Iceland is by far the best holiday I’ve ever been on.
Why Iceland?
Well, I think what makes travel so memorable is being in a place that is so unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.
It’s opening your eyes to a whole new culture, a beautifully different terrain, and new way of life.
When we were in Iceland, my husband, Harrison, and I got to really explore the country for nine straight days.
Nine days of exploring waterfalls.
Nine days of endless mountains.
And nine glorious days of driving in an otherworldly landscape.
That time we got lost in Iceland
One of my favorite stories from Iceland was when we got lost trying to find Fagrifoss waterfall.
We were driving inland trying to reach this stunning waterfall.
Our GPS was limited to an exact map from our starting point to Fagrifoss.
We drove for 30 minutes on a gravel/dirt road through the most stunningly green terrain, and followed our map… all the way up to a rushing river.
Our map wanted us to cross the river to get to the other side. The adventurer in me said “go for it!” but the level-headed money-conscious side of me said “no way!”
If we weren’t in a rental car, we probably would’ve forged through the river to continue to the other side.
But being in a rental on an already expensive trip, we knew we couldn’t afford any potential damages.
So we decided to head back the way we came.
Just one more problem… our GPS wouldn’t show us the map anymore.
So there we were, surrounded by nothing but open space and mountains, with a dirt road that diverged so many times with no street signs.
In that moment we became more than just travelers but explorers and navigators. Landmarks and sheep that we remembered passing became our guides. (It was kind of hilarious trying to identify if we had seen random sheep before or not.)
We eventually reached the main road and our GPS started working again.
Of course, we never reached Fagrifoss, but the neatest thing was the lesson we learned.
Being in the middle of nowhere, with no other souls in sight and no wi-fi or data, is absolutely exhilarating.
We also got to see some wild, beautiful landscapes (like the one below) on the way, so didn’t feel like we missed out on anything at all.
The very essence of wanderlust and travel was encapsulated into one epic trip that changed us for the better.
We got to experience a completely different lifestyle, meet people who call Iceland their home, and see the country through their eyes.
It changed the way I view the simple pleasures of life. These days, it is so easy to think of possessions as the ultimate thing that satisfies. But in my opinion, more possessions can easily lead to more stress.
And though we find joy in our faith, visiting new places brings us so much happiness and quenches our wanderlust– until the next trip I guess!
So all in all, Iceland was simply the best vacation we’ve ever been on.
I hope you get to visit this land of infinite beauty!
Safe travels,
Jasmine
3 Responses
“Well, I think what makes travel so memorable is being in a place that is so unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.
It’s opening your eyes to a whole new culture, a beautifully different terrain, and new way of life.”
I SO AGREE WITH THIS. This is how I felt when I moved to the Dominican Republic for two months. It was utterly shocking, in the best of ways. Exhilarating. Different. The very essence of adventure. Jumping off of waterfalls, riding around on motorcycle taxis, learning an entirely different culture.
Northern California — like the very tip top northern where there’s hardly a sole in sight — was also like this for me.
Iceland is on my bucket list! And the Faroe Islands. Have you checked those out? TALK ABOUT ISOLATION. Lonely Planet doesn’t even have a guide book on it!
Thanks for sharing your travels! I love looking at them — inspires me endlessly!
Lauren, thank you so much for your kind words!! I’m so glad you agree!!
I haven’t been to the Faroe Islands but I’m adding them to my bucket list now! Same with the Dominican Republic- it sounds like it was absolutely AMAZING!! Northern California too!
And yes- you simply must visit Iceland!!
Safe travels!! XO
Absolutely!