I cannot believe we made it.

We planned a trip to Iceland in 2020, which we had to postpone because of the pandemics (we could have gone but our return flight was canceled - I wouldn't have mind getting stuck in Iceland ;) - and we did not feel so safe not being yet vaccinated - there was no vaccine at that time).

And this year, my father visited us in Switzerland shortly before our planned holidays in Iceland and got a lung infection (not COVID related) which brought him to the hospital until the day before our flight to Iceland.

So...finally..back in Iceland.

I started believing we may manage to get here just when I sat on the plane and looked at the screen with Kirkjufell.

After landing it was hell to get out because of the long and disorganized queue due to the vaccination/test certificates controls.

Even crazier was the queue to get the rental car.

But I was deeply calm, just thankful to be back in my loved country :)

 

I had actually promised to kiss the ground when I first step on it in Iceland, but in the end i decided to hug a stone ;)

It's freezing in Reykjavik, so we spent the day chilling and buying functional underwear for us and the kids (which we will not use in the end).

We had a late lunch (or early dinner?) at the Seabaron with lots of salmon skewers and lobster soup: gnammy!

Ready to leave the "big city" and explore the countryside again tomorrow!

Finally: out of the city (Reykjavik is really pretty but I just love being in the nature when I am in Iceland!)

First we stop at Kringlan to buy some additional long shirts and get an avocado shake at Joe & the Juice and then we continue our drive to Seljalandsfoss.

Things have changed a lot since the last time we have seen it in 2016, it has become much more turistic and you have to pay a parking ticket, but at least there are toilets now ;)

And this time we know there is another hidden, maybe even more impressive waterfall just behind the corner: Gljufrabui (see picture).

It's too difficult to go there for our little 2-years old girl so I leave the kids with my husband and enjoy the magic of this waterfall on my own.

The weather is awful, 10 degrees and wind and raining but I don't care: I am home.

Later in the evening we reach what will be our house for the next 2 nights: super nice, with garden and little private playground, from which we can see the Kirkjubaeklaustur waterfall.

I go for a little walk around on my own after dinner and enjoy looking at little things: the plants, the moss, the flowers.

I love you Iceland!

Skogafoss is very well known and pretty impressive.

What maybe not everyone knows is that it is possible to walk from Skogafoss to Thorsmork (Fimmvorduhals hike); the estimated walking time is 9 hours with a total elevation of 1000m so most of the people choose to do it in two days and sleep in one of the huts along the way.

Having young kids, this is not what we went for this time, so after seeing Skogafoss we went for a little walk ”around the corner” to Kvernufoss (the one in the photo)

They are now building a trail to it, so it will probably become known and touristic very soon.

But this time, we have it almost for us alone.

It is incredible how many nature wonders Iceland has, every time we come we discover something new.

The day continues with a walk to Solheimajokull, a glacier tongue just 20 min drive from Skogafoss.

It is even possible to book a glacier walking tour directly at the parking slot.

We had been there in 2012, this time the walk is made more difficult because our daughter stops to play with the soil every 5 meters, thinking the path is a super cool sandbox.

After dinner we go for a walk at Dyrholaey, where our son is excited to see puffins (altough they are much less than years ago, I wonder why) and at Reynisfjara, where the sunset doesn’t seem to want to end, just magic!

Today we have 3 hours drive till the next destination where we will spend the night, but considering all the time we are going to stop, it may take even longer.

First, we stop at Systrafoss, a sweet waterfall which seems split in two. The name Systrafoss means sister waterwall and it comes from a story telling two nuns used to go to the Systravatn, which is the lake who afterwards "created" the waterfall; and once, they went, a hand came out of the water and showed them a gold comb. They tried to get it and drowned (many stories in Iceland are quite creepy!).

Afterwards we enjoy some time at Stjornarfoss, quite close to the previous waterfall. The kids throw stones into the river, whereas my husband plays with his drone ;)

My son then decided to climb up the hill near the waterfall and it's very steep...I don't want him to be alone up there so I go with him, in case I have to rescue him. In the end I am the one which needs to be rescued! He climbs down like a mountain goat, whereas I am on my hands and feet trying not to go down on my butt! (and I do climbing as an hobby, shame on me!)

After getting rescued from my husband, we drive further and visit again the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, which now has ropes and trekking routes and all the rest....I know I am myself part of the problem, but I miss my rustic original Iceland I saw the first time almost 10 years ago....

Pretty cool is also the stop at Kvíárjökull where I can be a little bit on my own at the little lake derived from the glacier tongue...the water was milky and beige and there seemed to be 2 flows, one from the glacier tongue to valley and one from left to right...it was hypnotizing...and a bit scary, remebered me of a scene I saw in the famous Netflix serie Katla..

Last stop of the day, before going to eat at Pakkhús Restaurant, was the famous Jokullsarlon, which didn't show itself from the best side, it was very cloudy/foggy, but it was anyone worth the stop.

 

Spend the night alone: what a blessing!

