Iceland Free Tour - Aurora Chasing Tour

        The goal of this trip for me and my travel companions is to pursue the "aurora". Currently, the main places in the world where auroras can be seen are Iceland, Finland, Norway, Canada, and the United States. In the end, we both chose Iceland. The aurora season in Iceland lasts from the end of September to April of the following year, with short days and long nights, resulting in a higher probability of auroras appearing. However, this also means that it has to withstand the challenges of unknown weather conditions.

        Arriving in Iceland for the first time: Embracing the warmth of the Blue Lake

        Iceland, one of the five Nordic countries, is renowned for its natural wonders, extremely variable climate, and rare auroras. It has the lowest population density in Europe, with 60% of the population engaged in fishing, and has been ranked among the top three happiest countries in the world for many years. We chose to transfer from London, UK to Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, for our free trip this time. It only takes two hours to arrive, and we can also spend a few days in the UK on the return trip, which can be said to be killing two birds with one stone.

        The first stop on Iceland is the world-renowned Blue Lagoon. This world's largest open-air hot spring, once hailed as one of the 25 wonders of the world, is only a 30 minute drive from the airport and is usually the first or last stop for travelers in Iceland. Due to our stay at Silica Hotel, a subsidiary of Blue Lake, in addition to having a private Blue Lake hot spring pool, we also offer Premium level Blue Lake tickets that cover beverages, as well as round the clock shuttle service. Although the restaurant prices are relatively high, the complimentary tickets to the Grand Blue Lake are already worth it. Even if it snows, there are still a group of people here enjoying the wonderful contrast between cold air and warm spring water, as well as the luxurious feeling of natural rock mud skincare.

                Reykjavik: A City of Solitude and Charm

        After spending two days relaxing in Blue Lake, we arrived in the city center of Reykjavik. This capital city is not as noisy or crowded as other tourist destinations, and the streets seem to have a lonely tone. The wind here is exceptionally cold, and every step feels like fighting against the wind, making people want to scream, but Icelanders are leisurely eating ice cream on the road.

        There are not many attractions in the city center, which can be explored in about half a day. Featured souvenirs include edible volcanic salt, wool products, chocolate, etc. In addition, wine is also worth collecting. I heard that Coca Cola in Iceland is known as "the best in the world". Although the weather was so cold that it was insane, we decided to buy it and give it a try. As a result, both cans and PET bottles of Coca Cola were delicious. We immediately bought three more bottles to bring back to Taiwan. Later, relatives and friends blindly tested the results and unanimously agreed that Iceland's cola won the game.

                Exploration of Southern Iceland

        After leaving the city, we joined a three-day local tour group, which was the most convenient choice for non self driving individuals, as Iceland does not have trains or subways, only buses. The first stop is Skogafoss Waterfall, also known as the 'Rainbow Waterfall', which was the filming location for the movie 'Daydream Adventure King'. As long as the weather is clear, you can see the rainbow in front of the waterfall. However, the weather was not perfect, and we were caught in a storm. Despite this, every group member still insisted on getting off to face the wind and rain, just to capture the beauty of the waterfall. In the end, everyone was soaked through and smiled at each other as they got on the car, making it an unforgettable adventure.

        The next steps are glacier hiking and blue ice cave exploration, which are also important milestones on this journey. The travel agency offers itineraries of different lengths of days, making it convenient for everyone to choose according to their individual physical strength. We chose the most basic 40 minute itinerary, but surprisingly, it is still extremely challenging. The tour guide handed us over to the local glacier hiking guide, who had to transfer to a giant off-road vehicle from the assembly point. The journey was bumpy, crossing rocky terrain, and the whole person flew up and down, bouncing up and down. After arriving at the glacier, put on the ice skates provided by the guide, step on the thick ice layer, and be careful every step because beneath your feet are the bottomless cracks of the glacier. After crossing the glacier, we followed the rope arranged by the guide and descended into the Blue Ice Cave.

        Entering the cave, one can only see a pure and transparent blue ice wall, completely like crystal, which makes one unable to help but feel awe towards nature. There are also small waterfalls in the ice cave, and the guide was very thoughtful in taking pictures for everyone one by one. Then, they followed the route and climbed up the rope step by step, and walked across the glacier on foot. They got on the off-road vehicle and returned to the guide's side.

