The Golden Circle

Sleep? Who needs sleep? After arriving at our airbnb for a quick shower and a cappuccino we're off to one of the highlighted tours around Reykjavik: The Golden Circle Tour. It takes wary adventurers on a big bus through small streets to the Geysir geothermal area. It's about an hour's bus ride from our apartment in Reykjavik. The Strokkur geyser (the most active geyser in iceland) shoots sulfuric, bubbling water up into the air (about 100 feet) every 5ish minutes. It's a natural combo of James Taylor: fire and rain. Bring boots and rain gear but keep that extra pocket change at home.

The trip continues with Gullfoss (Golden Falls) waterfall. Two overlook paths lure tourists to car-wash, wet-t-shirt status both up and down the falls. Created by the river Hvítá, the falls plunge down about 100 feet. No barrel jumpers in sight today.

Finally, The golden Circle tour ends with a stop at Thingvellir National Park. It's the divide where both the American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart at a rate of a few centimeters per year. Any of that spare pocket change should be kept for the pay toilet here. All that water does things to a body.