We normally book a bigger family room or a little flat, but this time we had to book 2 rooms and both kids wanted to be by daddy :D

Woke up and went for a walk along the sea in Hofn, the view is incredible: sea, mountains and glacier tongues coming down from the Vatnajökull...

After a quick breakfast and mandatory stop at one of the public giant trampolines which our kids love, we drive to Vestrahorn/Stokksnes.

This place is incredible, we spend the whole afternoon here: black sand beaches, sea, mountains, very low fog running a few cm from the sand....

The kids play with the sand and the stones they find and run just everywhere!

During holidays we often notice how they don't need much to play, just nature! (and how all the toys they have back home are unnecessary).

We then visit the "fake" viking village (they are building it for a film apparently) there, which we find quite realistic and kind of fun.

Our drive bring us tonight to a cute hotel in the middle of the Hallormsstadur forest, near the lake Lagarfljot.

Today is just meant for relaxing...

Since I am always the first one to wake up in the morning (on holidays and especially in Iceland, where I am too excited to sleep) I go for a walk to the lake.

It is soo peaceful and I observe every single plant and tree, I feel like a child.

Afterwards we go for the first time to the Vok baths , which are geothermal baths sitting on the edge of the Lake Urridavatn. It is a wonderful sunny day and we just enjoy the warm water, the sky and the time together :)

Yesterday after the Vok baths, we thought “let’s go and give a look at Studlagil canyon”, to discover we went on the wrong side (the sun was almost gone and there was anyway no way to walk down but only a terrace - the one up left in the photo), but at least this helped us today. So we parked on the east side and walked for an hour or so (we have kids!) to the point where you can walk down into the canyon, full of basalt columns (mother nature is the best architect!). Some Icelanders were swimming in the cold river, next time I’ll be with them!

And we thought Látrabjarg was the best place to see puffins!

Being with kids, I wanted them to see these beautiful birds close, so googling around I found out there is a place here in the East of Iceland which seems to be a puffins paradise…well, we were not disappointed at all!

This is probably the easiest and best place to see them: there are wooden platforms and steps so that you can get really close to them without any risk.

I warmly recommend it!

On the way to Myvatn, from Egilstadir, the landscape is incredible: black-red ground everywhere, sign of past volcanic eruptions. If the weather permits we stop on the way every time and take pictures, with our cameras and in our minds.
Uncertain about seeing Dettifoss from the East-side, we decide in the end for the West-side, where it is easier to walk to the waterfall with a not yet 3 years young daughter.
The vegetation is special, there are plants I have never seen and I enjoy the little details along the way.
Afterwards we travel to our final destination for today, Akureyri and enjoy the evening with a fantastic sunset on the fjord from the living room.

Today is again just about relaxing :)

Geosea is one of the best geothermal baths I have ever been to: it is not too big, but the view over the fiord is just amazing.

There are 2 pools, one with almost boiling water (love it!) and another one which is cooler and from which you can order directly something to drink. We order blue berry slushes which do not seem to have an end (I drank for at least an hour!) and just enjoy.

After grabbing something to eat in Husavik at Lemon and on the way back to Akureyri we quickly visit again (not the first time) Hverir (a very famous and smelly ;) geothermal area) and Krafla, with its magical blue lake.

Today we have to start to go back to Reykjavik because our flight is in 2 days. Of course it is possible also in one single day but we do not want to rush and still want to enjoy the landscape.

So the plan for today is to drive to Varmahlid and stay there for the night. There is a direct way (1 hour) but last minute we decide to go there by driving around the peninsula up to Siglufjordur (almost 3 hours) since we have never visited this part of the country.

And this is a great idea. The views of Eyjafjordur all the way up to the little town of Siglufjördur are amazing and although the little town doesn’t have much to offer (except the herring museum which we do not visit) the colorful houses, the port, a playground and a Minigolf and a stop at a cafe, let us enjoy and appreciate this little jewel of the north.

On the way down to Varmahlid, we stop for dinner in front of the sea in Hofsos at Retro Mathus. What an incredible day we had!

First stop of the day is Grabrok crater, a 170 m high crater close to Borgarnes. It is accessible via a footpath, so also easy for families with young children.

Afterwards we go for lunch as "usual" in Borgarnes in the Settlement Centre Restaurant and play outside with the colourful stones close to the sea.
Tonight we shortly sleep in Reykajvik, since as always the flight back to Zürich is very early in the morning tomorrow.

Wake up at 4 a.m., why did we even go to sleep???

On the way to the airport Iceland makes us a present: on the drive to Keflavik airport we can see the volcanic eruption going on at the moment!
Having kids (but even without we would have probably not have gone, even though they monitor it closely and they describe it as a "touristic"eruption) we did not go to the eruption site, but to get a glimpse of it was just magic!

At the airport then, the queue is enormous, starts outside of the airport (see photo).

We are lucky to have kids: all of a sudden an airport worker comes outside and takes us and a couple of other families and brings us to a shorter line: yeah!

From the airplane we can see the volcano again, super cool! Thank you Iceland!Will miss you, but we are coming back for sure!