Horses in Iceland still say neigh.

I awoke and had obviously not moved all night. I think every vertebra popped and snapped as I woke to the light peaking around the blinds. It was 5 am. I rolled over in protest and went back to sleep for an hour. 

I had a shower in the most glorious of rain head showers and tinkered around getting ready.  Once done I donned the red bag and set off. 

I made my way 30 minutes down the road. I passed one person on the way there.  His border collie looked at me with great distrust.  In fact, that is how I will describe the man's glares. 

I made my way up the dirt drive to   Two rows of stables.  The stables reminded me of repurposed shipping containers, just very different dimensions. I wondered around until I found a computer printed Artic Horses sign. 

I popped my head in and heard a mouse squeak of a hello.  She must have been about 13. She kept tacking up and seeing that she didn't want my help nor conversation I waited outside. She pointed to a horse and said that this was mine to ride. She then asked me which side I mounted from. I only have ever (as with everyone I know) mounted from the left. I actually thought that I could give right mounting a go.  I quickly said left as I had an image of me right mounting but ending up backwards on my noble steed. 

Now as I have described, it is rocky terrain.  My horse (never did get his name, not hers for that matter. Bit of a Slartibartfast moment) followed suit behind unnamed girl and unnamed second horse.  

We had made it about 10 minutes down the road and she pulled her horse into a tolt.  This is a unique gait to the Icelandic horse. It's a speed walk. It takes a load of energy to perform for the horse but is the most pleasant seat for the rider. 

I broke out in a huge grin and though ridiculously "I'm tolting !"

It was fabulous fun. We went on interspersing walking with tolting.  

We actually ended up on the path that o had so diligently walked just the night before.  Much quicker on a horse. 

We made our way around a mountain and over such rocky terrain. I think any horse I had ridden before would have laughed at the thought of going over that degree of terrain.  

I'll shut up now and let you see some photos. 

We galloped around through some softer terrain. Unnamed girl who didn't talk almost the entire tour then opened up that I was the first tour she had taken on that route.  Her and her champion mare go on the route, but it's a bit challenging in places.  And at that we were in crevice surrounded by large rocks by Grindavik.  

So 2.5 hours later we finished and I was given a lift back to the blue lagoon where I await a bus to the airport.  

I did have a second to change so I don't smell as much like a horse. 

On to the next flight!  

Quads, Pools, and Walkies

I 

So quad biking in Grindavik. Amazing. 

The tour leader was such a calming spirit. He taught me and a couple from Brazil how to use the quad bikes and we were off. There seem to be a lot of Brazilians here. But our tour guide said that he had only met a few over the last 3 years.  

It took a bit of driving to get the feel of how the bike worked. I pushed my heels down and forged onwards! We started on flat ground to gain our balance and then graduated to climbing part of a mountain.  I became confident enough to partially stand whilst going over the big bumps.  Maybe it was to save my tailbone. 

I struggled at first with smoothly working the accelerator. I would jolt when accelerating making me buck forward in my seat. This too I got used to and had the confidence to keep up with the tour leader. The Brazilians (no not that Brazilian) had a go pro to which I cheekily asked for a copy of the film from today.  They are going to get me a copy once they finish their tour of Iceland and all of Scandinavia.  

I was then dropped off at the Blue Lagoon for my spa day.  I had booked a slightly fancy package because, well I deserve it. I started with a glass of bubbly in a very nice restaurant whist in my bathrobe!  Through the huge glass windows I could see the baths.  A quick gulp and I was off. 

Well actually I was weightless.  The silica rich water just makes you float so easily.  

The water is very harsh on hair so as recommended, I had shoved about a bottle of restoration conditioner in my hair to protect it. I bobbed over to the pool (?) side bar and had myself another bubbly. The pools are huge and it wasn't crowded, so I literally could find a nook and act like a buoy by myself. 

Moving in the water was interesting.  I would try and paddle but without much progress. Walking normally didn't seem to get me very far at any speed. So everyone looked like they were gliding in slow motion. 

