of imposing mountains were nothing short of spectacular. But be warned, if you do wish to drive onto a glacier, the timing is crucial. Too early in the year and the mountain roads will be closed – impassible due to the treacherous ice and snow, but too late and the warmth of spring and summer will start to melt part of the glacier and deadly ravines, hundreds of feet deep will start to emerge across the field of ice. I went in mid May and was told that the trip would have been just too dangerous to do two weeks later.

Contrasting with the frigidness of the glaciers, you cannot afford to miss the Blue Lagoon. Situated at a geothermal power station, the blue lagoon is an outdoor pool full of naturally heated, nutrient rich water. Thick mud lines the walls of this very stylish pool and rubbing this on your face will do marvels for your skin. There is a lovely gift shop where you can buy bottles of this nutrient ‘gloop’ to take home to show your friends and family.

Also on the hot side, is the country’s impressive selection of geysers. The best ones, in the Haukadalur Valley shoot steaming hot water hundreds of feet into the air at astonishingly regular intervals - you will only have to wait a couple of minutes to see one of these magnificent events occur.

Keen ornithologists will enjoy the bird watching - over 300 species of bird have been seen here. I wouldn’t recommend Iceland to casual wildlife watchers who want to see a lot of animals roaming freely on the plains, however there is one type of animal that everybody should try to see if they come to Iceland, and that happens to be the whales. I can safely say, there is virtually a 100% success rate at seeing these wonderful creatures on the whale watching tours. Whether it be minke or humpback, blue or porpoise you will almost definitely see some and it is such a pleasant experience. The crew does not use SONAR which may damage the animals’ communication system, but instead rely on their good instinct. Once a whale is spotted (everyone on the boat keeps their eyes peeled at all times so when you have about 40-50 pairs it doesn’t take long) the boats engine is turned off and you gently drift towards the animals. It is so peaceful watching and listening to them as they take in air and investigate the boats. They will tend to stay around the surface for about 20 minutes, taking in shallow breaths then take one very deep breath and dive to the bottom of the sea for several hours. I can assure you, whale watching is definitely worth it, and because there are a lot of different companies, the price to go is driven down by the competition which is always good.

There are many places to eat and drink, from fine Icelandic cuisine, to take away pizzas, and in the summer, when it never goes dark the nightlife is very impressive. There are no real problems with the language barrier as nobody will expect tourists to try to speak Icelandic because very few foreigners learn the language so they find it very difficult to understand the foreign accents. Virtually everyone speaks perfect English despite it not being the official language.

Reykjavik is a beautiful little city with lots of statues and monuments and the imposing cathedral in the middle of the city provides a view of miles around. There is no shortage of shops and museums to go to as the country has a very long and interesting history. The restaurants and shops do tend to be on the pricey side however, so do not be surprised to be paying around £4 for a pint. There tends to be a lot of coach tours to places such as the Mid Atlantic ridge, where the two halves of the country are literally being pulled apart by plate tectonics by about 10cm every year, and Pingvellir, the location of the oldest parliament in the world.


So, to conclude, if you would like to see stunning scenery and beautiful landscapes that are only a one and a half hour flight away then I thoroughly recommend Iceland. Their fascinating way of life and culture is so interesting - you won’t regret a trip there.

Summary: Highly recommended - there aren't many places that compare to Iceland