The long and winding road to the Blue Lagoon. Normally the road looks like this (empty):
We arrived at the Blue Lagoon at 9:30am. It took us a good 10 minutes to get into the parking lot, however, because it took so long for the RV drivers to park their rigs. It was quite funny – the lead RV turned into the first section of the parking lot and then carefully backed into the furthest parking space. The rest of the RVs followed, each backing into the next space down, etc. There was a certain gracefulness to it.
Outside the Blue Lagoon. The square building in the background is the entrance to the Blue Lagoon:
To get into the Blue Lagoon you have to pass through subway-style turnstiles. You don’t plug money into the turnstiles, though. Instead, you wave a blue wrist band that they give you over a sensor, which activates the turnstile so you can walk through. The wrist band also controls your locker. When you close the locker door you wave your wrist band over another sensor and it secures the locker door. It can only be unlocked by waving your wrist band over the sensor again. And, although we didn’t try it, you can also pay for drinks and food at the Blue Lagoon Bar with your wrist band. Cool, huh?
The change rooms were very posh with leather ottomans, special primping and preening stations, and frosted glass doors. They almost had a spa appearance. We didn’t bother changing into our swimming suits because you cannot enter the Blue Lagoon unless you’ve showered with your suit off. They insist on this because the waters are not treated with chlorine or any other purifying chemicals. You have to be clean before you enter the waters otherwise they would be a cesspool.
Walkway around the Blue Lagoon:
I was nominated to enjoy the 30-minute massage that we’d booked the day before, and had to dash off to the farthest end of the lagoon right away. My masseur was a really nice guy from Serbia. He worked as a physiotherapist during the week and at the lagoon on the weekends. The massage was very interesting because it’s performed while I was lying on a floating foam bed in the lagoon. I felt like I was weightless, for one, and the gentle rocking that resulted from the massage was strangely appealing.
After the massage I entered the main pool of the lagoon and met up with Mom and Simone. They’d already done a tour of the various pools and had retreated to one of the cooler pools. Simone offered to “show me around” and the first stop was a wooden box containing white goop that she insisted I rub all over my face. The goop is some kind of silica that is supposed to have healing properties. Some people got really into it and spread it all over their bodies. I stuck to rubbing it over my face and neck.
Our next stop was the largest pool. The further you got into the pool, the hotter it got. At the furthest extent of the pool was a rock barrier and signs indicating it wasn’t safe to go any further. It was clear why it wasn’t safe – the water on the other side of the barrier was boiling, literally.
After getting lobsterized in the big pool we headed back to the small pool where Mom was hanging out. Next to that pool was a round Hobbit-sized door – I’m not joking! – that led into a sauna. We went in and sat in the darkness and heat for about 10 minutes. When a new supply of steam was added to the sauna we couldn’t hack it anymore and left. I’d seen other people whack their heads on the top of the door frame as they left and was careful to duck as we departed.
Outside the sauna was a waterfall of sorts, under which about three or four people could stand. The only way to become one of those three or four people was to loiter aggressively a foot or two away until one of them felt guilty and stepped away. Then you had to jump under the waterfall before someone else could claim the spot. So, that is what we did. The water fell onto us with such force that it was like getting a really good massage. So, that was why it was so popular!
Mom was starting to get a bit overheated and hungry, so we exited the lagoon and headed back inside to clean up. The lagoon waters make your hair incredibly knotty and dry so we spent a long time in the showers applying liberal doses of the free conditioner. I also helped myself to the free body wash in an unsuccessful attempt to wash off the minerals from the lagoon. It didn’t work and I spent the rest of the day with skin that felt vaguely waxy.
We had lunch at the Blue Lagoon and then headed back to the hostel to hang up our suits and get changed into city-worthy clothing. Then we drove into Reykjavik to the Vithey ferry terminal. We caught the 2pm ferry to Vithey and spent the next 1.5 hours tromping down several of the paths that lead to viewpoints and historic sites on the island. Simone wanted to walk to some of the more remote parts of the island but my legs just couldn’t hack it. We stopped for coffee in the historic house by the ferry dock, checked out the church, and then ambled down to the dock to catch the 4:30pm return sailing to Reykjavik.
Ambling about Vithey:
Field of thistles:
Close up of thistles:
On the dock waiting for the ferry back to Reykjavik:
We stopped in Reykjavik to talk to the car rental company about the best way to return the car the following day. After discussing many different options we agreed that I would drop off the car in Reykjavik the next morning and catch the FlyBus to the airport while Mom and Simone would stay at the hostel and catch a cab to the airport.
With that settled we headed back to the hostel in Njarthvik where we set about repacking our bags for the flight home the next day. I managed to pack almost all of my belongings and purchases into my backpack and only needed to ask Mom to put a couple of my purchases into her suitcase.
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