AnExcursionofaLifetime:UntamedIceland
Thispastyear,IembarkedonmythirdGWTtrip,andasareturnGutsyWomantraveler,Iqualifiedfora5%PastTravelersavingsinadditiontovariousothersavingsoffers.HavingtraveledwithGWTtoMoroccoandPerupreviously,IchosetoheadnorthtoIcelandonthe“womenonly”UntamedIcelandtrip.For11daysand10nightsalongwithtwelvewomenfromtheUnitedStatesandCanada,Iexperiencedtheexcursionofalifetimethatmostpeopleonlyreadabout.Uponreturn,Icanwholeheartedlysay,“ladies,bookyourGWTtripNOW!
Icelandwasneveronmytoptenlist,butinthelastyearfriends,familyandeverymajortraveldestinationwritertoutedthis“entrypointintothecenteroftheearth”.Whatwasfuelingthischangeintravelingtrends?Wasitconcernovertravelingtopolitical“hotspots”,theteeteringvalueofthedollar,orjusttheneedforanewandcoolspottovacation?IamgladIdecidedtofindout.Let’sfirstdecodeonemajormythaboutIceland;WhiletheIslandislocatedjustamere40milesfromtheArcticCircle,wintertemperaturesareactuallywarmerthanNewYork,
LondonandParis,withsummertemperaturesyou’llonlyneedalightsweaterfor.OneofthefirstthingsyoulearnaboutIceland,isthataslongasyourememberyourgirlscoutpreparednessandtravelwithlightlayersofouterwearandgoodfootwear,Icelandhostsdecentweatheryearroundfortravelerstoexperienceallthereistoseeanddo,andwowistherealot.FromthecapitalcityofReykjaviktotheincrediblyflatanddesolate,thousand-yearoldlavafields,tosomeofthemostspectacularanddazzlingnaturalwonders…GWTmakestravelingtouncharteredterritoryeasyandeffortless.Nopre-tripplanningandresearchisnecessary,nocombingthroughtourbooks,searchingoutthesecretsights,bestrestaurantsorlocalattractions.GWTandtheirexperiencedon-the-groundregional
operatorOAThavebeeninexistencefordecades,offeringworldwideoperationsandlocalconnectionsthatsetthemwellaboveothertouroperators.WhentravelingwithGWT,everywhereyougoyoufeelasifyouaregettingspecialandexclusiveaccess.Withtheguaranteedsmallgroupsize,youbypasstheovercrowdedtourandditchthe“touristy”feelthatmostofusavoidliketheplague.FromthemomentyoulandtoyourdeparturegateyouareinthecapablehandsofanGWT’sexpertTravelDirectorfromtheregion,alocalwhonotonlyknowsalltheinsandoutsofyourdestination,butprovidesexclusive“experiences”thatsetyourtripapart.Visitingauthenticneighborhoods,minglingwithresidentIcelanders,andeatingnotatthenewestMichelinStarrestaurant,butinthehomeofahostfamilyallowstravelerstoexperiencetherealheartofthelocaleinawaythattouristsondouble-deckerbusesnevercan.GWTalsoprovidestheopportunityfor“wiggleroom”andspontaneousadventurewithguidesthatallowtheflexibilitytostumbleuponsomething/someplaceinthemomentandthetimetoexplore.
IcelandprovidedmanymemorablemomentsincludingTheGoldenCircle,thecircuitofabout300kilometers,rangingfromReykjavik,thendippingsouthtowardIceland'suplands,andback.Withthesmallgroup,ourtourguiderevealedmanysecretsitesandoffroadadventures(includingaspontaneousRVridealongtheruggedblackbeaches).Hereweexperiencedaringofnaturalhighlights.ThingvellirNationalPark,wherewewalkedthelocationofamajorriftbetweentwotectonicplates—theEurasianandNorthAmerica,alongwithGullfossWaterfall
withsightssoincredible,itsalmostindescribable.Photosandvideosoftheselocationsdon’tdothemjusticeanditsbesttojustsoakinthewonderasyouwalkdownthesideoftheclifftowardsthewaterfall,orclimbthestairstoseeanoverviewofthesite.AtastopatGeysirHotSprings,weexperiencedsteampouringoffthehotspringsandnaturaleruptionsthattookourbreathaway.ThroughoutIceland,GWTprovidedhotelaccommodationsthatwerespaciousand
modernandofferedallthenecessaryamenitiesneeded.ManyofmytravelmatestookadvantageofGWT’swaiveronsinglesupplementsenjoyingprivateroomsatnoextracost.ThetimingofourtripcoincidedwiththestartofsomeofthebestviewingofthefamedNorthernLightsandeachnightourtourguidesuggestedaskinghotelstafftowakeuswhenthereweresightings.Iwon’teasilyforgetthrowingawarmcoat,glovesandhatovermypajamasandventuringintothecleardarknighttoseethemagicallightshowoftheAuroraBorealisastheelectricallychargedsolarparticlescollidedwiththeearth'satmosphere,andgeneratedripplesofgreen,yellow,blueorvioletlightinthedistantsky.
AnotherstellarexperienceincludedaWhalewatchingtourupcloseandpersonalwithhumpback,blueandminkewhales,harborporpoisesandwhite-beakeddolphins.Asifthatwasn’tenough,wecappedthedaywithafishinglessonandanonboardcompetitionandabarbecueofourday’scatch!
Ononeoflastdays,wewenttotheBlueLagoonThermalSpa.Bypassingthelines,ourguidequicklyandeffortlesslydirectedustoourreservationandacoupleofhoursinthefamedwaters…don’tmisssomewelldeservedrestandrelaxationandagreattimetodriftoffaloneorminglewithspagoersfromaroundtheworld.IexperiencedaSilicaMudMaskaswellastheAlgaeMask(boththoroughlyrecommended).Icelandisdefinitelyonmylisttoreturnto.IenjoyedsuchawarmwelcomeeverywhereIvisitedandthefoodwasamazing.HighlyrecommendtheIcelandiclamb–it’sfreerange,deliciousandthefatcontentseemssomuchlowerthanathome.Fishlikehaddockandhalibutareinabundance,andshellfishisimpossiblyfresh.Myfavorite,weretheflavorful,plumplangoustines.
Cheesesarealsoinabundance,thoughthecountry’smostnotable,Skyr,bearsmoreofaresemblancetoyogurt.Thickandrich,thedairyproductbarelymoveswhenyouturnitscontainerupsidedown.Andamusthavesouvenirtotakehome;Icelandicnaturallicoriceineveryshape,formandflavorfromchocolate-coveredtoinfusedicecream,andevenlicoriceflavoredsaltthatwhenwhippedwithbutterturnsbreadintoagastronomictreat.
CarolA.IentileownsC.I.VisionsPublicRelationsinNYC,isanavowedGutsyWomanwholovestoventureoffthebeatenpath,discoveringuncharteredexperiencesallovertheworldconnectingwithfellowtravellersandmakingnewfriends.
GutsyWomenTravelFormoreinformationcontactusat:[email protected](866-464-8879)http://gutsywomentravel.com
