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Bucket list defined as

1. “a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.”

Do you have one? Raise your hand if witnessing the northern lights is one of them.  This year is the year I said to myself about time to check off the northern lights from the proverbial list . So off I went .

But how to decide where to catch it ? Few countries came up as options . The close second was Finland and the runner ups were Canada , Norway and Alaska.

So why Iceland ? For a variety of reasons really . First , there are numerous other side trips that are equally and uniquely worth seeing aside from the main event, northern lights . Secondly, flights were less costly comparatively speaking. Of course, this depends where you are boarding and deplaning. Lastly , due to it being relatively a small island, there’s a variety of must-see places that you can hit in 2-3 days just by doing the golden circle tour.

So Iceland it is . Good time since likelihood to see the northern lights is at its peak during September through March when nights are longest.

Before we dig in, a little bit of nugget on Iceland. It is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic  with population of less than 350k and size of 40,000 sq mile ( smaller than state of Kentucky) making it the least populated region in Europe.  Interesting to note that  in 2018, UN Human Development index ranked it sixth in the most developed country  in the world and ranks first on the Global Peace Index. And did you know that Iceland runs almost completely on renewable energy?  Impressive.

Though not endowed with lots of living area square footage.. Don’t let the size fool you. It’s packed with exotic out of this world places to visit . Blown away . Those were the first words that came to mind in encapsulating the experience . We were in for a pleasant surprise. Blue lagoon , tectonic plate , geysers , waterfalls, active volcanoes,  glaciers while doing the Aurora borealis aka northern light chase.  It’s a fancy name for natural light display in the Earth’s sky. The awe inspiring sceneries  compensated for the grueling 16 hour flight from LAX. If only we can zap our way to any destination we want. Remember Hayden Christensen‘s movie , “Jumper ” where he instantly teleports to any place he can think of ?  Imagine skipping the airport zoo and the numbing hours of being trapped inside the fuselage inhaling artificially recycled air shared by hundreds of other bored, fatigued and anxious passengers.  Wouldn’t that be nice? Now back to reality .

I. Let’s explore the must see:

1. Waterfalls– There are numerous waterfalls. To avoid butchering the Icelandic names for the waterfalls we’ve been, will skip naming it . Note that names of which  have  more consonants and all end in “foss” w/c literally translates to waterfalls. Besides, words fall short of its’ majestic beauty. Each uniquely different but all dramatic and serene in its own right. The landscape is a dream backdrop to any photographer , amateur or pros alike

2. Blue lagoon– Actually my favorite part of the trip. Home to one of the 25 wonders of the world. The water from the lagoon is derived from the lava flow from the nearby volcano.The warm waters are rich in minerals like silica and sulfur.

It is the most visited place in Iceland not only for it beauty but is also reputed to help cure some skin ailments like psoriasis.

The best part was the in-water massage. Floating while being massaged amidst the most  stunning scenery with the steam and fog adding mystic to the relaxing experience.

3. Glacier lagoon-It is quite easy to find it as it is close to highway number one. It is a must see and is considered one the greatest wonders of nature in Iceland. Seeing  the huge picturesque icebergs up close was surreal and humbling. It sort of hits you that we are but a speck to all these colossal grandeur.

II. Must come back for :

1. Geyser– always wanted to witness this iconic site, but it rained and snowed hard the day allotted for it.  The allure of the comfort of the hotel with its jacuzzi overlooking the coast and the short walk to the  nearby fishing village  across the hotel were a perfect alternative given the weather condition.
2.  Journey to the center of the earth tour.  This is an open elevator ride down inside an actual volcano.  Remember the adventure book and movie, of the same title where characters encountered prehistoric animals and other natural hazards? This tour offers dazzling rock formations that exist inside a volcano. A one of a kind geological wonder where the effects of smoldering magma are visible from the cave walls.

3. Golden circle road trip in an RV- next time will plan to rent an RV. It would be an adventure on its own to lay inside your RV while in full view of the aurora borealis and  wake up amidst the wilderness.

   III. Must Taste :

1. Whale meat – for its novelty, it’s good to try it even once. It taste like liver steak with a combination of beef and fish taste. Its alright. Not crazy about it. But glad I tried it.