There was a regime of mud masks to be used. And use them I did. After about 3 hours past and I thought that I might fall asleep I made my way to the relaxation area to where I did fall asleep in a zero gravity chair. 

I awoke and made my way to the massage area. Another treat for myself. This was a secluded area of the pools. I was asked to get on a thin floating pad and I was covered with a wet blanket. A towel covered my eyes as the reflection from the pools are so bright. 

The masseuse started with my toes and worked up my legs.  Every few minutes she would push my floating pad down so my body would be submerged and warm water would warm the blanket again.  I had been ever so curious as to how she was going to massage my back without attempting to drown me. She actually massage my back from underwater. It was unexpectedly amazing. She was able to get a lot of pressure from that angle. 

I was so utterly relaxed.  

It was a surreal experience to be floating and to be moved around in the water. My ears were slightly under water dulling my hearing. 

She finished with a face and neck massage and then moved me to a recovery pen where I relaxed for a few more minutes. 

I glided out of the pen and granted myself one more glass of bubbly before going to the relaxation room again. A long shower had me ready to depart.  

My next mission was a 4.5 mile walk to Grindavik to my next housing.  As I had been dropped off at the blue lagoon, the quad bike tour leader had gracefully told me that there are almost always taxis outside if I didn't feel like walking. My host for the night had also tried to convince me over the last 2 days that it was too far of a walk.  When have I ever listened to people telling me that I can't do things? 

However, as I was leaving my legs were jello. Maybe from the massage or maybe from the bubbly (which all glasses were not disclosed above). I made the decision to walk.  I am so glad that I did. 

It was stunning. They have recently made a path for 1/2 of the walk which goes through the most beautiful scenes.  

The ground over the rocks was covered in this loss like plant which was like walking on a heap of sponges. 

I made good time with all of my luggage and was rounding the last 1/3 of the journey (which the path was close to the main road). All of a sudden a car pulled off. I recognized my host!   She had recognized my previously described red hiking bag and wondered if I wanted a lift. I declined because I was so close and could almost taste the satisfaction of completing the job. 

 I am now settled here and just had some instant pasta that I had brought just in case. I figured my budget today had been blown by bubbly, so instant pasta it was. 

Understandably I am shattered and now head to bed. 

Reykjavik

I've just landed.  I was listening to the soundtrack of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty on the descent.  If you haven't seen that movie, you should.  

Anyway. The airport is the cleanest airport that I have ever seen.  I made my way out to my bus to take me to Reykjavik and we set off.  

The land is flat and barren.  I can't quite describe it. Browns and earth tones. The scenes are painted with burnt sienna, yellow ochre, raw sienna and raw umber.  Craterous rocks and dirt.  The highway is almost white in colour. Straight and flat. On the left I can see the coast. On the right I can see mountains. However it is hard to judge how far they are away so they may just be hills. 

I'm sitting next to an elderly gentleman who I believe is local but he seems to be just in awe of the scenes as me. He has his shopping with him and one of his beers just rolled out and tapped me on my foot.  It has now been safely stored back in his bag.  

I disembarked in Reykjavik and found my way to the Airbnb where I am staying.  Mark is an Englishman from north Umberland.  He moved to Iceland three months ago after what sounds like a nasty divorce.  He seems pleasant. 

I set off to explore. The city is small. I found the Main Street and made my way to the Atlantic coast.  I was in awe. I don't think I have the words for the view. 

I walked and walked and found a little restaurant where I went for dinner.  I started chatting with the people sitting next to me. I can't remember their names as the wine was flowing. We chatted about politics, travel and their history.  She is from Brazil and he is Icelandic.  They had met at a hostel in Norway.  They had such amazing tips for any travel that I may be doing in Southeast Asia.  

We chatted for about 2 hours and then bid our farewells. It was a fabulous meal and a fabulous conversation. 

I made my way back to Mark's and he and I had a 3 hour chat about all topics in life. It is so nice to be able to have that sort of talk with someone and not just disappear into a hotel room.  

I have now made my way to my collection point to leave the city.  Quad bike pictures to come.  

Sorry for the difference tenses used in this post. I have been writing on the go and my past and presents were used simultaneously.