A journey to Iceland provides the opportunity for many life “firsts”
By Nancy Clarke, 2-time traveler, Verona, New Jersey
I’ve always wanted to travel to Iceland. I know several people from the country, and have friends who have visited, so I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things. I was intrigued by the welcoming people, unique geography, and small population—plus, I thought it would just be a fun place to go.
The best part about traveling is being in a different culture and being able to experience another place in a positive way. My father was in the military, so I’ve traveled quite a bit throughout my life. And in a previous job, I worked with an international organization, so I did a lot of overseas traveling with them. I work in New York City, which means I’m used to a pretty intense lifestyle. Sometimes it’s nice to get away and visit somewhere completely different.
I asked my sister, Isabel Stevens—a 3-time traveler from Alexandria, Virginia—if she’d like to come to Iceland with me. We’ve traveled together before—sometimes with her husband, and sometimes with other family members (including a family “reunion” of sorts on our first OAT trip), but we decided to do this trip on our own. We get along really well, and share similar interests, which makes our travels together very rewarding. For example, Isabel is interested in historical manuscripts. During our visit to Reykjavik, she was able to explore some of the wonderful manuscripts on display, and although it’s not something I go out of my way to find, I found the history interesting as well. And I was able to share my love of horses when we visited the horse farm on the way to Akureyi, an included part of the trip.
Isabel enjoys the views of Godafoss—known as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland.
I had so many “first” experiences in Iceland. I’d never been whale-watching, but the included tour during our trip to Husavik was one of the reasons I was interested in this particular adventure. It was amazing to see a whale riding alongside our boat for about an hour. Our Trip Leader explained that it was a Minke whale, known for its friendliness. As we all enjoyed the view, the whale rolled onto its back and showed us its stomach! Definitely something special.
Nancy experienced many “firsts” during her Iceland trip—including a whale-watching tour, where she is pictured here.
And I enjoy horseback riding, so one morning, while the rest of the group visited the Blue Lagoon, my Trip Leader arranged for me to visit a stable, where I was able to ride and experience the “tolt,” a special gait unique to Icelandic horses.
In Iceland, they are very safety-conscious, which made it the perfect place to push myself a little further than I might have otherwise—like my first river rafting experience. I was completely invigorated, and at the same time comfortable, helping paddle our way down a glacial river. There were six of us in our raft, and one of the members of our group—an 88-year-old gentleman—was deemed the oldest person who had gone down that particular river!
Nancy’s Trip Leader arranged for her to visit a local stable, where she spent the afternoon horseback riding.
And although I’m not a big hiker, I did plenty of hiking in Iceland. During our visit to Stykkisholmur, we went to Helgafell, a sacred hill about 250 feet high. Legend has it that if you’re able to climb to the top of the mountain in silence, and make a wish when you reach the top, your wish will be granted. I’m not sure if that’s true, but I was able to make it to the top without making a sound!
We visited Iceland shortly after the eruption of the volcano, but it didn’t really affect our trip. The only slight snag we experienced was not being able to climb a glacier. Our guides warned that the ash now scattered across the glacier’s surface made it too slippery and dangerous to walk across, so we stood on it instead. Standing there, surrounded by the volcanic ash, truly made the volcanic eruption a real experience for me. It was so amazing to think that the people of Iceland live with this reality every day … not knowing when the volcano will erupt again. It really brought it home for me.
Although their group was unable to walk along this glacier, Isabel (pictured here), Nancy, and the rest of the group still enjoyed views of the ash-covered mass of ice.
Another “first” I was able to experience was hiking through lava fields near the village of Budir. We were told we could take a bus along the coastline to our final destination, or we could choose to hike along the trail. Several members took the bus, but my sister and I decided to hike along the trail. Imagine, we were walking on a trail that people have used for hundreds of years. The fields were rough, but the coastline was so beautiful. The views were truly spectacular.
Nancy’s group enjoyed a trek through the lava fields near the village of Budir.
This trip to Iceland was beyond my expectations. Our fellow group members were so interesting and different. That’s another thing I love about travel: You meet so many different people. Everyone brings their own life experiences, and with these experiences comes knowledge. Some people love farming, or geology, or birds. And we’re able to share these interests to learn from one another. There was even another pair of sisters traveling in our group of 15!
And in the same way, that’s what makes these trips with my sister so special. We don’t live near one another, so these travels let us talk about our lives and what’s happened since we were last together. We’re able to share being sisters and friends, and the experiences we encounter on the trip. And that’s what’s most important.
Explore breathtaking landscapes and beautiful coastlines on our Untamed Iceland adventure.