Welcome to 2022!
I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly glad to get 2021 behind me. Here’s hoping 2022 is better!
Where, and how, would you like to travel this year? Will it be a tropical island for a romantic get-away or beach vacation with your family? An ocean or river cruise? Escorted tour? Family reunion? Celebration of a milestone anniversary or birthday? Or will you finally visit an exotic destination on your Bucket List? You have a wide-open calendar in front of you, and it’s time to begin planning your vacations. Did you know that on average, most workers fail to use 5-6 paid vacation days each year? That’s crazy!
More and more international destinations are opening their doors—especially for vaccinated travelers—and one of the top destinations you may visit now is high on the Bucket List of many people. It’s Iceland, and I traveled there in early December.
Iceland is known as the Land of Fire & Ice, and for good reason! This island nation was formed by volcanoes, and it was once covered by an Ice Age ice cap, portions of which remain to this day. You’ll see volcanoes, glaciers, sandy oceanfront beaches, waterfalls, and the ice cap when you visit and will learn more about what’s going on underneath the surface as well, often without you even knowing it’s occurring. I was fascinated by the things I learned during my Iceland trip, seeing its natural wonders, and hearing about its history passed down through sagas (stories). You would, too!
Favorite highlights of my Iceland trip include:
- Learning about volcanoes, earthquakes, and geothermal activity at the Lava Center;
- Standing next to beautiful and powerful waterfalls;
- Hearing the roar of the North Atlantic Ocean while viewing glistening pieces of glacial ice on the black-sand shores of Diamond Beach;
- Visiting museums to learn more about the history of Iceland (Saga Museum), its peoples (Skogar Folk Museum), Northern Lights (Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Center) and its whale species (Whales of Iceland museum);
- Seeing Christmas lights on homes and farmhouses located in remote areas and in the city centers;
- Gazing at the nighttime sky in the hopes of seeing the Northern Lights.
Iceland is perfect for anyone who enjoys nature. It’s a year-round destination with hiking and outdoor pursuits its top draw, even in the winter. The island is huge and takes 5-6 hours to get from east to west. My escorted tour started in Reykjavik, traveled along the Golden route, and then followed the southern coastline to the east coast. We returned to Reykjavik for our final night, wrapping up with a swim and group dinner at the famous Blue Lagoon.
Despite the cold weather I saw the highlights of Iceland on my escorted tour and though I did not see those elusive Northern Lights during my visit, I felt Iceland was an interesting and worthwhile place to explore. If you’d like to see photos from my tour, click HERE.
Interested in experiencing Iceland? Been there, done that. I can help! Give me a call at (309) 256-2984 or complete a Contact Request form, and we’ll get started planning your Icelandic adventure.
Until next time…
Jennifer