It will be an Adventure!

Reflections on my trip to Iceland

I love a good adventure with some extreme experiences mixed in. This particular adventure began with an invitation to an Icelandic Provisions event. I expected to learn about Skyr: the ancient fermented Icelandic dairy product with a similar texture to very thick and creamy yogurt. Throughout the event, I learned that Iceland has a very strong wellness culture that spans multiple generations and socioeconomic groups. This wellness culture includes regular soaking in geothermal hot springs followed by cold plunges in the ocean. Food culture includes lots of wild berries in the pattern of eating, lots of Skyr, and plenty of seafood. Although on the rise, the rates of non-communicable conditions are lower than in the United States. Needless to say, these few pieces of information got me thinking about how we could bring some of that inclusive wellness culture to the US. Visualize the following with me for a bit: imagine if senior centers and public housing had hot tubs, saunas, cold showers, and nourishing food available for all people?! I know it’s not a simple fix, but I do know if people had more access to spaces where they could rest and rejuvenate, there could be a better quality of life.

My mind was spinning during this event, and I thought to myself ‘I’d love to go to Iceland and see firsthand what life looks like there’. Ok, let’s put this into context. Iceland, in the winter, is cold, windy, and dark but that did not deter me. In anticipation, I arrived home and presented the idea to my family with convincing declarations like “it will be an adventure.”

Fast forward to our arrival at 11 pm Icelandic time. Picture this: a fairly empty airport and a raging snowstorm outside. So much snow that I distinctly remember asking the car rental person if we needed a shovel, to which they responded very calmly: “No.” We stopped at a 24-hour grocery store to pick up some breakfast items and then went on to the very stormy drive to Hvammsvík, where we stayed at the lake house. See our snowy arrival photo!

The next morning, we woke up to the most astounding views. The topography was like nothing I had seen before, blue-grey with whipping winds and lots of untouched, pure white snow. The hot springs did not disappoint and, let me tell you, they were HOT! We spent the afternoon experiencing whole-body restoration, rejuvenation, and wellness. The whole family was able to take part–something that I enjoyed in particular. This philosophy of Icelanders is that wellness is a comprehensive ritual that should be integrated into life from a young age.

Among several planned outings, we were able to visit the town of Hella, where we stayed at the Stracta Hotel. From there, we saw natural wonders like the aurora borealis TWICE! We visited waterfalls and the black sand beaches in Vik.

What struck me the most about this trip was the vastness of the island and the extreme climate– 4 hours of daylight in the winter enveloped by twilight and deep darkness. All of our tour plans (glacier hiking, and swimming between the plate tectonics) were canceled due to weather conditions. Mother nature was in control and we took that as a sign to slow down and take in the environment. All in all, our trip was nothing short of extraordinary and filled with a wondrous adventure. Stay tuned as I plan to return in the summer to experience 20 hours of daylight!

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