Tilbúinn, Setja, Fara Hér!

For all  non Icelandic speaking peeps that was 'Ready, Set, Go Here!'
It's The Lu's Lonely Planet Guide To Iceland...
So Finally I'm gonna tell you a wee bit about what I know about Iceland. And to be honest it will be little as I was only there for a week so I can barely do it justice now can I? -Now if you're not interested in Iceland I apologise... it's gonna be a long one but I'll try and keep it factual but interesting for y'arl!

A shop door in Rekyjavik

I went to Iceland in March 2009 with pals Jimi and Rehan. I'd been desperate to go for years (Anywhere I can wear christmas jumpers all year round and where art, music and fish are top of the menu will always be a winner in my eyes!) So when I met up with the boys for a few rounds of Gin somewhere near Charlotte Street in London and they said they had the same pipedream I decided that I would be the chimney sweep lassie to push the dream out our pipes! -A month later we were heading to a Skandiland!

Iceland's been around, like most the world, for, ever... but was not inhabited until 600-700AD until some Irish monks found its volcanic shores and f-f-freezing cold temperatures inviting. About 100 years later the Vikings came and set up camp, establishing its first major settlement area Reykjavik. Which is where our HQ was.

A lil' bit of street art in town not far from our apartment

We booked ourselves a sexy designer apartment with Apartment K but to be honest after walking the streets after dark and peering through heaps of windows mainly because I love their interior design but also because I'm incredibly nosey, I have to say, get a hostel! They're a steal and really nice. They're a stylish lot and know how treat their tourists. But one thing you won't get around there is  bargain. You cannot beat them, self catering or eating out. Cafes, restaurants, mini marts, supermarkets. They're all deer but do eat out as the food quality is amazing and will work out cheaper for you in the long run, cooking for yourself is really expensive so I'd recommend eating out and their fish...

Our favourite place to eat was down port-side at Saegreifinn (Open 11am-10pm) is an old, retired fisherman's new venture. Well, not so new anymore. Its an old wooden shack, made from old bits of his fishing boat. If you can brave the cold or there's simply no room and you're in desperate need of a bowl of his famous Lobster Soup (650KR) you'll be seated under the clear plastic conservatory upon planks of wood resting over old fish barrels. Besides the soup he only serves kebabs which all lived up to our taste test although I wouldn't let anyone try the Whale meat. We loved the scallop and tuna yum!

Inside Saegreifinn Picture found at http://saegreifinn.com

The cafes in Reyjavik are what makes it so special. The streets are quite sleepy most of the day and don't really gear up until 11 or 12pm. It costs so much to drink, the young guns drink at home and go out between midnight and 4am. So the cafes are the place to chill before then. Our favourite bar was Damon Albarn's Kaffibarinn, even though the loos smelt summink chronic It had just the right amount of grunge, dark lighting, music and large crowing that we liked. I'm sure the fact that it kind of reminded us of home, well London made us feel at ease too. It's worth a check out anyway as it scores highly on the 'World's Best Bars' website and is quite a celeb hangout.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bods/40548794/

Our favourite cafe there was Babalu. Up a small staircase at the top of a hill, its like someone has put a bar/coffee house in your lounge. Uber cute and comfy, Babalu only serves hot drinks (but millions of options, a wee bit of alcohol and the odd crepe and waffle. It has wifi and arty walls, cool music and lovely, easy going staff. It now has a terrace and seems to be one of the later openers, which is ace if you have a cold and don't want to hit the bars just yet...

Cafe Babalu, Picture by Mattias Arni Ingimarsson

It's best and cheapest to organise your activities such as visiting The Blue Lagoon, Northern lights excursions and Geiser trips before you go. It can also work out cheaper to hire a car and do everything under your own steam. We hired a car for 3 days to visit all the coast line, waterfalls, geisers and Blue Lagoon and then organised pony trekking and Northern Lights separately as obviously these are things you need expert guides for.
I'm probably boring you now so I'm going to show you some pics of what we got up to instead...

When you leave Rekyjavik you quickly hit the lava fields. This was on route to the Blue Lagoon Spa (You have to go! -I don't even like spa's but this is an opportunity not to be missed! and nor is the trip to get there). Another good reason to hire a car is that you can stop and take pictures and just get out when you see something amazing. But beware. Stick to the speed limit. You will be fined if caught barely over the speed. Fined on the spot, and it will set you back well over £100!!!

Foot brushes at some geisers and muddy sulphur swamps we passed.

The landscape changes colour, shape and terrain almost as fast as its weather (one minute a blizzard and the next glorious sunshine (reference when we visited!).

Further along our journey (not much further) We came across this giant lake.It was breath taking.

This is not my photograph. Unsurprisingly you can't take your SLR camera with you swimming unless you want to completely ruin it! -Blue Lagoon is thought of as Iceland's Eiffel Tower. Between Keflavik and Grindavik it is super modern. You can rent a swimsuit and towel, goggles, hat whatever and are given a wrist watch. This band activates, closes and releases your locker of choice and is your wallet at the bar. You pay as you leave. You can sunbath inside and out in their huge glass foyer. Drink champagne or smoothies at the bar. Hangout in the steam rooms and Spa which are cut into the exterior landscape r simply float about in the magical hotsprings whilst face packing from the clay filled buckets which have been dotted around. One word of warning. In Iceland they have a naked pre-swim shower rule, which is pretty standard. man up I say!

A church in the middle of nowhere stands modestly on our way to the South West of the island to The Black Beach near Vik.

This again is not my image (Found on http://www.rhinocarhire.is) but I wanted to show you the potential... yes home of the Northern Lights, or at least a good place to see them. There are thrice nightly tours all over the island to go and hunt for them. You have to pre-pay with no guarantee that you will get to see anything. Its all based on luck and the time of year. Winter is best but even at spring time it was pretty tough getting out the coach to watch them in the open planes of the dark Icelandic countryside

Aaaahhhh... I wish I'd got to spend more time here. Its Rekyjavik's flea market, more knitware than you can shake kitten at, all home made with the typical patterns. Loads of crazy food, clothing and music. Rekyjavik town itself is full of music, art and fashion shops all unique and wonderful. If you love this nation's sense of style, attitude and ethic you'll have a field day!

This is one of my boys Jimi on our way to the ponies. He is never this serious but I think he was focussing on getting the prettiest pony, which totally did.

Skogafoss. An insanely beautiful waterfall. Also try and see Selfoss and Golfoss Falls. Their giant forms, slenderly and elegantly fall through the cliff like strips of silver.

A massive part of their culture and diet is dried fish, and as you drive through the lava fields you will find man-made totem poles and rafters strewn with fish drying in the sun. Once I saw this, I knew I wouldn't be eating it but they did look magical as the sun shone through their skin and skeletons.

A typical example of icelandic's art culture. Gorilla art everywhere you step, the city is a constant buzz of art house and fashion house open days. The wall scrawl goes on for miles, some hidden, some in your face. All beautiful and designed to make you think or smile. I miss it just thinking about it.

So that's a quick round-up. A little bit of nightlife, artlife, exploring of natural beauty and excursions. If you want to see more pics then jump on my Flickr... phew.