        After finishing this ice and snow adventure, we are about to enter a pitch black night, but the tour guide asked us responsibly if we wanted to go see Diamond Beach, and of course, everyone didn't want to miss this rare opportunity. But we didn't know that besides the dark night, the storm also came with it. We forced ourselves to get out of the car and enjoy many huge ice blocks scattered on the black beach. But the weather was really bad, and it was difficult to concentrate on enjoying these big ice blocks as bright as diamonds under the wind and rain.

        Racing against hurricanes, witnessing the first snow of winter

        After leaving Diamond Beach, the tour guide informed us that the government announced that Iceland is about to face a hurricane, and a warning has been issued throughout the island. All highways will be closed and it is unknown when they will reopen. He made a decisive decision and decided to take us back to Reykjavik before 3am. After washing up for dinner, we embarked on a journey of escape. Along the way, everything was pitch black with no streetlights, only our car lights. I didn't dare to close my eyes and even started reporting to my family about the UN members of our mini group. Until the sky started to brighten slightly and snow began to fall outside, the tour guide specially parked the car at a high point and let us get off to welcome the first snow of winter in Iceland. Later, we heard from other self driving travelers that they were trapped by the hurricane for several days. Fortunately, we chose a local tour group that was very familiar with Iceland's climate and road conditions, which helped us avoid the crisis.

        Famous Black Beach, Golden Circle, and Aurora

        After the first snow, the guide took us to the famous black sand beach scenic spot Reynisfjara to enjoy the stone pillars composed of basalt rock groups. Many tourists would climb up the rock groups to take photos, but we were nearly blown into the sea by the wind when encountering a storm, so we had to enjoy the online photos and return to the safe urban area. Also, because we left this attraction early, we had extra time and decided to walk to the farther attraction - the Hapa Music Hall. It was once selected as one of the most tourist attractions in the world, resembling a kaleidoscope during the day and exquisite like a jewelry box at night.

        Stepping out of the concert hall, I once again lingered in the cold city of Iceland, deeply exploring every shop and eating some hot food to warm my stomach. In the evening, I signed up for a group to chase the aurora. There were travelers from all over the world on a big bus, and the bus driver and tour guide would tell us their life stories along the way. They then took us to a very dark place to search for the aurora. If we couldn't find it, we would drive to another place to search. Everyone got off the bus with their phones, cameras, and professional cameras. The scene was so cold that I couldn't love it anymore. I still couldn't see the eruption of the aurora. Finally, a foreign passenger taught us how to adjust the pixel of our phones, and we saw the so-called aurora on the screen of our phones. Although the "naked eye" pursuit of the aurora failed today, the aurora group guarantees that as long as the eyes cannot see it, they can continue to participate for free the next day.

                The next day, the mini tour group went on a one-day trip to the Golden Circle volcano in Iceland, first overlooking the well preserved crater of Kerid, then arriving at the geothermal area, waiting for the sudden eruption of the geyser Strokkur, and enjoying a delicious seafood lunch here.

        After lunch, we will move on to visit the INGVALLAVATN National Park, which is one of the world cultural heritage sites located at the junction of the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate. It is still moving every year. Here, you can also participate in shallow activities and witness the geological wonders between the Icelandic plates.

        On the way back, all the passengers on the bus let out sighs in various languages. It turned out that due to weather conditions, all the aurora groups had been cancelled tonight, and today was already the last night they stayed in Iceland. It seemed destined to be a pity.

        Afterword: Wonders and Cruelty of Iceland

        After leaving Iceland, we returned to London and transitioned from the lonely place to the bustling city, experiencing the hustle and bustle of the world. It was heard that just after we left, a volcano erupted, the Blue Lake was temporarily closed, and even residents in certain areas were evacuated. Roads were also eroded by lava, and many travelers were forced to change their plans, just like scenes that only appear in movies. This has shown me that the most beautiful scenery in the world is often the most unpredictable. I can only look forward to the next time, stepping on this land of ice and fire, and truly meeting the aurora.

        #