2. Reindeer meat @ The Mills- Tried the first time in Helsinki. This time is no different. The cut is sliced thin, very lean , surprisingly mild, not chewy or heavy, no overpowering taste unlike other game meats.

3.Shark meat @ “The Iceland bar”- Planned on going to the local bar to try it.  But the tour to chase the Northern lights coincided with it. Remember chasing Aurora can be finicky so you have to be ready and on stand-by to jump in the van when the tour group thinks the chance of seeing is highly probable. Here they say they take a shot of  tequila or vodka-like drink  immediately after having bite size plate of shark meat. They say its meaty, mild and could be poisonous if not soaked well enough. Not only is it known to have high level of mercury they are also known to urinate through their skin.

So far the local meals we had  were all scrumptious, even those from hole in a wall eateries by road side. In the glacier lagoon, we tried some lobster tacos, vegan hot dogs and  home made lobster broth soup from one of the food trucks. What we ordered were all surprisingly tasty and we unanimously enjoyed every bite.

Icelandic cuisine is a 2 thumbs up. Lots of sea food, lambs and other uncommon meat which are delectably combined with their home grown exotic herbs . Coupled with their eye pleasing plating that showcases the vibrant colors of each of the herbs and spices, truly make up a heightened dining experience.

 Good to know :

1. Apps- Aurora forecast apps. This shows the “position of the auroral oval around the Arctic Circle and also indicates the probability of seeing them where you are”. Check out this link for other useful apps when in Iceland. https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-info/top-10-apps-for-travelling-in-iceland

2. Grip on shoes- Get some crampons.It’s a traction cleats that goes over shoes for safe walking or hiking on snow or ice.

3 Saran Wrap- Discovered the benefit of using saran wrap as a space saver . In lieu of vacuum packing bulky clothes , this kitchen staple is a good alternative. Individually wrapped my ski pants, jackets and cashmere with it and it reduced the bulkiness by half at least. All my clothing, souvenirs  and other puffy clothing I bought fit snugly in one luggage thanks to my new friend, the saran wrap.

4. Heat pad- Grab some patches of hand warmer heating pad, One pad could last up to 14 hours.

5 . Rain jacket – It helps to pack one as it rains intermittently in a span of a 24 hour period.  Not recommended to buy there. Prices for their outdoor wear are steep.

6. Unpredictable weather conditions- Consider easy 4 weather condition in a span of just an hour.  One minute its sunny, 5 minutes later it starts raining, then snow falls and then just plain dreary . So you can end up putting your sun glasses on and off  multiple times in just one short trip. There’s a common saying in Iceland ” if you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes” . Yes, it could be notorious but it’s all part of the adventure.

I would be remiss if i don’t do a shout-out  about the locals . They were really nice, warm and relaxed . Far friendlier than some of their neighboring counter parts . We have loads of stories of how some locals in pockets of Northern Europe are the exact opposite of welcoming . Here , no one was trying to rush you . Like one time, I had an excursion pick up at 8:30 pm but for some reason front desk told me pick up was 9:30 . Needless to say I wasn’t ready when they arrived at 8:30. After around 10 minute wait .. (admittedly I wasn’t really rushing) since I didn’t hear the urgency from the drivers voice , I hopped in the bus and surprise .. half the bus was already full , all eyes on me ?! Yikes . I unintentionally made them all wait. Point is, the driver didn’t mind and he was chill about it. I could just imagine if that happened in New York or some other high  strung cities ? It’ll be toxic to say the least . I will be chewed with just the dagger looks.No wonder they are ranked #1 on the Global Peace Index.

In the end , all we really wanted was to chase the northern lights and check it off the wish list. And though we didn’t see the full spectacle of the northern lights , we only saw glimpse from the tour bus driver’s high sensitivity camera while being in tolerable cold with temp hovering around 5 degrees C. The element of surprise seeing unplanned , random, exotic natural marvels while coasting down the perimeter of their main circular road captivated our senses , from the breathtaking waterfalls , glaciers , flying puffins to name some . We surprisingly gained so much more from the unexpected turns.

Personally , I have learned that the key to most things in life, especially when traveling is managing your expectations. Expect to be floored but don’t rip your hair if you don’t see the full shebang of what you came there for. In the end, it’s truly about the journey not the destination.

So, what’s next on your bucket list ?

 “I haven’t been everywhere, but its on my list” –