Why I spent my spring break in Iceland
A beautiful destination that you would never expect
When my parents told me that they wanted to spend spend spring break in Iceland, I was initially pretty skeptical and a little curious. When I picture spring break, images of tanning on hot sandy beaches with a margarita in hand coming to mind, not images of show-shoeing on a glacier in a parka.
Photo by Maggie Harriman
On the other hand, when would you turn down a trip to go somewhere that unexpected for spring break? The thought of hiking my way through the mountains and lava rock of Iceland seemed exciting, unexpected, out of my comfort zone, and one that I couldn’t pass up. Iceland, in my mind, was a mysterious land full of natural beauty. Besides the pictures I have come across on Pinterest, I had absolutely no idea what to expect.
Iceland is on the cusp of becoming the newest hip and trendy travel hotspot. It made the top of CNN’s Where to go in 2016: Top 16 up-and-coming destinations list for a reason….it’s a travel destination full of something for absolutely anyone.
Photo by Maggie Harriman
It is incredible to see a country, with only a population of 330,000, that is barely touched by human development. Iceland is full of some of the most jaw-dropping natural beauty you can witness. As also one of the most peaceful countries in the world, Their police force is also famous for its incredible Instagram (if you want to look at some adorable photos of policemen with puppies, check it out here.)
Photo by Maggie Harriman
The capital, Reykavik, might be small in size, but the city itself offers everything you could want; including an incredible restaurant scene, and even a famous penis museum (yes, you read that right.) Apart from the unique capital, the entire country is a pretty dramatic spectacle of every type of natural beauty that you might be able to imagine.
Photo by Maggie Harriman
If you want geothermal hot springs, you can prepare yourself to be amazed by the beauty of the Blue Lagoon. Waterfalls with arching rainbows and geysers that erupt every 5 minutes aren’t just something you have to look at in magazines. Beaches along the Snaefellnes peninsula might be black lava rock instead of white sand, but seeing turquoise water crash against snowy cliffs definitely isn’t a downgrade. Take a chance to go on an adventure, and you can strap on clamp-ons and hike up a glacier, or you can put on snow shoes and trek off through the Arctic tundra.
Photo by Maggie Harriman
At the risk of sounding cliché, I will say that I believe it is extremely important that if the opportunity presents itself, we all take the chance to travel to places that offer experiences that are vastly different from that which we are used to. Travel is all about stepping out of your comfort zone while appreciating the fact that we live in a huge world full of some pretty incredibly wonderful hidden gems. Our world is beautiful, and we need to appreciate it and cherish it, and respect it. We only have one of them, so when we travel, let’s take the chance to admire it, respect it, and give it the attention that it deserves.