Already when circling over the airport of Reykjavik you realize there will be a lot to see on Iceland. Even though I´m not very fond of flying I couldn´t keep myself from leaning towards the window to see what it all looked liked from above. Iceland looks like noting else. From above it appears to be a moon landscape with craters and lakes looking like blue stains. Thanks to a clear and sunny sky there is nothing that can dim this beautiful view. Just to be on my way to land on Iceland was almost surreal to me. An island far out in the North Atlantic Ocean situated just south of the Arctic Circle between Greenland and the British Isles. Quite exotic if you ask me
I had a lot of exploring to do during the few days I had planned to stay on Iceland, so the group I travelled with started right away by going straight from the airport to the legendary Blue Lagoon. It´s a geyser that feels like a natural 5000 square meter outdoor pool, surrounded by magical lava fields and black sandy beaches. Stairs lead you into the water, which felt absolutely wonderful to step into.
The Blue Lagoon is said to have a healing effect on your skin due to all the minerals in the water. It was a very special and nice experience to rise from the water, stand up in the chilly air and then get back into the bubbly blue water and let it warm you. Further into the Blue Lagoon really hot steam raised from a crater. After the steam bath and having tried a special facial mask available in the magnificent spa area, it was time to go to say goodbye to the Blue Lagoon and meet the city of Reykjavik.
We paved way for a perfect moment to check out the typical Icelandic food. Lamb is popular and it´s being served in many different __________________________________________________________________________  ways. We had a great meal and I can really recommend you to try genuine Icelandic food.
However, you will find both McDonalds and Pizza Hut along the main streets as well. When you go to Iceland in the summer, like I did, and have good luck with the weather, you can´t complain about lack of sun, because the sun never sets. The darkest time during our four day stay had the same brightness as a four o´ clock August afternoon in Sweden. When you´re not used to it, it´s a strange feeling to feel very tired even though it´s full sunlight outside, however your watch will tell you that your tired body is right.
The second day I found time to take a closer look at Reykjavik and its shops. I started by going to a very big horse sports store outside the city. At this place you´ll find just about everything that you will need when you go horseback riding on Iceland, not one thing was missing. The most essential things could be borrowed at the spot from the organizers of the horseback riding tours, which is a good thing since it´s difficult to bring your own equipment to Iceland. It´s also __________________________________________________________________________ |
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 a good opportunity for those who usually don´t ride, because they don´t have to spend money on equipment for a special occasion when trying out horseback riding.
Before you go riding on Iceland, there are a couple of things you might want to know. The Icelandic horse is a breed of horse developed on Iceland. It´s a unique pony–sized horse free from diseases, which means that there are strict rules about what things you´re allowed to bring with you. Riding equipment that have been in contact with horses in other countries are not allowed. No matter how much you clean your riding helmet, you can´t bring it.
There are two main streets in Reykjavik, with a lot of stores. It seemed to me that they sold a lot of souvenirs, self–made crafts, jewellery and clothes. The two main streets are long and sloped, and run through the entire city centre. Alongside the streets there are different types of buildings, with both modern shopping centres and beautiful old houses. Some walls are covered with graffiti and others painted with more traditional art.  |
 This second day the weather was as great as the previous day, a bit windy but still nice. Clear blue sky and sunny, perfect conditions to explore Reykjavik. There were no other limits for how far you could see than your own eyes. A lot of walking was needed to be able to see everything but a visit to the exhibition 817 plus minus 2 was not to be missed. Taking place below ground level where excavations had been made. The exhibited archaeological objects had been determined time wise as exact as plus minus two years, which explains the exhibition´s title 817 plus minus 2. Several animations made it easy to get a picture of what it had looked like at the time.
Day three it was time to go horseback riding. We were picked up early in the morning for the rather long bus trip to the horse farm. This was a great way to see the beautiful landscape. The further we came from Reykjavik the more we got to see of the country side. Less houses and people and more animals. Icelandic horses in their natural habitat, walking around in herds and lots of sheep. When we arrived at the farm we were welcomed by the family that held the __________________________________________________________________________  horses, and served a good meal before changing clothes for the first ride of the day. We borrowed the right equipment and tried out suitable helmets.
To select the right horse for each person we were asked to tell about our experiences with horses. The person who runs the farm led the tour and told us about how to ride Icelandic horses, which is a bit different from what is practiced at normal riding schools.
The tour started with a small drama, as one person fell off his horse and got some bruises. But when we were on our way it was a fantastic experience and a great way to experience the nature. The horses were friendly and used to walking in a straight line, even if some horses chose to test their horsemen by trying to get away. I was lucky to have a horse which was good at "tölta", a specific kind of walk found among Icelandic horses, a walking style where the horse moves in a way that is very comfortable for the rider. Almost like sitting in a chair. |
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 We rested half ways, and by then the rest of the herd that had been left behind when we took off had caught up with us. It was an impressing sight to see the horses coming at full speed and running straight into the enclosed pasture and started eating the grass. We sat among them and ate our lunch that was delivered specially to us by car. The entire group was eating together, and some of the horses were very interested in our food.
As we continued the ride the rest of the herd was just behind us, lead by the people from the farm. Back at the farm we had dinner and then gathered up at the barn for a campfire sing–along. They handed out song books and we sang in several languages. The fire that was lit in an iron wagon really kept us warm, and it was a nice way to relax after many hours of horseback riding. To get even more relaxed we ended the day by taking another bath in the very hot pool, Heitur Pottur. Very relaxing!
Next day we set out for a really long ride and packed our own lunch boxes since no car was going to follow us this time. But before taking __________________________________________________________________________  |
 off we visited a beautiful and very old church that was still in use. New horses were given to us, although we kept the same saddles as we had the day before. The horses looked well and I got a nice feeling of affinity when we started riding with the group.
During the ride we passed Iceland´s fifth largest lake Hóp. Bringing rubber boots proved to be a smart move since the water reached our knees at times. And some splashes from the water made it all refreshing as it was a warm day. On our way back to the farm the horses were still very alert and it was nice to see them being so eager to keep on moving forwards.
Two days of riding was over and I can sincerely recommend this to everyone who gets the chance. You don´t even have to have any experience of horseback riding at all. You will still get a couple of fun and exciting days. Some of us wanted to bring a physical memory of the trip, so at the bus back to Reykjavik we stopped to collect some lava stones to bring back home.  As we went to the airport and waved goodbye to Iceland the weather turned grey and rainy. I have to say I´m very happy with my entire trip. To experience the Icelandic nature on horseback and to ride side by side with free running horses was just indescribable. And I have a feeling that I haven´t seen enough. I want to go back to Iceland to see more of the beautiful countryside and spend more time to explore Reykjavik.
Some useful links:
www.icelandair.se
www.bluelagoon.com
www.lifland.is
www.ishestar.is
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