Good-Bye Capital City

Today is my last day in Reykjavik until the very last day of my trip when I
need to fly home. It’s been a fantastic two weeks and I’ve definitely
fallen in love with this town. If I don’t come back at least once in my
life, I’ll be pretty disappointed.

Yesterday, we were fortunate to have the morning off, which means I got to
sleep in. In the afternoon, we visited a nearby geothermal power plant.
The particular one we visited was fairly new, so the building was ultra
modern. We got to go inside and see all the giant machines where the hot
steam turns the turbines. There was also this great interactive wall that
explained the whole geothermal process. And it didn’t even smell that bad.
There was a tiny hint of sulfur in the air, but it wasn’t terrible. I
guess I’ve gotten used to it since I have to shower every morning in smelly
water.

Today we got to do what most of the tourists do – visit the Blue Lagoon.
It’s this great hot spring that’s heated from the geothermal plant next
door. The weather today was overcast and pretty windy, but I think that’s
perfect for when you’re soaking in really warm water. It was such a
relaxing experience and it was a great way to end our stay here.

The water was an unusual bluish-white color and you couldn’t see anything
in the water. This led to most of the guys taking off their swim suites so
they could be completely “free.” I guess they were enjoying themselves.
But it was a just fantastic experience. The lagoon is located really close
to the airport, so if anyone ever has a really long layover in Iceland,
definitely consider going. The only bad part is how bad the water dries
out your hair, but that’s a small price to pay.

Tomorrow morning we head up to our home stays in Akureyri. I’ll let you
know what my family is like once I meet them!