Hitting the Road for….. Iceland!

Iceland . 2013 . Nov 21 - Dec 4

Iceland - a land of many contrasts.  It is home to the largest glacier in Europe, yet, it is also home to some of the most active volcanoes in the world.  For this reason, it is also known as the Land of Fire and Ice.  With a land mass of 103,000 sqm and a population of 300,000,  Iceland is also one of the most sparsely populated country in Europe, with huge parts of the country largely uninhabited.

This winter, we leave the warmth of our home country Singapore to travel to Iceland for some adventure and sightseeing.  Along the way, we’ll immerse ourselves in unique Icelandic nature, culture and food.

Here’s a preview of the places we’ll visit and the things we’ll be doing.

1.     The Blue Lagoon

This world famous Geothermal Lagoon lies in the capital city of Reykjavik and is easily the most visited attraction in Iceland.  Said to have therapeutic and curative properties, the waters of the Blue Lagoon are naturally rich in minerals such as silica and sulphur and even contains a special algae which is said to contribute to its creamy-blue waters.

Blue Lagoon (Credits: http://www.desktopas.com/blue-lagoon-wallpaper-1920-x-1200.html)

2.    Lava Tubing

Yes, we are going to enter a volcano and walk through the columns where magma from the volcano flows from beneath the surface of the Earth’s crust to its magma chamber.   What better place to do this than at Iceland, home to some of the most active volcanoes in the world.

Caving Tour in Iceland (Credits: www.newsoficeland.com)

3.     Meet the Icelandic Horse

The Icelandic Horse was brought to Iceland early in their history by the Vikings, and through breeding and adaptations to the harsh Icelandic climate, have evolved to be different from other horses.  These Icelandic Horses are smaller (almost pony sized) and has a unique gait.

Icelandic Horse (Credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IcelandicHorseInWinter.jpg)

4.    Waterfalls and Glaciers

Iceland has some of the most interesting geographical landscape in the world, largely owing to the Earth’s activity.  We’ll visit the beautiful Gulfoss (foss=falls), Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss amongst others, and spend two nights at Vatnajokull National Park, next to Europe's largest glacier.  We’ll also be at Jokulsarlon, a glacier lagoon with beautiful naturally scalped icebergs.  We’ll try and get a bum boat to get up close and personal with these icebergs.

Gulfoss (Credits: http://oniryk.deviantart.com/art/Gulfoss-83798917)

Skogafoss (Credits: http://www.lightharmony.com/fotografie/38/en/month/0/0/summer-night-at-skogafoss)

Seljalandsfoss (Credits: http://robertwcorkery.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/seljalandsfoss-img_2806.jpg)

Colors of Jokulsarlon Iceland (Credits: http://www.blamethemonkey.com/colors-of-jokulsarlon-iceland-sunset)

5.     The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)

The highlight of this trip is no doubt the mysterious and elusive Northern Light.  This year (2013) is the peak of the solar cycle and is therefore the reportedly the best time to see the Northern Lights.  There is nothing quite like watching the mysterious lights turn on and dance across the dark skies of Iceland.  We’ll be checking ourselves into country guesthouses, away from the light pollution of the city to increase our chances of the Aurora Borealis.

Northern Lights (Credits: http://7-days.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/nature_0044-969505.jpeg?9d7bd4)

Northern Lights (Credits: http://hdwallpaper.ws/30263/)

Northern Lights (Credits: http://www.wallconvert.com/wallpapers/photography/tent-under-aurora-borealis-9471.html)

Stay tuned at this space for updates.  We’ll also be doing a fair bit of live tweeting right from the harsh winter conditions of Iceland, so do follow us here.

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