Arctic paradise

Our plane landed in Keflavik around 6:20 am yesterday morning. As soon as I stepped out of the airport and took my first breath of fresh, arctic air, I instantly knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be in that moment. There is something so magical and so still about the arctic that you really can't grasp through understanding, it's more of a feeling that you have to experience by being here. I've felt that sense of magic since that first breath I took yesterday morning.

Davi, our couchsurfing host, picked us up from the airport bright and early. He is seven feet tall with ice blue eyes, bleach blonde hair and a gigantic smile. He asked us if we'd like to take the scenic route back to his home. We couldn't think of anything we'd like more. The Icelandic countryside we drove through was breathtaking, unlike any country-side I'd ever seen before, which is saying a lot since I spend most of my time in the country-side back home. There is a thick layer of squishy, green moss covering the ground all over, lots of hills, and mountains to be seen in the distance and the furriest sheep I've ever seen in my life.

The weather is pleasantly chilly here. Blue skies are all we've seen so far and the sun has continued to shine day and night, which is quite the spectacle.

Iceland is the only country in the world with a 100% literacy rate; also, EVERYONE is bilingual, which is handy because Icelandic is a super complex language. The people here are different from those back home, they are generally very enthusiastic about life, friendly, and you never see them in a hurry. Life is slowed down here, this country vibrates on a different frequency, which is refreshing. You can actually feel the slowed-down frequency-shift when you're walking around the city, it's a soothing feeling, and it puts the excitement back into each moment.

We spent most of yesterday lounging around on moss beds (which are actually way more comfortable than man-made beds) and exploring the small town of Keflavik on foot. We bought some fresh, baked goods from a nearby "bakari" and spent time with our host family, their kids, and their amazing dog, Rosa. 

Soon after waking up today we began trekking to the Blue Lagoon (about 20 km or 12 miles from our host's home.) After a pit-stop at the bakari and another 20 minutes of walking with our thumbs out, a man driving an Icelandic Candy truck stopped to pick us up. He offered to drop us off right at the entrance of the Blue Lagoon and bidded us farewell with some Icelandic candy, it couldn't have worked out better. The Blue Lagoon is spectacular... not even worth trying to describe in words, I'll just post the pictures. We spent the entire day there, the water is an incredible shade of turquoise and the temperature stays at a consistent 100 degrees year-round. There is silica mud in the lagoon that you can use as a face-mask, it is supposed to have healing properties, but mostly it's just fun. If it weren't for the pricey entrance fee, I'd want to go everyday.