Our second full day in Iceland saw us with a trip to the Blue Lagoon booked for the late afternoon, but first we had several hours to explore first in the morning and early afternoon. We had no set plans, but after a bit of looking around at recommendations online, we decided to visit the Lava Tunnel.
The Lava Tunnel is about a half hour drive away from Reykjavik, and offers various tours that you can pre-book or turn up and go on. We decided to pre-book their standard lava tour that takes you through the first couple of sections of the tunnel, without the need for any real fitness. It also only takes an hour, as opposed to the 3-4 hour "Adventure Tour" that we would have done if we had had more time on our side.
We took a slow drive from our hotel out to The Lava Tunnel, stopping lots along the way to capture photos of our surroundings. Once we reached the location of the Laval Tunnel (it is possible to drive past and nearly miss it if you're not looking out properly, so do keep an eye out if you're driving yourself there) we spent a little bit of time enjoying the view around us before going into the small building that is there to book you in. Once there, you're given a hard hat with torch and you're also given some crampons to assist with grip over the icy rocks.
Once it reaches your allocated tour time, you're then lead by one of the tour guides to the entrance of the tunnel, and this is where your adventure begins.
Inside, you're slowly taken through the tunnel, starting with the openings where parts of the tunnel collapsed during the cooling process. The tour guide explains the science and geography behind what created the tunnel and it was absolutely fascinating working our way down the tunnel. On the tour we were on there are metal bridges and stairs to help guide you through the tunnel and make it slightly easier going. Once you're in the deep dark depths of the tunnel, where no natural light can reach, they explain the science of the colouring of the rock; and then they turn the lights off!
Being in that level of pitch black is something else. They constantly talk to you throughout the time the lights are off, and explain how your eyes are trying to adjust constantly, but realise they can't. Your mind will even try to trick you into thinking they are adjusting by seeing light or shapes that aren't there. If you hold your hand up in front of your face, it's not uncommon to think you can see it because your brain knows what the image should look like. During this time, you're also reminded that if you were to stay in that situation long enough, your brain would eventually shut off your eyes from working as it's not worth wasting energy on trying to have eyesight that is not required. Thankfully though it takes quite a long time for this to happen! Not long after that revelation, the lights are then slowly brought back up, and you get to slowly work your way back out of the tunnel.
Once we were done at the Lava Tunnel, we went off on another drive, slowly working our way towards the Blue Lagoon where we were to finish our afternoon/evening. We ended up wandering off down a lovely little road where we found a lovely little church and got to see a bit of the sea that was beautifully rough. A storm was starting to roll in but was still out on the ocean.
And then finally we reached the Blue Lagoon. It really is such a stunning place to visit. It's not often that I'm on board with seeing the "top tourist" spots, but this really was an essential to me. I don't think our trip to Iceland would have been complete without visiting the Blue Lagoon as it really is an amazing experience and the minerals in the water are something else! I'd been having some trouble with my skin before our trip, and one dip in the Blue Lagoon and it had cleared right up by the time I went back to work a couple of days later.
Running into the Blue Lagoon is a helluva experience as well. When we were there in January it was minus 2 degree centigrade, i.e. bloody cold! To go outside in those temperatures in a swimsuit seems mental, but as soon as you're in the water, it stops mattering as it is so fantastically warm. It started raining/snowing whilst we were in the water, and it was something else! Freezing cold air, beautifully warm water and then a glass of wine from the swim up bar... Basically heaven on Earth!
After our swim, we went for a meal in the onsite restaurant. The food here was immense. The restaurant is really to 5 star standard, but the staff are great at making you feel relaxing being in there without the 5 star clothes! After all, we had just been for a dip so I was in comfy jeans and my baggy shirt that I'd been exploring all day in. We hadn't thought to take a change of "nice" clothes, but it wasn't an issue. We were treated just as beautifully as the people who were staying in the hotel who were dressed up to the nines. And the food was just to die for!
The Lava Tunnel is about a half hour drive away from Reykjavik, and offers various tours that you can pre-book or turn up and go on. We decided to pre-book their standard lava tour that takes you through the first couple of sections of the tunnel, without the need for any real fitness. It also only takes an hour, as opposed to the 3-4 hour "Adventure Tour" that we would have done if we had had more time on our side.
We took a slow drive from our hotel out to The Lava Tunnel, stopping lots along the way to capture photos of our surroundings. Once we reached the location of the Laval Tunnel (it is possible to drive past and nearly miss it if you're not looking out properly, so do keep an eye out if you're driving yourself there) we spent a little bit of time enjoying the view around us before going into the small building that is there to book you in. Once there, you're given a hard hat with torch and you're also given some crampons to assist with grip over the icy rocks.
Once it reaches your allocated tour time, you're then lead by one of the tour guides to the entrance of the tunnel, and this is where your adventure begins.
Inside, you're slowly taken through the tunnel, starting with the openings where parts of the tunnel collapsed during the cooling process. The tour guide explains the science and geography behind what created the tunnel and it was absolutely fascinating working our way down the tunnel. On the tour we were on there are metal bridges and stairs to help guide you through the tunnel and make it slightly easier going. Once you're in the deep dark depths of the tunnel, where no natural light can reach, they explain the science of the colouring of the rock; and then they turn the lights off!
Being in that level of pitch black is something else. They constantly talk to you throughout the time the lights are off, and explain how your eyes are trying to adjust constantly, but realise they can't. Your mind will even try to trick you into thinking they are adjusting by seeing light or shapes that aren't there. If you hold your hand up in front of your face, it's not uncommon to think you can see it because your brain knows what the image should look like. During this time, you're also reminded that if you were to stay in that situation long enough, your brain would eventually shut off your eyes from working as it's not worth wasting energy on trying to have eyesight that is not required. Thankfully though it takes quite a long time for this to happen! Not long after that revelation, the lights are then slowly brought back up, and you get to slowly work your way back out of the tunnel.
Once we were done at the Lava Tunnel, we went off on another drive, slowly working our way towards the Blue Lagoon where we were to finish our afternoon/evening. We ended up wandering off down a lovely little road where we found a lovely little church and got to see a bit of the sea that was beautifully rough. A storm was starting to roll in but was still out on the ocean.
And then finally we reached the Blue Lagoon. It really is such a stunning place to visit. It's not often that I'm on board with seeing the "top tourist" spots, but this really was an essential to me. I don't think our trip to Iceland would have been complete without visiting the Blue Lagoon as it really is an amazing experience and the minerals in the water are something else! I'd been having some trouble with my skin before our trip, and one dip in the Blue Lagoon and it had cleared right up by the time I went back to work a couple of days later.
Running into the Blue Lagoon is a helluva experience as well. When we were there in January it was minus 2 degree centigrade, i.e. bloody cold! To go outside in those temperatures in a swimsuit seems mental, but as soon as you're in the water, it stops mattering as it is so fantastically warm. It started raining/snowing whilst we were in the water, and it was something else! Freezing cold air, beautifully warm water and then a glass of wine from the swim up bar... Basically heaven on Earth!
After our swim, we went for a meal in the onsite restaurant. The food here was immense. The restaurant is really to 5 star standard, but the staff are great at making you feel relaxing being in there without the 5 star clothes! After all, we had just been for a dip so I was in comfy jeans and my baggy shirt that I'd been exploring all day in. We hadn't thought to take a change of "nice" clothes, but it wasn't an issue. We were treated just as beautifully as the people who were staying in the hotel who were dressed up to the nines. And the food was just to die for!
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