The Nordic Lands - Day Five

Blue

WE get the first possible bus to Blue Lagoon, winding our way through the mountains at 7:30am so we can spend the whole day there.

IT quickly becomes abundantly clear that this is a spa retreat for wealthy Americans, and I balk at how overpriced it is. However it is overwhelmingly nice - all calming water and floating bars, smooth wood and dark tiles.

WHILST everybody is floating about serenely, we spend time splashing about and pretending to drown each other. At one point I do accidentally submerge myself for some unknown reason (I think I just forgot how to stand up). At the same time, I don't think I can capture how relaxing it is to spend the whole day floating. The water is so salty it makes skulling natural. I imagine being kidnapped by mermaids as Ellie gently leads me, suspended by the water, around corners and under bridges. She does eventually nearly put me in a waterfall but it's relaxing nonetheless.

A silica mud mask is included in our entrance fee, and Ellie and I definitely get our money's worth. I apply it everywhere I possibly can because the salt irritates my skin, and Ellie does the same because the sun irritates hers. It turns out we aren't the only ones with this agenda, and I notice people who appear to be wearing a long sleeved shirt because of the amount of mud they have on. Even better are the bald men who've applied the mask to their entire head, which I find endlessly fascinating and hilarious in equal measures.

BECAUSE the water is an opaque light blue, it's impossible to see how deep it is. I struggle to breathe as I laugh at Ellie walking through the (half a meter deep) pool crouched down in order to remain submerged. Next to me, standing up like a normal person, she looks like a concerned gnome in a pool full of tourists complaining about how the smoothies are non-alcoholic. Sidenote: Skyr smoothies are the best smoothies, especially when bought and consumed in a lagoon.

BACK on the bus to Reykjavik, once again in wet jeans, I notice that the salt makes me hair stay up in any style I put it in, and that I have a tan for the first time since 2011! I'm thrilled by the healthy nut brown colour. When we get back to the hostel, our new roommate shares Stroopwafels with us, which sets Ellie off reminiscing about the majesty of Dutch street food. To be honest, eating something which seems to be a mixture of marshmallow, caramel, and gingerbread is amazing, and I can only imagine what it's like fresh and warm. Unfortunately, our other culinary expedition of the night does not go as well. We find what looks, smells, and feels like fudge in the 'free' section of the kitchen, but when we sit down to have a bit after dinner it turns out it's ACTUALLY CHEESE??? Weird sweet fudge cheese??? Neither of us recover for the rest of the night.

BEFORE bed we chat to Mum and Mogs, and as usual my brother manages to be serious, inane, and ridiculous all at once. Ellie remarks on how she loves conversations with all of us, despite this one consisting mostly of Mohan complaining that cooking, especially carbonara, is one of the more stressful aspects of his life.