Laura the explora: the blog

I have only been here for 6 hours and I’m already sopping wet and freezing cold. It’s truly comedic. And, quite frankly, a little sad.

But here I am, sitting at the hostel recharging my phone and writing. I have already given up on trying to fake that I enjoy this fiercely windy 30F degree weather. It is far from my favorite and well outside my comfort zone. I keep having to fight dreaming about LA where it is always sunny…

I hope this will help me to appreciate my Southern California winter even more by comparison; because let’s get real, I have no idea what “winter” even is. Snow?! I eat it with artificially flavored sugary syrup and that is all. I have maybe only experienced snow a total of 30 days throughout my entire life. 

The weather is not why I’m here in Iceland though.

I came to Iceland in search of the Northern Lights, and unfortunately they are only visible in the winter time when the nights are long and the air is cool. Furthermore, the weather has to be absolutely perfect (i.e. no clouds!) and there can’t be any light pollution around you or they will still not be visible. The chances of seeing them are not always great, even when conditions may appear to be “perfect.”

On the upside, I’ve already learned that Iceland has some bomb pastries. While wandering around in the dark I stumbled across a small bakery called Brauð & Co. It caught my attention with it’s colorful wall lined with lights and drew me in through the window into their kitchen. It was everything I could have ever wanted out of a cinnamon croissant. 

Anywho, I was above the clouds last night in an airplane for nine hours. If I looked out the window and blocked out the in-cabin light well enough, I was able to see faint green streaks of light floating along the skyline in the distance. It was breathtaking. I wanted so badly to capture a picture to share but was unsuccessful in my attempt. Being on a moving aircraft certainly doesn’t help.

Aside from the Northern Lights, Iceland is home to a bunch of Mother Nature’s other wonderful creations. Through the tour I signed for, we will be exploring a few major tourist destinations including the Golden Circle and other spots in southern Iceland. We have also dedicated a certain number of nights to find those pesky lights!

Fingers crossed…

I am so pumped to get out there and start exploring the city once my phone has enough charge to help me find my way around it!

What do you, the beautiful people of the internet, recommend doing or seeing in Iceland during the wintertime?

(this post was last edited and updated on January 31, 2024)