Members of Let’s Travel just finished this exciting tour offered by Collette, a travel company. The group encountered many exciting adventures including three nights of viewing the northern lights.
The tour began in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. An introduction to the city was made by a two-hour walking tour with a local guide. Lamb and fish are the main dishes in Iceland. The travelers had a choice of each along with chicken and a vegetarian option each evening at dinner.
Following the welcome dinner at a local restaurant the first night of the tour, it was time to attempt to see the northern lights. Everyone excitedly boarded a boat to go for a cruise. Each person was furnished a heavily insulated set of coveralls. The tour manager had reminded everyone to bring their own gloves, scarves, hats, and cameras for the cruise.
Excitement was building as the boat headed into the dark night of the Faxafloi Bay in search of the aurora borealis. Then, they appeared. The moon shone bright in the dark sky right along with just what everyone was looking for—the Northern Lights. The cruising and viewing lasted about 2 ½ hours before heading back to shore and walking back to the hotel for the night.
The second day in Iceland began with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, then it was time to leave Reykjavik and relocate to the town of Vik.
There were many stops along the way of the Golden Circle. The group enjoyed stopping at the Geysir thermal area where they viewed Strokkur erupting. Many waterfalls were viewed and visited. The sun was often just right so that everyone could see a beautiful rainbow alongside a waterfall. In more than one area, a person could see several waterfalls at a time.
After a day of travel and settling in at the hotel in Vik, everyone had dinner at the hotel, then it was time for another search for the lights.
Halli, the group’s bus driver, took the travelers to a dark area where the lights could be viewed easily—if they showed again. They did. The show was not as good as the previous night, but seeing the lights was still exciting.
Another adventurous day began with a visit to the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. This is a volcanic sand beach surrounded by basalt formations. Time was also spent at the Skogafoss waterfall. This waterfall is one of Iceland’s biggest and most beautiful waterfalls. The width is 82 feet and has a drop of 197 feet. It was most impressive for sure—especially with a beautiful rainbow at its side. Several travelers completed the over 400 stairs to climb to a viewing stand near the top of the waterfall.
A visit was made to the Skogar Folk Museum. The museum included indoor and outdoor areas. The outdoor area has turf houses and school rooms that were once used. Many artifacts remain to give the visitors a more complete picture of life in the early 1800s. A docent was available to share interesting facts about the fishermen who settled in this area. The museum also houses a dining area where visitors can enjoy a good meal while on the grounds.
Solheimajokull was the next stop. The travelers took a 15-minute walk to get a closer look at this glacier. This was the closest visit to one of the two large glaciers that could be seen on the tour.
After dinner a third and final trip to the dark was made to see the Northern Lights again. Those lights really showed up this time. Everyone was bundled up against the cold air and wind. This time it was difficult to stop taking pictures and enjoy the warmth of the bus. The lights danced and danced across the sky. This viewing was by far the best of the trip.
The next new day brought with it the opportunity to see parts of an iceberg up close and personal. The group visited a beach with pieces of ice on the beach. The pieces ranged in size from pea-size to half as large as a washing machine. When the group then traveled a short distance down the road, there was a fjord with large pieces of ice that had broken off an iceberg. Several travelers enjoyed seeing animal shapes in the large hunks of ice like seeing shapes in the clouds.
Before returning to Reykjavik to prepare for the trip home, there was one more major stop to make. The group enjoyed the waters of the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa found on the Reykjanes Peninsula of Iceland. It is most famous for its steamy mineral-rich water. Following this relaxing experience, the group completed the return to Reykjavik. After enjoying the last of Iceland’s delicious dinners at another local restaurant, the time had come to repack and prepare for the flight back to the U.S.
As the group traveled through Iceland, they encountered fog, a sand storm, near hurricane winds, a little rain, scary clouds, and tons of sunshine. Everyone was prepared for the cold and enjoyed all that they experienced.
Those participating in this tour of Iceland were: Karen Smith from the Woodlands; Judy Wardle from Streetman; Jodi Brown from Roanoke; Tammy Fitzmartin from Pasadena; Debbie Cannon from Mexia; Loften and Terry Dunlap, Ed and Alicia Smith, Hazel Sanders, Jerri McBay from Fairfield.
Let’s Travel currently has two Collette tours on the calendar for 2023. They are planning a land/cruise trip to Alaska departing June 28 and a tour of Scotland with a departure date of August 13. If you are interested in more information about either of these tours, please contact Jerri McBay at 903-388-2243. There will be a slide show presentation of the trip to Scotland at Sam’s Restaurant on Wednesday, November 16, at 10 a.m. Please let Jerri McBay know if you plan to attend.
