Iceland - the Land of Fire and Ice

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After a short flight from Oslo and gaining two hours in the process, I arrived in Reykjavik around four thirty yesterday. My transfer to my hotel included a stop off at the Blue Lagoon. As the day was almost over there were only two times left to depart from the Blue Lagoon and that was 7:00 or 9:00pm. The Blue Lagoon is a twenty minute drive from the airport and a 40 minute drive from Reykjavik city centre.

Upon arriving at the pools, I learned that they are one of 25 Wonders of the World. When still encumbered with suitcases it is a breeze to check them in at the designated building beside the car park and receiving a ticket number which you pay for with your entry fee to the pools. This involves a short walk along a pathway in a black basaltic moonscape to the main building. There was a sign up saying that the pools were full and no more entries at that time. There was a long line ahead of me and as I was there for two hours until the next bus it was swim or swim, no other option as far as I was concerned. I left the line and went around the side and straight up to the counter. I explained I had been dropped off by the transfer bus and I am there for a swim. He took my payment and gave me my wrist band. The wrist band once swiped gives you entrance into the pools, also drinks can be charged to it while in the pool, then once paid, allows you to exit the complex.

Getting the process right to entering the pools was a little confusing.but once given the message it is simple - strip naked, have a shower with a full soap wash, don your bathing suit and access to the pools is yours. Yesterday being fine but with a breeze blowing getting from the changing rooms to the pool was a little chilly but once in the 38C water it was great. The pools have a natural bottom which is smooth but uneven, they're not deep, in fact shallow, and you do not need to be able to swim. I took advantage of the bar beside the pool, I noticed that alcoholic drink were limited to three per wrist band, however alcohol was not on my mind at that time and for me it was a blueberry smoothie - very refreshing and healthy!

Although I was keeping in mind the time for the bus transfer to my hotel, I actually had enough after an hour in the pool I was happy to get out just after 6:00pm, shower and get dressed, gaving me time to take some photos of the pools, look in the gift shop, reclaim my luggage and by that time the bus had arrived in the car park. The drive to the city centre starts off going through the basaltic moonscape for a little while, then rolling countryside before hitting the outskirts, then the city itself. Fisrt impression of the city, it looked modern, with lots of lovely new commercial premises.

Once I had checked in, left my cases in the room and quickly went down to the bar for a glass of wine and dinner of hamburger and fries. Then off to bed as I was shattered from the flight, the swim and probably the wine.

My second day here was a bit of a non event. It was raining quite steadily but I decided any way to take the Puffin Express in the hope that I may see some puffins in the wild. By time I return bad in Reykjavik in ten days time they said that the puffins will have all flown off to sea so it was now in the rain or never. I was picked up for the hotel at 10:00am and others along the way for the 10:30am sailing. The boat leaves from the old harbour and was already almost full when we arrived and we were the last to board in heavy rain by that time. It was just a fifteen minute ride to one of the two islands, Akurey and Lundey, which they inhabit while raising their offspring. There were puffins about flying around the boat and crash landing in the sea, however it was raining too hard and I was not prepared to get my cameras soaking wet with still four weeks of travel ahead of me. It was not long before everybody was back down below out of the rain and the the crew deeded to return to the old harbour.

I did however learn a few facts about puffins. They mate for life, and only lay one egg.

The transfer bus was waiting for us to drop us back to our hotels. The rest of the day was spent quietly at the hotel, even getting in a wee afternoon nap.

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